What is cryocondensation

Cryocondensation is a technology that enables companies in heavy industries capture and store potent greenhouse gases in their liquid form with the use of liquid nitrogen. It works by exposing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or the greenhouse gas emissions to very low temperature liquid nitrogen, which acts like a refrigerant. The gases are thus captured in liquid form and can be reused by various industries, including the chemical or pharmaceutical.

The liquid nitrogen isn't depleted during the process, meaning that it can be reused later.

Through cryocondensation, every bit of the greenhouse gas emissions is being captured, meaning no waste and no leaks in the atmosphere. The fact that the process is low-cost and requires little investment from industrial companies, it can be a competitive way to capture GHG emissions, even if they aren't used later.

Acetone, methanol and hydrocarbons are some of the solvents that can be treated and recovered using this process.

The technology isn't without risks, however, since the temperature of liquid nitrogen is measured at around -196 degrees Celsius and the freezing point of the VOCs is between -60 and -100 degrees Celsius. This means that, in order to avoid solidifying the greenhouse gas emissions and cause cleaning issues for the system, companies need to carefully control the flow and the rate of liquid nitrogen, facilitating the condensation process.

How cryocondensation works

In fact, scientists explain that during the process, the temperature rarely drops below -95 degrees Celsius and most often, condensation happens between -40 and -80 degrees Celsius, well within the capabilities offered by liquid nitrogen.

Of course, as it's the case with other systems, the process needs to be adapted if the size increases. Thus, the larger the flow of VOCs that need to be treated, the higher the temperature inside the chamber must be for the process to occur. When we're talking about larger flows of gases (over 1.000 cubic meters per hour), residual emissions start to appear, as well, but only in small amounts and these are being treated separately.

To improve the efficiency during condensation, the gases and solvents that need to be treated should be compressed, as this increases the temperature required for condensation and thus, less energy and refrigerants are being used.

One of the reasons no liquid nitrogen is being lost during the cryocondensation process is that a heat exchanger is being used, which is a surface that separates the gases that need to be condensed from the liquid nitrogen itself. This means that the two elements don't come in direct contact.

Cryocondensation advantages and drawbacks

Cryocondensation has several advantages, but also some drawbacks. One of the most notable upsides of the process is the fact that this technology is compact and usually, smaller systems are deployed at facilities (around 250 cubic meters per hour of treatment capacity).

Another big advantage is that solvents and gases can be recovered completely and reused in industrial processes, such as pharma and chemical production. One of the companies that employs the use of cryocondensation for pharmaceutical production is Bachem Group, which specializes in developing and manufacturing ingredients such as peptides, amino acids used for making skin products.

Using cryocondensation chambers, the company is able to make peptides using 2 to 50 substitutes, employing peptide bonds to link them together.

Another important advantage is that the concentration of the condensed gas can be controlled by the manufacturer, if the correct condensation temperature is being selected

One of the drawbacks of using liquid nitrogen for cryocondensation is the chemical element itself, as it can pose multiple risks and hazards if mishandled. These include fires, explosions and exposure to extremely low temperatures. Additionally, when treating wet gas streams, the condenser must be dehumidified prior to the condensation process to prevent ice-forming.

This is cryocondensation, a process that can allow us to reduce our carbon footprint, while making use of the gases that we capture and turn into liquids. It comes with its own risks, but also with great rewards, so it may be worth for companies to look into investing in the implementation of such systems, especially if they work in the heavy pollution sectors.