Summary
- Profile Type
- Technology offer
- POD Reference
- TODE20240129024
- Term of Validity
- 29 January 2024 - 28 January 2025
- Company's Country
- Germany
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
- Targeted Countries
- All countries
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General information
- Short Summary
- A German university offers an improved process for recycling of coated light metals, particularly from aluminum cans, construction material, or similar. It is characterised by a higher yield and lower energy requirements.The technical feasibility is confirmed. Licensees from the recycling industry with an interest in contributing to process refinement are sought.
- Full Description
-
Much of Europe has a circular economy in which most metallic materials, such as various construction materials and beverage cans made of aluminum, are recycled. Fundamentally, two different forms of aluminum are used in industry.
Manufacturing primary aluminum requires a great deal of energy. Secondary aluminum is the metal consisting of recycled aluminum, which requires much less energy to produce. It is becoming increasingly popular in industry. During aluminum recycling of such items as beverage cans, coatings are usually volatilized or burned off with hot gases. The aluminum scrap is then melted down and cast. The previous process involves significant material losses. There are also several disadvantages with respect to resource-efficiency and energy-efficiency. Current global challenges and the focus on sustainable processes prompt efficient use of existing resources and continuous process improvement with an eye to energy efficiency
A German university has now developed an improved recycling process that requires fewer resources and less energy. It also has higher recycled aluminum yield. It involves a combined cleaning process that removes coatings mechanically and chemically. Suitable inhibitors prevent an oxide layer from forming. A solid-state recycling process is used for further processing.
The process is generally suitable for recycling coated light metals. It requires about 50% less energy than the smelting process so far used and has a much higher yield. There are thus great advantages and clear cost savings.
Initial experiments have confirmed technical feasibility (TRL5). Additional studies are being prepared. The process is being refined in a project. Partners from recycling industry are sought for licensing and for further refinement of the process. - Advantages and Innovations
-
• Resource conservation
• 50% lower energy requirements
• Higher yield
• Avoids salt slag
• Can be directly processed further - Stage of Development
- Available for demonstration
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and InfrastructureGoal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
-
Licensing partners are sought from:
• Aluminium recycling
• Beverage can recycling
• Construction material recycling
• Wire manufacture with recycled aluminium
Role: Licensing and process refinement - Type and Size of Partner
- SME 11-49SME 50 - 249Big company
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 02007010 - Metals and Alloys10003004 - Recycling, Recovery
- Market keywords
- 08004004 - Other pollution and recycling related08004002 - Chemical and solid material recycling
- Targeted countries
- All countries
