Method and plant for treating raw-meal in a cement clinker manufacturing process

A method configured for operating a cement clinker line, the method comprising at least:

• converting a CaCO3 comprising raw meal into calcined raw meal and at least CO2 and/or sintering calcined raw meal in a kiln, thereby obtaining at least cement clinker and CO2;
• separating the CO2 from the calcined raw meal and/or the clinker,
• dissolving at least a portion of the CO2 in a first carboxylic acid and/or a first sulfonic acid and/or liquifying at least a portion of the CO2;
• reducing the dissolved and/or liquified CO2, respectively, electrolytically at a cathode of an electrolytic cell to a second carboxylic acid, wherein the first carboxylic acid and/or first sulfonic acid is used as an electrolyte.

A cement clinker line comprising at least a CO2-source with a CO2-outlet, wherein the CO2-source comprises as least one of a kiln configured to sinter calcined raw meal into cement clinker, a calciner configured to convert raw meal into calcined raw meal, and a fuel combustion unit, wherein the cement clinker line further comprises at least:

• a CO2 liquefier and/or a first scrubber having at least
• a CO2 inlet being connected to the CO2-outlet of the CO2-source,
• an acid inlet connected to at least one source of a first carboxylic acid and/or a first sulfonic acid and
• a liquified CO2-outlet and/or an acid-dissolved CO2-outlet,
• an electrolytic cell comprising at least
• a first fluid chamber with a CO2 inlet being connected with the liquified CO2-outlet and/or the acid-dissolved CO2-outlet of the CO2 liquefier and/or the first scrubber, respectively, and with a CO2-depleted acid outlet, and with at least one cathode,
• a second fluid chamber, wherein the first and second fluid chambers are separated by a proton permeable membrane,
• a cathode in the cathode chamber and an anode in the anode chamber.