DecarbonICE CO₂ Transport

Background
This project explores the transport of CO₂ in solid form (dry ice) using insulated shipping containers. The approach offers a potentially scalable, safe, and efficient way to collect CO₂ from multiple medium-sized emission sources and transport it to centralized hubs. At these hubs, the solid CO₂ would be converted into liquid or dense phase through sublimation, melting, and compression, enabling subsequent transport and injection into permanent storage sites.

Goal
To perform a preliminary thermodynamic analysis of CO₂ sublimation, melting, compression, and liquefaction processes, assessing the technical viability of the solid CO₂ transport concept.

Activities
The project contains the following activities:
A1. Literature study: Identify and address the knowledge gaps in the concept of CO₂ transport.
A2.Concept definition: Propose viable process configurations for sublimation, melting and compression.
A3. Thermodynamic analysis and evaluation of process concepts.

Results
The concept of converting solid CO₂ to liquid or dense phase using ambient heat ingress was confirmed to be technically feasible, with no major barriers identified. Thermodynamic analysis indicated that the process can be achieved within practical timeframes, except in cases relying solely on conduction. Results were found to be highly sensitive to heat transfer coefficients, which represent a key uncertainty. The assumption of instantaneous equilibrium may not fully capture dynamic process behavior, potentially affecting the accuracy of the analysis.
A full process cycle, from loading dry ice to discharge and reloading, was also evaluated as technically feasible, though detailed operational aspects require further assessment.

Further Work
Conduct experiments to validate models and reduce key uncertainties.
Develop improved models of sublimation and melting processes.
Assess operational efficiency and safety, considering factors such as CO₂ losses, impurities during loading/unloading, risks associated with pressurized cylinders and other practical issues. Evaluate the concept within the context of the full CCS chain. Continue collaboration with industry partners towards technology demonstration.