Are we in front of a revolution in cement production?
Portland Cement without limestone or chalk?
In November of 2021 Brimstone a start up started to take the attention of the news when declared their vision to make ordinary Portland cement without carbon dioxide emissions for a lower cost than conventionally produced cement.?
Brimstone is a venture-backed R&D company
The Oakland, California, based startup has developed a new process to make cement using basalt and other calcium-bearing silicate rocks, in lieu of limestone. These replacement rocks are rich in calcium oxide — a?key ingredient in cement-making — but, crucially, they don’t contain any carbon atoms
Silicate minerals make up over 80 percent of the earth’s crust, said Brimstone CEO Cody Finke, who noted that; the company’s innovations lie in processing common rocks to produce both cement and?SCMs (Supplementary Cementitious Materials
Brimstone’s Portland cement production process is carbon-negative, meaning the process sequesters carbon dioxide rather than releasing more, according to the company.?
Finke and Leandri’s carbon-negative ambitions caught the attention of investors last year during its Series A funding round, raising 60 million USD,? Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, DCVC, and Fifth Wall are among the company’s backers.?
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Standard cement, innovative new process
It is important to highlight that Brimstone’s green Portland cement received last July 2023 a third-party certification
On the other hand Canary Media, in November 2021 published that using this alternative source rock also allows to lower the kiln temperatures. Typical cement production process requires temperatures of 1,450oC approx to the key part of it. Brimstone’s process, in contrast, requires temperatures above 500oC . It was mentioned as well that Finke declined to specify further, due to a?pending patent application.
The next step is testing in a pilot plant near Reno, Nevada. After that still it will be necessary? an industrial scale testing
What do you think? Will the Brimstone's process be the new way to produce Portland cement??
Attached the links of the interviews
Cement process & project consultant
1 年Besides that, ASTM C150 says the following... how do you get Portland cement clinker, when we know what PORTLAND clinker means? Please explain the reactions, if possible.
Senior Engineering consultant industrial design for building industry
1 年The idea to replace Limestone with another mineral which don't contain Carbon it's not new , the problem consists in fact that Ca concentration should be found somehow stable in order to offer to the raw mix the ratio required by Portland clinker mineral compounds.
R&D Associate at RG Global Services [Construction Industry]
1 年The green cement is driven by growth in awareness related to reduction in carbon emissions and its detrimental effect on the environment... Know more about Green Cement @ https://shorturl.at/gkqT2
Microentreprise "Low carbon construction materials"
1 年. It is well innovation that can used in concerned countries and contribute with other solutions in order to arrive to reduce Carbon impact. Also we should have an open mind and accept solutions of construction materials without cement as geopolymers, earth concrete,....As expert in high energy milling, mechanosynthesis and nanomaterials, I believe that we can still propose and find solutions with grinding (mechanical activation) and heat treatment. To try do not change the manufacture of cement too much, where that everyone can benefit and all countries manage to follow. Just a point of view
Microentreprise "Low carbon construction materials"
1 年When I find some researchers or manufacturers offering solutions for reducing CO2, I say that it is the good way for protecting our planet. However, there is not only one solution but different solutions. There is not miracle solution as saying that replacing limestone with basalt solve problem. I just, remind some realities that sometimes we try to forget. But, we should take in account:?cement or concrete is the most used material in the world after water and that all countries can manufacture it and sell it with reasonable and affordable price and people can built their houses. This, due to the simple reason that the raw materials used are very abundant in the world, it is limestone and clays. So if we propose an expensive innovation with materials only found in a few countries and we are going to sell it as the miracle solution, well will create injustice in cement world and its consumption.