FMSG: Lean Cement Manufacturing Enabled by Renewable Energy

波特兰水泥是用于结构混凝土的最常见的水泥类型，其生产目前约占全球能源使用量的5%，二氧化碳温室气体排放量的8%。在过去的140年里，目前的制造过程没有发生实质性的变化，需要1400摄氏度以上的温度，并由化石燃料的燃烧提供热量。这个未来制造种子项目探索了用电化学过程代替燃烧过程的潜力，从而为利用风能和太阳能等可再生电力的生态制造打开了大门。该项目包括更广泛的内容，旨在保持美国在高效、低碳排放水泥制造方面的领导地位，同时培养训练有素的可再生、节能技术劳动力。该项目将通过氢氧化钙（Ca(OH)2）形成将方解石（即石灰石）转化为氧化钙（CaO）的化学过程，使未来的水泥制造成为可能，后者是在电解槽中生产的，而不是在传统的化石燃料窑中直接煅烧石灰石。这种方法提供了一种新的化学途径来生产水泥，大大减少了碳足迹和能源消耗，同时可以使用可再生资源的电力。该项目将推进几个不同领域的知识，包括电解、水泥化学、先进制造以及水泥工业过程的经济和环境影响的系统级评估。具体来说，研究工作将(1)为水泥制造的低温化学过程提供基本的见解，(2)评估增值产品的电化学方法和Ca(OH)2联合生产的化学过程及其整体效率的可扩展性，(3)评估和了解通过这种新方法与传统方法制造的水泥的化学成分、反应化学和最终性能（机械强度和耐久性）。(4)通过系统级分析，量化该水泥制造新工艺的经济和环境优势。将研究三种不同氧化还原对的电解槽设计，以提高水泥制造的知识和共同生产增值产品的效率。多种技术表征将对水泥合成的化学性质、不同相的形成、有效的分离过程以及对建筑材料有用的最终成分和性能产生新的理解。教育和外联活动将侧重于培训下一代学生了解水泥的可再生制造。一个讲习班和系列研讨会将向工业利益相关者介绍来自两年制大学的未被充分代表的少数民族学生和教师。此外，讲习班/研讨会系列将探讨学术界，电化学行业和水泥制造商之间合作研发的机会。该项目由化学、生物工程、环境和运输系统学部（CBET）、化学学部（CHE）和本科教育学部（DUE）共同资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The manufacture of Portland cement – the most common type of cement used for structural concrete – presently accounts for roughly 5% of global energy usage and 8% of carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions. The current manufacturing process has not changed substantially over the past 140 years, and requires temperatures above 1400 degrees Celsius with heat provided by the combustion of fossil fuels. This Future Manufacturing seed project explores the potential of substituting an electrochemical process for the combustion process, thus opening the door to eco-manufacturing utilizing renewable electricity from sources such as wind and solar energy. The project includes broader elements aimed at preserving U.S. leadership in efficient, low-carbon-emission manufacture of cement while developing a highly-trained workforce skilled in renewable, energy-efficient technologies. The project will enable future manufacturing of cement by transforming the chemical process of converting calcite (i.e. limestone) to calcium oxide (CaO) via calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) formation, the latter being produced in an electrolyzer rather than direct limestone calcination in a conventional fossil-fuel fired kiln. This approach offers a new, chemical pathway to produce cement with much reduced carbon footprint and energy usage, while enabling the use of electricity from renewable resources. This project will advance knowledge in several different fields, including electrolysis, cement chemistry, advanced manufacturing, and system-level assessment of the economic and environmental impacts of cement industry processes. Specifically, the research efforts will (1) provide fundamental insight into the lower-temperature chemical process of cement manufacturing, (2) assess the scalability of the electrochemical method of value-added products and chemical process of Ca(OH)2 co-production and its overall efficiency, (3) assess and understand the chemical composition, reaction chemistry and resulting properties (mechanical strength and durability) of cement manufactured through this new versus conventional approach, and (4) quantify economic and environmental advantages of this new cement manufacturing process through system-level analysis. Three electrolyzer designs with various redox couples will be investigated to advance knowledge of cement manufacturing and efficiency of co-production of value-added products. Multi-techniques characterization will generate new understandings on the chemistry of the cement synthesis, formation of various phases, efficient separation processes, and resulting composition and properties that are instrumental to construction materials. Educational and outreach activities will focus on training next generation students on renewable manufacturing of cement. A workshop and seminar series will introduce underrepresented minority students and faculty from two-year colleges to industrial stakeholders. In addition, the workshop/seminar series will explore opportunities for collaborative R&D between the academic community, the electrochemical industry, and cement manufacturers.This project is jointly funded by the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (CBET), the Division of Chemistry (CHE), and the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.