Next-Generation Modular Solutions for Industrial Emissions

ERGIL | Äager GmbH — Engineering, Manufacturing & Modular Process Solutions

Rising energy demand, industrialization, and the continued intensive use of fossil fuels have driven atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations steadily upward. Among these gases, carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most significant component of emissions from human activity: global atmospheric CO₂ concentrations exceeded 428 ppm in 2026 — roughly 50% above pre-industrial levels.

A large share of CO₂ emissions originates from energy generation and fuel consumption. In several industries, however, CO₂ is generated directly by the production process itself, which means it cannot be eliminated through energy efficiency improvements or fuel switching alone. Examples include limestone calcination in cement production, reforming for hydrogen production, natural gas processing, refinery operations, iron and steel making, and various chemical production routes.

The main point sources of industrial CO₂ emissions are:

• Power and heat generation: Combustion of coal, natural gas, and other fossil fuels for electricity and steam.
• Refining and petrochemicals: Process furnaces, fuel gas combustion, and hydrogen production units.
• Cement and lime production: Process emissions from calcination reactions in addition to fuel combustion.
• Iron and steel production: Emissions associated with fuel consumption and reduction processes.
• Chemical production: CO₂ released during the production of hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, and other chemicals.
• Natural gas processing: CO₂ separated from natural gas streams and emissions from process operations.

Not all sources are equal from a capture perspective. Streams with higher CO₂ concentrations, arriving from a defined point at stable conditions, provide more favourable economics for capture systems. Accurately characterizing the emission source is therefore the first — and one of the most important — steps in any carbon capture project.

Several approaches are being pursued to reduce carbon emissions from industrial facilities: energy efficiency improvements, electrification, renewable energy, and the transition to lower-carbon fuels. Yet in sectors such as cement, iron and steel, chemicals, refining, petrochemicals, hydrogen production, and natural gas processing, part of the CO₂ is generated directly by the production process. Even when process energy is supplied entirely from low-carbon sources, process-related CO₂ would still be released to the atmosphere.

This is where Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) provides an essential technological solution. Particularly in existing facilities where process emissions are difficult to eliminate, carbon capture separates the CO₂ generated during production from the process gas before it is emitted. The captured stream is then conditioned, purified, and converted into a CO₂ product suitable for utilization or permanent storage.

Carbon capture should therefore never be viewed as a single piece of equipment or an isolated process unit. An effective carbon management system is an integrated process chain extending from the point where the gas is generated to the final utilization or storage of the captured CO₂:

The scale-up challenge is significant — and so is the opportunity. According to the IEA’s CCUS Projects Database, just over 50 million tonnes (Mt) of annual CO₂ capture capacity was in operation as of 2025, while the current project pipeline points to around 430 Mt CO₂ per year by 2030. Net-zero pathways for the energy sector, however, indicate a need in the order of 1 gigatonne per year by the early 2030s. During 2025 alone, more than 40 capture and storage projects entered operation, increasing annual CCS capacity by roughly 25% year on year, and global investment in capture, transport, and storage has reached record levels.

The gap between operational capacity and net-zero requirements represents one of the largest equipment and engineering build-outs in industrial history — and it is precisely where proven, modular, scalable capture systems are needed.

CO₂ capture processes are broadly classified into three main categories, according to the stage of the combustion process at which capture takes place: post-combustion capture, pre-combustion capture, and oxy-fuel combustion. The table below summarizes how the three routes compare.

Pre-combustion capture separates CO₂ before the fuel is combusted. In gasification or reforming processes, the fuel is converted into a gas mixture containing hydrogen and carbon-bearing compounds. Following the appropriate process steps, CO₂ is separated to produce a hydrogen-rich stream. Because the CO₂ is present at higher pressures in many of these applications, separation is often easier and more energy-efficient. Pre-combustion capture is particularly relevant to hydrogen production and processes involving synthesis gas.

In the oxy-fuel process, the fuel is combusted in a high-oxygen environment instead of air. Removing the nitrogen that makes up the bulk of air greatly increases the CO₂ concentration in the resulting flue gas. After water vapour removal and gas conditioning, a highly concentrated CO₂ stream is obtained. The main advantage is this concentrated stream; the main trade-off is the energy demand and cost of oxygen production.

The separation technology for a post-combustion system is never selected on CO₂ concentration alone. Gas flow rate, pressure, temperature, impurities, required CO₂ purity, energy consumption, and capital cost are evaluated together.

Amine-based systems play a central role in CO₂ capture, particularly for flue gas streams with low to moderate CO₂ partial pressures. Conventional applications use amines such as monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and methyldiethanolamine (MDEA); in addition, AMP, piperazine-activated solvents, and blended systems combining different amines are in active development.

A significant share of current solvent development focuses on reducing regeneration energy: capturing CO₂ in the absorber is only half the task — restoring the solvent to a reusable condition determines much of the system’s overall energy consumption. Development of next-generation solvents targets:

Solvent selection should therefore never be based on capture rate alone. Energy requirements, degradation behaviour, compatibility with equipment materials, and long-term operating performance must all be evaluated together.

Adding a carbon capture system to an existing facility demands a far more comprehensive engineering approach than installing a new piece of equipment. Flue gas flow rate, temperature, pressure, and composition directly shape the design of the capture unit, while components such as SOx, NOx, particulate matter, and aerosols influence solvent performance and equipment operating conditions. Gas conditioning upstream of the capture unit is therefore often required.

A typical facility-level configuration may be designed as:

Flue Gas → Scrubber → Cooling → Condensation → Filtration / Separation → CO₂ Capture

Following the capture stage, the process continues with:

CO₂ Purification → Dehydration → Compression → Transportation / Storage

Carbon capture systems rely on a wide range of process equipment performing distinct functions across the chain. Depending on the facility’s process configuration and the selected capture technology, the system may include:

ERGIL has developed a modular pilot system based on amine chemical absorption to evaluate CO₂ capture performance under representative industrial process conditions. The system processes gas streams containing 5–15% CO₂ at flow rates of 100–500 Nm³/h, with a target capture efficiency above 95%, depending on operating conditions.

A key feature of the system is its advanced amine blend solvent, selected to balance CO₂ absorption capacity, capture efficiency, and solvent regeneration. Solvent selection considers not only capture performance but also regeneration energy demand, solvent stability, and long-term operating behaviour.

The feed gas is conditioned upstream of the absorber for temperature, moisture, particulate matter, and process-related contaminants. In the absorber, the conditioned gas is contacted counter-currently with the solvent, enabling selective absorption of CO₂. The rich solvent is transferred to the stripper following heat integration; controlled heat input releases the absorbed CO₂, while the regenerated lean solvent is cooled and returned to the absorber, establishing continuous circulation. The CO₂-rich product stream can then be directed to purification, dehydration, and compression stages, depending on the intended application.

* Depending on gas flow rate, inlet CO₂ concentration, and operating conditions.

ERGIL supports the full chain — from feasibility and gas characterization to modular system design, fabrication, and scale-up.