The final modular component of the Carbon Purification Unit (CPU) has arrived – and has been successfully installed! Measuring 31 metres in length and approximately 5 x 5 metres in cross-section, the component was positioned with millimetre precision in a confined space at the Mergelstetten construction site using a tandem lift – a true feat of precision engineering.

The CPU plant plays a central role in the overall process: it purifies and liquefies the CO₂-rich exhaust gas from the Oxyfuel kiln and upgrades it to food-grade quality. Through this crucial step, the captured CO₂ can be made available for further use in a purified form.

With the delivery and installation of this module, the final major component of the CI4C construction project has now been put in place. The final mechanical and electrical works are currently underway, with the aim of establishing the necessary conditions for commissioning by late summer.

A strong team, meticulous planning, and a great deal of commitment have made this milestone possible. Thank you to everyone involved!

About CI4C
In 2019, four European cement manufacturers – Buzzi SpA/Dyckerhoff GmbH, Heidelberg Materials AG, SCHWENK Zement GmbH & Co. KG, and Vicat S.A. – joined forces to form the research company CI4C GmbH & Co. KG. Their shared objective is to realise the CO₂ capture project “catch4climate” at SCHWENK’s cement plant site in Mergelstetten. The new facility, into which more than €120 million is being invested, will be the first to employ the Pure Oxyfuel process to concentrate CO₂ for subsequent capture in the downstream CPU. To this end, a dedicated rotary kiln line with a clinker production capacity of 450 tonnes per day and a CPU are being constructed.
The entire facility is intended exclusively for research and development purposes.