PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
This LIFE project was born as a direct result of the EU’s drive to reduce CO2 emissions by 8% and so meet its commitment under the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
EU policymakers took the first major step on the issue by establishing the world’s largest multi-national greenhouse gas allowance trading scheme (ETS) in January 2005. Under this scheme, the governments of Member States were required to establish emissions allowances for each of their industrial sectors.
In France, the tile and brick sector was allocated a CO2 emission limit of 1.34 million tonnes a year for 2005-2007. Taking account of an expected 2% growth rate in the sector, this meant a reduction of 15% in emission levels. This set a technical challenge to the industry - an important one to the French economy as it employs 6 000 people in 136 plants. A solution to the emissions problem was vital if future employment opportunities were to be protected.
One way identified to achieve the necessary reduction was to improve the drying process, which accounts for 30% of the energy used in the production of tiles and bricks.
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of the project was to achieve a 27-30% reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted during the drying process in the manufacture of ceramic, terracotta-based products. It also hoped to reduce quantities of two other greenhouse gases: Methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20).
The project sought to test and demonstrate a new drying technique performed at high temperatures - around 100°C - using air with a 100% saturated moisture content. It was expected that the method would result in products of similar strength and quality to those made by currently used techniques.
Work was designed to be carried out in two phases, starting a small scale in a laboratory. The data provided from this would then inform the development of an industrial-scale operation to show the system’s technical, environmental and economic viability. After building a large-scale prototype during this second phase, experimentation would be carried out at various commercial production plants.
The new technique promised lower energy use and consequent cost savings. It was hoped these would be around EUR 73 500 per year for a 60 000-tonne production plant.
The beneficiary has developed a reputation in Europe for promoting innovative manufacturing techniques and for improving the quality of heavy clay materials used in this sector. They believed the project would lead to current dryers being progressively replaced by the new, more economical and environmentally friendly process.
RESULTS
The project succeeded in achieving reduced CO2 emissions during laboratory-scale demonstrations of an innovative drying process for making roofing tiles and bricks. However, technical problems meant that the project’s industrial phase could not be carried out.
The new technique involved the recovery and re-use of water condensation produced during the drying process. A loop system was used to recover the latent heat present in the vapour and to channel it back into the ongoing drying process, replacing the need for new energy. As well as re-using the heat in the vapour, studies were also made into potential re-use of the water itself that has evaporated from the products.
These small-scale tests used a variety of clays commonly found in the industry. Research showed that the optimum temperature was 150°C, with a vapour moisture content of 85%. A laboratory dryer was built to operate at these levels and trials confirmed that a reduction of between 30% and 50% in CO2 emissions is possible. This result was regarded as highly promising but may be a maximum because industrial use provides more constraints than a laboratory system.
The second project phase - proving the technique on an industrial scale - could not be done, since technical problems could not be overcome during the timescale of the project. It was therefore stopped before its foreseen end-date.
The beneficiary intends to carry out further investigation at laboratory level during 2009, without LIFE funding, in the hope of answering the questions necessary for development of the industrial demonstrator.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).The project succeeded in achieving reduced CO2 emissions during laboratory-scale demonstrations of an innovative drying process for making roofing tiles and bricks. However, technical problems meant that the project’s industrial phase could not be carried out.The new technique involved the recovery and re-use of water condensation produced during the drying process. A loop system was used to recover the latent heat present in the vapour and to channel it back into the ongoing drying process, replacing the need for new energy. As well as re-using the heat in the vapour, studies were also made into potential re-use of the water itself that has evaporated from the products.
These small-scale tests used a variety of clays commonly found in the industry. Research showed that the optimum temperature was 150°C, with a vapour moisture content of 85%. A laboratory dryer was built to operate at these levels and trials confirmed that a reduction of between 30% and 50% in CO2 emissions is possible. This result was regarded as highly promising but may be a maximum because industrial use provides more constraints than a laboratory system.
The second project phase - proving the technique on an industrial scale - could not be done, since technical problems could not be overcome during the timescale of the project. It was therefore stopped before its foreseen end-date.
The beneficiary intends to carry out further investigation at laboratory level during 2009, without LIFE funding, in the hope of answering the questions necessary for development of the industrial demonstrator.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).