09:00 am
Squaring the Circle: Challenges & Opportunities in Recycling Refractory Minerals
Mike O'Driscoll | IMFORMED | United Kingdom
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Mike O'Driscoll | IMFORMED | United Kingdom
The strive towards the Circular Economy has boosted the evolution of recycling industrial waste, and spent refractories are no exception. The drive for sustainability has increased the potential of recycling refractory minerals as technical and economic challenges in their sourcing, processing, cost, and distribution receive growing attention and solutions. While refractory recycling is not new, it is now fast becoming a mainstream activity, even a necessity, rather than its previous perception as an esoteric sideshow. There are several drivers for recycling refractory minerals, among which are overreliance on limited sources, increasing challenges and costs in opening new mines, and logistics. The upshot is that a new supply chain option of recycled refractory minerals is now evolving to meet both market demand and environmental expectations. At the same time it has also encouraged growth in a parallel sector developing and supplying technology and equipment for refractory recyclers. Although there is much interest in recycling, it still remains a fledgling sector, with a small but expanding group of pioneers, regional contrasts, and with many challenges. Some big players are only just starting to get into action, while many others are still assessing their strategic approach. Today’s waste sources will be tomorrow’s new mineral resources, and the refractory industry needs to make this happen. This paper will outline the current status, the main players, and spotlight the key challenges and opportunities in recycling refractory minerals.
09:20 am
Latest advanced developments in the implementation of Circular Economy strategy in the refractory waste management
Aintzane Soto | Sidenor I+D | Spain
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Aintzane Soto | Sidenor I+D | Spain
David Maza | Sidenor I+D | Spain
The reinforcement of the environmental policies that started taking place during last decades, has pushed steel producers to implement Circular Economy criteria in their waste management. However, in the case of refractory waste, a great part of it is still being dumped into landfills, since the valorisation solutions developed for every kind of refractory waste are not thoroughly implemented.
In Sidenor, the research work developed through internal continuous improvement projects and the European LIFE 5RefrAct and RFCS E-CO-LadleBrick projects, the Circular Economy 4R Model has been systematically implemented in the routine of the refractory waste management. This approach includes advanced solutions for every kind of refractory waste considering the potential “Reduce”, “Reuse”, “Remanufacture” and “Recycle” available alternatives.
On the one hand, several laser based technological equipment have been tested in Sidenor´s plant in order to optimise the ladle life and thus, “Reduce” the amount of refractory waste that is generated. Commercial equipment allow to have information about the wear rate in hot conditions and it can be joined with the process variables in order to optimise the use of the refractory wear lining.
On the other hand, for the different kind of refractory waste generated in the meltshop, a number of innovative “Reuse”, “Remanufacture” and “Recycle” applications have been identified and implemented in the routine, taking into account the economic and environmental benefits associated to them. A Decision Algorithm has also been developed to assess the selection of the best valorisation alternative in every case.
09:40 am
Establishing circular economy for refractories in cement applications by advanced recycling technologies
Dr. Sandra Königshofer | RHI Magnesita GmbH | Austria
Martin Geith | RHI Magnesita GmbH | Austria
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Dr. Sandra Königshofer | RHI Magnesita GmbH | Austria
Martin Geith | RHI Magnesita GmbH | Austria
RHI Magnesita is committed to sustainability and the establishment of a circular economy for the refractory industry. However, extending recycling and the use of secondary raw materials is challenging. Within a lining multiple refractory product types are combined individually for each customer to achieve the required performance. As refractories must withstand high temperatures and stresses, harsh process conditions and dusty environments spent refractory bricks are subjected to material alteration and infiltration, matrix conversion and microstructural changes. Further considering mixed storage of different breakout materials, adhering impurities and adjacent lining materials, it becomes evident that typically hand sorting is still used to divide spent refractory bricks into different secondary raw material categories. As commercially available sensor-based sorting solutions are reaching their limits, the ReSoURCE (Refractory Sorting Using Revolutionizing Classification Equipment) project funded by the EU, led by RHI Magnesita, aims to innovate the full process chain of refractory recycling with AI-supported multi sensor sorting equipment as its core technology. Here, the representative sampling, characterization, treatment and reuse of spent refractory bricks from cement rotary kilns will be presented. Quality and characteristics relevant for automated sorting were determined by chemical and mineralogical investigations. Furthermore, the developed patented treatment method for contaminant removal will be described, which enables the reuse of recycled materials in refractory products for cement applications. This allows RHI Magnesita to provide sustainable products with significantly lower carbon footprint and to support customers from cement industry in reducing CO2 emissions.