Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AshCycle (Integration of Underutilized Ashes into Material Cycles by Industry-Urban Symbiosis)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-06-01 bis 2023-11-30
The AshCycle project provides tools for reducing the waste generation from the incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW), biomass, and sewage sludge by developing resource recovery and new utilization possibilities for the mineral residue. Currently, the ashes resulting from these processes are underutilized and largely landfilled or used in low-value applications . This leads to significant losses of metals, nutrients, rare earth elements, and industrially valuable minerals that are present in the ashes on the EU level. Moreover, the cost of ash landfilling is expected to increase in future due to the waste taxes or disposal fee, difficulties in acquiring new landfill sites, and stricter EU landfill directives.
The AshCycle project will deploy the Industrial-Urban Symbiosis (I-US) concept by demonstrating novel recovery methods for valuable elements from the ashes. Furthermore, the aluminosilicate-rich minerals recovered from the ashes are piloted as a feedstock for construction and wastewater treatment materials leading to increased resource efficiency and circularity. Thus, the flows of energy, waste, and water intercept in the AshCycle concept facilitating their circularization. To fully realize the I-US concept, also the engagement of citizens, civil society and end users are addressed in the project.
The overall objective of AshCycle is to develop and demonstrate regional I-US concepts for utilization of incineration residues by extracting metals, nutrients, rare earth elements coupled with using the mineral residues as secondary resources in construction and wastewater treatment products. The demonstrations are implemented by regional real-scale pilots, virtual or bench-scale replication cases, and digital tools indicating the wider replication potential. The main objectives of the AshCycle project are: (1) to develop a software for ash producers to evaluate the utilization potential of different ashes based on their composition and properties; (2) to decrease waste generation and to decrease CO2 emissions; (3) to validate and demonstrate material recovery technologies and ash-based products; (4) to identify and address the safety and sustainability performance the products and technologies; and (5) to engage and improve knowledge exchange between all relevant stakeholders in the value chains to develop synergies, partnerships, and new business opportunities in developing the ash-based I-US.
The AshCycle project will deploy the Industrial-Urban Symbiosis (I-US) concept by demonstrating novel recovery methods for valuable elements from the ashes. Furthermore, the aluminosilicate-rich minerals recovered from the ashes are piloted as a feedstock for construction and wastewater treatment materials leading to increased resource efficiency and circularity. Thus, the flows of energy, waste, and water intercept in the AshCycle concept facilitating their circularization. To fully realize the I-US concept, also the engagement of citizens, civil society and end users are addressed in the project.
The overall objective of AshCycle is to develop and demonstrate regional I-US concepts for utilization of incineration residues by extracting metals, nutrients, rare earth elements coupled with using the mineral residues as secondary resources in construction and wastewater treatment products. The demonstrations are implemented by regional real-scale pilots, virtual or bench-scale replication cases, and digital tools indicating the wider replication potential. The main objectives of the AshCycle project are: (1) to develop a software for ash producers to evaluate the utilization potential of different ashes based on their composition and properties; (2) to decrease waste generation and to decrease CO2 emissions; (3) to validate and demonstrate material recovery technologies and ash-based products; (4) to identify and address the safety and sustainability performance the products and technologies; and (5) to engage and improve knowledge exchange between all relevant stakeholders in the value chains to develop synergies, partnerships, and new business opportunities in developing the ash-based I-US.
In WP1, modeling and digitally supported implementation), interviews and data collection with AshCycle project pilot coordinators and key companies were conducted to establish baseline scenarios and current situations regarding ash utilization. The first version of the Ash Modeling Application (AMA) software, developed by AI4Value, is now ready. This software allows feeding ash characterization data to receive AI-powered predictions for optimal ash utilization in AshCycle project applications. The next step involves training the AI model with correlations between ash characteristics and resulting properties of construction materials. The AMA software now includes Geographic Information System (GIS) and life cycle assessment (LCA) capabilities to predict optimized logistics based on powerplant locations.
In WP2, 75 ash samples from various sources were collected and characterized using a standardized methodology. This data will be input into the AMA software and provides crucial information for resource recovery potential and product development. The ash characterization data also informs pre-treatment needs, such as weathering, dry treatment, water washing, and more. A methodology to assess CO2 sequestration potential was developed.
In WP3, a literature review focused on phosphorus and metals recovery from ashes. Waste-acid extraction and electrochemical techniques were identified as feasible approaches. A pilot-scale electrodialytic separation cell system was successfully developed, and a process based on water leaching was further developed. UOulu optimized mix designs for alkali-activated ash-based adsorbents, experimenting with biochar, bisphosphonate, and chitosan.
In WP4, activities focused on optimizing mix designs for various applications, such as Portland cement concrete, alkali-activated concrete binders, carbstone products, clay bricks, and granulated ashes for earth construction. Initial mix designs are ready, pending fine-tuning, and planning for structural behavior evaluation of ash-based concrete is underway.
In WP5, requirements for 34 pilot applications were collected, and planning for pilots, including scale, location, and environmental permits, is in progress.
In WP6, an overview of applicable legislation and standards for each application or product was collected, with cooperation initiated with the EU project HSBooster.
In WP2, 75 ash samples from various sources were collected and characterized using a standardized methodology. This data will be input into the AMA software and provides crucial information for resource recovery potential and product development. The ash characterization data also informs pre-treatment needs, such as weathering, dry treatment, water washing, and more. A methodology to assess CO2 sequestration potential was developed.
In WP3, a literature review focused on phosphorus and metals recovery from ashes. Waste-acid extraction and electrochemical techniques were identified as feasible approaches. A pilot-scale electrodialytic separation cell system was successfully developed, and a process based on water leaching was further developed. UOulu optimized mix designs for alkali-activated ash-based adsorbents, experimenting with biochar, bisphosphonate, and chitosan.
In WP4, activities focused on optimizing mix designs for various applications, such as Portland cement concrete, alkali-activated concrete binders, carbstone products, clay bricks, and granulated ashes for earth construction. Initial mix designs are ready, pending fine-tuning, and planning for structural behavior evaluation of ash-based concrete is underway.
In WP5, requirements for 34 pilot applications were collected, and planning for pilots, including scale, location, and environmental permits, is in progress.
In WP6, an overview of applicable legislation and standards for each application or product was collected, with cooperation initiated with the EU project HSBooster.
During the reporting period, the development of the Ash Modelling Application (AMA) has indicated potential to provide groundbreaking results beyond the state of the art. The idea of AMA is combine feed ash characterization data to the software and then AI-based algorithm is used to interpret the most feasible applications for the ashes. Moreover, the software has in-built LCA and GIS capabilities which enables it to take also environmental sustainability and logistics into account. Once this software is fully functional (i.e. the AI-algorithms have been sufficiently trained with existing data about the correlations between ash characteristics and resulting properties in applications), it has potential to revolutionize the ash utilization.
For the use of sewage sludge ash in brick production, the research has moved beyond the current practice in literature, which is based somewhat on try-and-error, to a more thorough understanding of the fundamentals of what is happening at the chemical and micro-scale , e.g. investigating what is the influence from the clay type on the prick properties when using ash in the recipe.
The ash characterization data provides information about the quantities of REEs and other critical raw materials in ashes with a wide geographical distribution within the EU.
For the use of sewage sludge ash in brick production, the research has moved beyond the current practice in literature, which is based somewhat on try-and-error, to a more thorough understanding of the fundamentals of what is happening at the chemical and micro-scale , e.g. investigating what is the influence from the clay type on the prick properties when using ash in the recipe.
The ash characterization data provides information about the quantities of REEs and other critical raw materials in ashes with a wide geographical distribution within the EU.