Fäth Implements Oxygen Supply for the catch4climate Research Project

Klipphausen/Mergelstetten, 4 September 2025 – The Fäth Group supplied, installed and qualified an oxygen distribution system for the Pure Oxyfuel research facility of the catch4climate project in Mergelstetten. The installation was completed on schedule in August 2025 by the Fäth team from its Leverkusen site. The project demonstrates how sophisticated media supply systems can be combined with innovative carbon capture technologies. It highlights the importance of a safe, reliable oxygen supply tailored precisely to the process requirements of new production and research technologies.

How Does the Pure Oxyfuel Process Work?

Conventional cement kilns use ambient air for combustion. The Pure Oxyfuel process developed by thyssenkrupp Polysius uses pure oxygen instead. As no additional nitrogen enters the combustion process with the ambient air, the CO₂ concentration in the exhaust gas increases from a maximum of 25% to approximately 90%. This produces a significantly more concentrated CO₂ stream, allowing the carbon dioxide to be captured more efficiently.The research facility has a production capacity of approximately 450 tonnes of clinker per day. The findings are intended to support the future use of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies in the cement industry.

What Was Fäth’s Role in the catch4climate Project?

Fäth implemented the distribution system that supplies oxygen to the Pure Oxyfuel kiln. The oxygen is delivered in cryogenic liquid form and stored in six tanks. The installed system then distributes the oxygen reliably to the designated points of use within the facility.

The technical implementation had to meet demanding requirements:
– Material and pressure resistance
– Safe oxygen distribution
– Fire protection and major-accident prevention
– Defined operating and process conditions
– Professional installation and testing
– Qualification and documentation
– On-schedule integration into the overall facility

As oxygen supports combustion, its storage and distribution place particularly high demands on materials, components, cleanliness and system design.

What Benefits Does the Installation Offer the Customer?

A reliable oxygen supply is essential for the stable operation of the Pure Oxyfuel kiln. The system installed by Fäth ensures that oxygen is available at the required points of use under the specified pressure and operating conditions.

The customer benefits from:

• An oxygen supply system designed specifically for the project
• Components matched to the medium, pressure and application
• High levels of process and operational safety
• Reliable supply to the connected facility
• Compliance with legal and technical requirements
• Documented installation and qualification
• Clearly defined interfaces with the overall facility
• A single point of contact for installation, testing and documentation

The coordinated implementation provides the customer with a ready-to-operate media supply system that is safely integrated into the research facility. Early coordination of the technical interfaces also reduces the effort required between the various contractors involved.

Which Other Applications Can Benefit from This Expertise?

The requirements of the catch4climate project can also be applied to other industrial projects. Wherever high-purity, reactive or safety-critical gases must be supplied and distributed reliably, careful planning, suitable materials and documented implementation are essential.

Fäth develops comparable supply systems for industries including:

• Cement and building materials
• Semiconductor Industry
• Life sciences and pharmaceuticals
• Chemical Industry
• Research and Development
• Hydrogen and energy technology

With its AERION® gas supply systems, Fäth develops customised solutions for the safe supply and distribution of process gases. Its expertise also includes piping construction for ultrapure media and the manufacture of complex systems through system and module assembly.

Contributing to the Decarbonisation of the Cement Industry

By successfully installing the oxygen supply system, the Fäth Group is contributing its expertise in handling demanding process media to a forward-looking research project. The catch4climate project combines industrial research with the goal of capturing hard-to-abate CO₂ emissions from cement production. The captured CO₂ can subsequently be used as a raw material or permanently stored in suitable geological formations. Fäth supports this development with a safe and reliable media supply system, making a technical contribution to the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industrial processes.