BUSINESS: 331 PRACTICES
HALCOR is a leading Group of companies that specializes in the production, processing and marketing of copper, copper alloys and zinc products. It has a dynamic commercial presence in the European and global markets for more than 75 years.
Read more: www.halcor.com
Environmental protection is a top priority for ELVAL, that is why the Environment’s section is a part of the company’s strategy. Therefore, ELVAL monitors and improves systematically its environmental impact. Since the availability of recycled aluminium has increased in recent years due to the wider use of aluminium in conjunction with the development of recycling systems and increase in the environmental awareness of our society, ELVAL decided to increase the capacity of aluminium production derived from recycled aluminium.
The installation of a new delacquering furnace at first and of a second one afterwards was necessary to meet the following company’s goals:
This technology ensures that aluminium is recycled in an environmentally friendly process, using less energy, limiting waste and lowering atmospheric emissions, while at the same time increasing the capacity using recycled aluminium as raw material, thereby contributes to mitigating climate change
The first delacquering furnace has been installed and operating in ELVAL’s production facilities since 2009, while the second one was installed in 2013.
Aluminium recycling (secondary aluminium production) is an industrial activity of great importance, providing multiple environmental benefits due to the fact that production of aluminium from recycling requires about 95% less energy and corresponding greenhouse gas emissions compared to primary aluminium production. It is also important to mention that the secondary aluminium production helps in conserving natural resources, since each one ton of aluminium requires four tons of bauxite ore.
Because over 90% of recycled aluminium has some form of organic coating (varnished, lacquered, etc.), aluminium recycling may have significant environmental adverse effects, if appropriate antipollution measures are not taken.
ELVAL, aiming to continuously improve its environmental impact, has installed and operated the two delacquering furnaces which achieve significant energy saving and reduction of atmospheric emissions.
The furnace consists of a delacquering chamber, where recycled aluminium is loaded in order to remove the organic coating. The metal, free of coating, melts at the next stage. The organic compounds after being pyrolysed, are transferred in a Regenerative Thermal Oxidation (RTO) chamber (afterburner) where due to the high temperature the organic content is fully oxidized. Part of the flue gases is then taken to bag house in order to remove any remaining particulate matter. Part of the hot flue gases generated in the afterburner is recovered and directed back to the delacquering chamber continuing the process.
The delaquering and melting furnace installed at ELVAL constitutes an improved application of tried and tested technologies and is a shining example of sustainable development in industry.
This technology ensures that aluminium is recycled in an environmentally friendly process, using less energy, limiting waste and lowering atmospheric emissions, while at the same time increasing the capacity for recycled aluminium to be used as a raw material, thereby helping to combat climate change. More specifically, because of the furnace’s afterburner and filter, the waste gas that is emitted is free of hazardous organic pollutants and particles, while a 25% thermal energy saving is also achieved. At the same time, solid waste is reduced by 75%, while raw materials are reduced by 20%.
ELVAL’s production facilities, Oinofyta Viotias
No cooperation with other associations
The Technical Services Department of the company suggested and planned this project which was approved by the Management. The employees’ participation is limited to the equipment’s operators, engineers and foremen.
The company’s benefits from the installation and operation of this innovative clean technology are numerous, since:
1. Energy Savings
Reduction of natural gas consumption by approximately 20 Nm3 per ton of aluminium scrap leads to thermal energy savings of 20-25%.
2. Raw materials savings
Since metallic aluminium oxidation is reduced in the delacquering furnace, metal recovery increases by about 20% compared to typical reverberator furnace with separate delacquering chamber (where typical oxidation is 3% of total scrap volume), thus reducing aluminium scrap consumption. The higher metal recovery is extremely important since a large quantity of aluminium scrap is consumed annually.
Moreover, besides aluminium savings, in the delacquering furnace the use of flux is not required during melting, in contrary with rotary furnaces technology, preventing the use of about 150kg of flux per ton of aluminium scrap.
3. Airborne emissions reduction
Airborne emissions reduction is achieved due to the operation of the following:
4. Solid waste reduction
The use of delacquering furnace ensures a solid waste volume reduction of about 150kg (75%) per ton of aluminium scrap, compared with the oldest and widespread technology of rotary furnaces. This is accomplished mainly due to non-use of fluxes that comprise a significant volume in melting residues (aluminium skimmings’) in case of rotary kiln furnace technology, as well as due to metallic aluminium oxidation reduction (that it is observed when organic compounds are burned on the surface of molten aluminium).
Besides the environmental and energy benefits, the technology ensures optimum level of safety and working environment for operators and the wider area.
Moreover, the described technology is an example of sustainable development as it combines environmental protection with economic benefits for the company and contributes combat of climate change, and the increased use of secondary raw materials such as recycled aluminium.
No Connection with Global Goals found
