Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide via Mineral Carbonation to Produce Magnesium Carbonate: A Design Study

Meerab Yousuf; Abdul Basit; Abdul Basit

Authors

Meerab Yousuf Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Gujrat
Abdul Basit Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Gujrat.
Abdul Basit Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Gujrat.

Keywords:

Mineral Carbonation, Olivine, Magnesium Carbonate, Ex-Situ Carbonation

Abstract

The rapid increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) due to industrialization and fossil fuel combustion has raised significant concerns about global warming. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a crucial technology for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study presents the design of a mineral carbonation plant capable of sequestering 30 tons of CO₂ per day to produce magnesium carbonate (MgCO₃) using olivine as the feedstock.
The process follows an ex-situ carbonation approach, where a mineral slurry reacts with CO₂ under controlled conditions. The plant design includes the development of key equipment such as a reactor, heat exchanger, and flash column, with a detailed process flow diagram (PFD) modeled in Aspen Plus. Material and energy balances ensure the operational feasibility of the system.
With an effective conversion rate of 50%, the process accounts for realistic industrial limitations while maintaining reliability at scale. Heat recovery mechanisms, including a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, improve energy efficiency by minimizing heat loss. Optimized equipment design ensures process scalability and aligns with performance criteria to meet sequestration targets and product quality standards.
The reliance on olivine, an abundant and cost-effective silicate mineral, highlights the economic and environmental advantages of this approach. The findings contribute to advancing sustainable CCS technologies, offering a viable solution for CO₂ mitigation while producing valuable industrial products such as MgCO₃ and by-product SiO₂.

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