Browsing by Author "Eguizabal, David"
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Item Development of a Sustainable Metallurgical Process to Valorize Copper Smelting Wastes with Olive Stones-Based Biochar(2022-10-14) Adrados, Aitziber; Merchán, Mikel; Obregón, Alejandro; Artola, Antxon; Iparraguirre, Jon Ander; García de Cortázar, Maider; Eguizabal, David; Demey, Hary; PROMETAL; CIRMETALFlue dust waste coming from a copper (Cu) smelting company has been valorized using a newly developed metallurgical process with the aim of recovering a dust concentrated in valuable metals, such as lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn), and studying the feasibility of replacing anthracite with biochar as reducing agent. Metallurgical trials using different mixtures of reducing agents have been performed in a furnace at 1400 °C. This furnace employs a high-power thermal plasma (HPTP) system as energy source. Using copper as the base metal, pellets containing a mixture of the waste, different reducing agents, and binder were introduced into the furnace for their dissolution. Recovery yields in the range of 45–85 wt.% for Pb and Zn were obtained in the flue dusts. All the trials proved the effectiveness of the developed process to enrich the flue dusts in valuable metals, including those only using biochar as reducing agent. Further trials will be carried out in order to better control the parameters involved in the metallurgical process developed and improve its efficiency.Item Evaluating energy and resource efficiency for recovery of metallurgical residues using environmental and economic analysis(2022-07-01) Di Maria, Andrea; Merchán, Mikel; Marchand, Muriel; Eguizabal, David; De Cortázar, Maider García; Van Acker, Karel; CIRMETALEnergy and resource efficiency are today key elements for the metallurgical industry in the context of the new European Green Deal. Although the currently available technologies have recently led to an optimisation of energy and materials use, the decarbonisation targets may not be met without the development of new and innovative technologies and strategies. In this context, the goal of the H2020 project CIRMET (Innovative and efficient solution, based on modular, versatile, and smart process units for energy and resource flexibility in highly energy-intensive processes) is to develop and validate an innovative and flexible circular solution for energy and resource efficiency in a metallurgical plant. The circular model proposed is composed of three units: (1) a metallurgical furnace for the recovery of valuable metals from industrial metallic wastes, (2) a unit for heat recovery from the furnace’s exhaust gases, and (3) a digital platform for the optimisation of the whole process. Also, the circular model investigates the possibilities of substituting the metallurgical coke used in the furnace with biobased material (BIOCHAR). This study presents an environmental and economic assessment of the circular model, based on a real pilot testing campaign in which residues from non-ferrous metals production are treated for the recovery of metals, mechanical energy from waste heat, and inert fraction. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) are used to assess the environmental and economic performances of the circular model. The results of the LCA and the LCC highlight the main environmental and economic hot spots of the proposed technologies. The environmental analysis showed the environmental positive effects of recovering secondary metals and energy. However, for some environmental impact categories (e.g. climate change), the benefits are balanced out by the high electricity and natural gas demand in the metallurgical furnace. In this regard, the substitution of metallurgical coke with BIOCHAR can significantly lower the environmental impacts of the whole process. The economic analysis showed the potential economic profitability of the whole process, depending mostly on the quantity and marketability of the recovered metals. For both environmental and economic analysis, the electricity demand in the metallurgical furnace represents the main barrier that can hinder the viability of the process. Therefore, looking for alternative energy sources (e.g. waste heat from other industries) is identified as the most effective strategy to push the sustainability of the whole process. As the proposed technology is under development, these preliminary results can provide useful insights and contribute to the environmental and economic optimisation of the technology.Item Microstructural Evolution as a Function of Increasing Aluminum Content in Novel Lightweight Cast Irons(2021-10-18) Obregon, Alejandro; Sanchez, Jon Mikel; Eguizabal, David; Garcia, Jose Carlos; Arruebarrena, Gurutze; Hurtado, Iñaki; Quintana, Ion; Rodriguez, Patxi; PROMETAL; CIRMETALIn the context of the development of new lightweight materials, Al-alloyed cast irons have a great potential for reducing the weight of the different part of the vehicles in the transport industry. The correlation of the amount of Al and its effect in the microstructure of cast irons is not completely well established as it is affected by many factors such as chemical composition, cooling rate, etc. In this work, four novel lightweight cast irons were developed with different amounts of Al (from 0 wt. % to 15 wt. %). The alloys were manufactured by an easily scalable and affordable gravity casting process in an induction furnace, and casted in a resin-bonded sand mold. The microstructural evolution as a function of increasing Al content by different microstructural characterization techniques was studied. The hardness of the cast irons was measured by the Vickers indentation test and correlated with the previously characterized microstructures. In general, the microstructural evolution shows that the perlite content decrease with the increment of wt. % of Al. The opposite occurs with the ferrite content. In the case of graphite, a slight increment occurs with 2 wt. % of Al, but a great decrease occurs until 15 wt. % of Al. The addition of Al promotes the stabilization of ferrite in the studied alloys. The hardness obtained varied from 235 HV and 363 HV in function of the Al content. The addition of Al increases the hardness of the studied cast irons, but not gradually. The alloy with the highest hardness is the alloy containing 7 wt. % Al, which is correlated with the formation of kappa-carbides and finer perlite.Item New chromium steel grade for creep applications(2022-10-11) Callejo, Lorena M; Barbero, José Ignacio; Serna-Ruiz, Mónica; Eguizabal, David; Martinez, Roberto Fernandez; Jimbert, Pello; Calleja-Saenz, Beatriz; López, Alejandra; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; CIRMETAL; PROMETAL; SGIn this study, a novel Chromium steel grade (COIN2) is produced as a result of a new steel composition and an innovative heat treatment. This new steel grade COIN2 evolves from the P92 steel grade and other novel steel grade recently created by the authors (COIN), and represents an enhancement of hardness, tensile properties, and creep behaviour with respect to them, which validates the metallurgical strategy used for further research in order to increase the efficiency of power plants and thus reduce the CO2 emissions. The characterization reveals a significant property improvement with the innovative thermal treatment, contributing to the production of a novel and more competitive steel grade for creep applications.Item Novel creep steel developed through innovative composition and thermal treatment(2021) Callejo, Lorena M.; Barbero, José Ignacio; Serna-Ruiz, Mónica; Eguizabal, David; Arregi, Bernaitz; Fernandez Martinez, Roberto; Jimbert, Pello; Calleja-Saenz, Beatriz; López, Alejandra; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; CIRMETAL; PROMETAL; SG; EXTREMATThe present investigation refers to the improvement of tensile properties, hardness, and creep resistance obtained from a high-chromium novel steel grade formulated by the combination of innovative steel composition and heat treatment. The novel steel grade has evolved from the P92 steel grade, and shows a better behaviour than that offered by the P92 steel grade, thus representing a promising metallurgical strategy for increasing the efficiency of power plants, and subsequently reducing the CO2 emissions.