Concept

Reduced net emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) are necessary to achieve the IPCC goals of limiting global warming and ensuring a sustainable future for our society. The natural balance of CO2 via photosynthesis is insufficient to compensate for the anthropogenic emissions, and active measures are thus necessary. MINICOR aims to develop a versatile process for managing and valorizing CO2 and nitrogen while efficiently deploying renewable resources. 

The process (outlined below) utilizes renewable biomass feedstock that undergoes pyrolysis and releases water, gas, and organic compounds, forming bio-oil, also known as pyrolysis oil. 

While this pyrolysis gas represents a relatively low heating value fuel, it can be combusted under Moderate or Intense Low-oxygen Dilution (MILD) conditions for energy conversion. The heat from the combustion supplies dry reforming of CO2 with bio-oil to generate hydrogen-containing syngas for further energy conversion or chemical production. Solid biochar from the pyrolysis can be upgraded by activation with CO2 and nitrogen adsorption, and further used for soil amendment restoring nitrogen balance. The concept adopts a circular approach to address the challenges of handling CO2 emissions and nitrogen imbalance in our environment.