Ecospray Introduces Carbon Capture Technologies for Maritime Sector
Ecospray, an Italian company specializing in sustainable solutions for maritime and land-based industries, has announced the development of two Carbon Capture technologies for the maritime sector. These technologies are set to be available on the market from Q1 2024 and have the potential to capture up to 80% of the CO2 emissions produced during ship operations, under specific conditions.
The testing of these new technologies was conducted in collaboration with the University of Turin, during the laboratory phase. The results of the testing phase were presented at the “Capture the future: evolution and technologies for decarbonization” seminar held in Athens, Greece. The successful testing led to the industrialization of the two Carbon Capture technologies.
Ecospray has developed a pilot plant that incorporates two innovative CO2 capture technologies: chemical absorption using amines and calcium hydroxide. Both technologies were tested in the Ecospray facility and subsequently installed on a commercial ship for a two-month trial under real conditions. The testing phase achieved capture efficiencies of up to 80%, allowing for the optimization of component design and selection, as well as process improvement.
The Carbon Capture technology using amines involves the chemical absorption of CO2 using an amine solution. This process, developed by Ecospray, differs significantly from conventional land-based applications. The marine sector can easily apply this new system, which offers energy savings of at least 10-15% compared to conventional high-temperature regeneration processes.
The Carbon Capture technology using calcium hydroxide involves the reaction of CO2 with lime milk, converting the carbon dioxide into calcium carbonate, a solid material. The testing phase achieved very high levels of reagent conversion (90-95%), indicating advanced process optimization.
In addition to these two technologies, Ecospray is also developing a third Carbon Capture technology involving the use of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). This technology is being developed in collaboration with the University of Genoa and is expected to enter the industrialization phase in 2025.
Filippo Lossani, Director B.U. Marine at Ecospray, highlighted the significant contribution that Carbon Capture technologies can make towards achieving zero emissions of CO2 in the shipping sector by 2050. He emphasized the importance of adopting an analytical approach that considers the current state of the art and the specific needs of the sector. Ecospray’s commitment is to provide commercially available solutions that enable ships to reduce emissions and comply with existing CO2 reduction parameters set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Ecospray’s innovative Carbon Capture technologies offer promising solutions for the shipping industry, allowing for a significant reduction in emissions and a sustainable transition towards a greener future.
