Cignus Instruments is an innovative startup focused on solving a big problem in carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen. Based in Norway and founded in 2020, they’re developing a new type of mass flow meter. This meter is designed to accurately measure the flow of CO2 and hydrogen, especially in challenging conditions like high-pressure and large mass flow rate environments. Current technologies, like Coriolis flow meters, aren’t quite up to the task, so Cignus is stepping in to fill that gap. Read on about Cignus Instruments and their unique place in the value chain!
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Value chains need accurate metering
CCUS and hydrogen value chains are complex: there are many points of interconnection from CO2 emission sources or hydrogen production, through transport and finally to permanent storage or utilization. Ensuring correct metering of these gasses and liquids along the value chain is integral to build commercial and compliance trust: in simple terms, ensuring that all the gas goes to where it’s supposed to go. And that’s exactly where Cignus is an enabler. The illustrations below shows conceptually where metering points are of interest in these value chains.
Cignus Instruments’ Game Changing Technology
Where Cignus’s technology makes a real difference is where the CCUS and hydrogen value chains reach bigger scales. At that point, with large diameter pipes and high operational pressure, traditional Coriolis flow meters struggle with size, insufficient accuracy and significant internal pressure loss. Cignus’s solution overcomes these challenges, providing needed accuracy for high pressure, high flow rate applications, and with minimal pressure loss. The illustration to the right shows how one single Cignus flow rate device could replace a traditional, complex Coriolis setup.
A 3 inch industrial prototype tested in liquid, gas and supercritical CO2 demonstrated internal pressure loss which is < 1/10 of the pressure drop in a similarly large traditional Coriolis meter. A low pressure drop is important to avoid boiling and gas bubbles when measuring liquids near the phase transition from liquid to gas. Low pressure drop is also important when measuring gas-phase pipe transport, thereby reducing the need for energy-consuming compressor stations. The mass-flow error for the Cignus mass meter was similar to the Coriolis meter.
Innovating Towards Larger Applications
With innovation as a driver, Cignus Instruments is now launching a full-size CO2 meter design, aimed at 12″ pipelines and 300 bar operational pressure, with flow rates up to 1000 tonnes/hr of CO2. This application would be large enough to manage annual volumes of more than 8 million tonnes CO2 and will be a perfect building block for the even the largest CO2 transport applications out there. Project start is later in 2024, aiming at completed qualification by early 2026. Suitable applications include large-scale pipeline transport, of which there are many projects under development, as well as CO2-ship carrier off-loading to subsea at high pressure.
Cignus has also recently tested their technology with pure H2 at one of DNVs labs in the Netherlands. Results were beyond expectations, with mass flow deviations limited to very low figures. The impressive tech stack is shown right.
Challenges of a Tech Startup and How CaptureMap Helps
As a budding tech startup, Cignus needs both to mature their technology and find the clients who can put them on the growth path. In practice that means demonstrating the effectiveness of their mass-flow meters in gradually larger applications and finding the best partners who can showcase the value in real-life. To do that entails finding the right projects at the right time, with a need for mass metering solutions.
To accelerate their growth, Cignus is using CaptureMap, an interactive platform developed by Endrava. CaptureMap is a map-based tool that helps companies find the best industrial sites for their carbon capture solutions. It provides detailed, facility-level CO2 emissions and capture projects data for thousands of emitters worldwide.
For Cignus, CaptureMap simplifies and accelerates the business development process. For one, market potential is accessed through a few clicks of the button, sorted on segments and emission sizes. More importantly, CaptureMap also gives Cignus an up-to-date view of market dynamics, finding capture projects in the feasibility stage which is exactly the right time to position Cignus technology with the project developers.
“CaptureMap has turned out as an effective tool for Cignus to understand the market potential and find early product installation opportunities”
Martin Nese, CEO of Cignus Instruments
In essence, CaptureMap helps Cignus to identify emerging opportunities and approach the right customers at the right time. For example, there are more than 4200 European facilities in CaptureMap, but only 294 of these have capture projects in feasibility stage. Instead of contacting all these actors, one may at the click of three buttons simplify the business development efforts by 14X. Finding the right project is no longer a needle in the haystack.
Eric Rambech, Co-founder of Endrava, is excited about the potential of the Cignus Instruments technology: “Our customers span some of the largest oil and gas companies in the world, down to single-digit employee tech start-ups. While there are many differences, they share a common need for better market understanding to drive business development. We’re thrilled that CaptureMap plays a meaningful role in that context.”
Cignus Instruments may be a startup, but they’re making big strides in the CCUS and hydrogen segments. Their innovative mass flow meter technology, combined with the commercial power of CaptureMap, puts them in a strong position to succeed as the demand for decarbonization solutions continues to rise. Read more about Cignus Instruments here. And if you’re looking to unlock similar success for your own commercial needs with CaptureMap, schedule a demo meeting with Endrava here.