Solidia’s CO2-curing technology reduces the use of water in cement production

A new report by Solidia Technologies^® on water use in the global production of cement and concrete revealed that a savings of approximately 2 billion tpa (2 trillion litres) of water could be realised with the adoption of a patented process developed by the company, which cures concrete with carbon dioxide instead of water.

Beginning with a sustainable cement (Solidia Cement™), the CO₂-curing technology reduces water consumption in the production of concrete by up to 80%, carbon emissions up to 70% and the curing time to one day. The remainder of the water is retained in the concrete and can be recovered if needed.

Solidia Cement™ reacts with gaseous CO₂ rather than with water to form Solidia Concrete™. Concrete objects made with this sustainable cement require the incorporation of water for shaping and forming only. However, the water used in concrete formulations based on Solidia Cement™ is not consumed chemically and can be recovered during the CO₂-curing process. If Solidia Cement™ were used as an alternative to ordinary Portland cement, the amount of water consumed during the production of concrete could be reduced by around 0.26 – 0.45 billion t. This corresponds to an annual global water savings of about 2 billion t, or 2 trillion litres.

"Water scarcity and rising CO₂ emissions are among the most pressing concerns of our time," commented Nicholas DeCristofaro, Ph.D., Solidia’s Chief Technology Officer and co-author of the report. "With Solidia Cement™ and Solidia Concrete™, we can address these environmental challenges with innovative solutions that offer tangible value to manufacturers and inestimable value to the planet."

Read the full report on ‘Water Savings in Concrete Made From Solidia Cement’ here.

Adapted from press release by Rosalie Starling

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/25042014/solidias_co2_curing_technology_reduces_the_use_of_water_in_cement_production_77/