At the Unit of Processes, one of our overriding goals is achieve sustainable development in metallurgical processing. We aim to do this by improving the yield of metallurgical processes and reducing the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of these processes.
It is well known that industrial processes are very energy and materials intensive as well as they contribute to global green-house emissions. During the last two decades, the following studies have been carried out to study how environmental and economical improvements may be achieved: i) laboratory experiments (e-waste treatment, production of oil from paper rest products, neutralization), ii) modeling (CFD, quantum simulations, chemical, thermodynamic, material flow), and iii) plant trials (recycling of slags, neutralization, steel scrap utilization). Current research with a focus on carbon mitigation include the following areas: i) carbon-free steelmaking (HYBRIT, IRONARC), ii) new heating technologies for industrial furnaces (electrical, plasma), iii) replacement of fossil fuel with renewable energy (biomass thermal conversion for syngas, biooil), and iv) replacement of fossil reducing agents such as coke and coal with local available biomass and waste (bio coke). Current research with a focus on circular economy include the following areas: i) recycling materials and energy from society/ municipal solid waste (New-Mine landfill mining, recycling energy and metals from WEEE- waste electrical and electronics), ii) recycling of waste stream from other process industries such as paper and pulp into steel making, iii) utilization steel waste streams and in particular slags for waste water treatment ; iv) modeling of canister materials for spent nuclear fuel disposal.
This new knowledge has since 2012 been shared between the industry and community through journals publications (101), book chapters (4), PhD theses (15), Licentiate theses (2) and through life-long learning seminars. These efforts have led to the J. Rydberg award from CTH for best PhD thesis in the field of recirculation and circular economy (A. Gauffin – MFA) and 2012 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) - the George Westinghouse Silver Medal for W. Yang. Unique developments in the near future include: i) development of carbon-free processes (HYBRIT, IRONARC) and ii) the use of metal-making slags for CO2storage, Overall, the final goal is to create a center for sustainable process development and waste management and utilization focusing on high-temperature industries in collaboration with industrial and academic partners in Europe.