Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EVERGLASS (EVERGLASS: THE NEW ROLE OF GLASS IN A SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY.TECHNOLOGY FOR THE INTEGRAL RECYCLING OF GLASS.)
Période du rapport: 2024-01-01 au 2024-12-31
Glass recycling uses mature technology limited by high energy consumption to melt tons of glass and the inflexibility of a heavy-duty system. Current technology only allows the recycling of certain glasses and a very small amount of waste generated. A new technology is required to allow the integral recycling of all types of glass, drastically reducing the carbon footprint. EverGLASS proposes to develop a radically new technology called "Glass Laser Morphing" for on-site glass recycling and the generation of customized or technical products. Users will feed waste into a new machine and select which new product to get. The vision is ambitious, as it aims to bring to the consumer market a novel technology to enable virtually infinite reuse of glass. It is also radical since, through a multipurpose system capable of being located on any site, it proposes an alternative approach to the traditional centralized recycling process (particularly where this model is not possible, generating thousands of tons of glass waste annually taken to landfills). The new technology goes beyond the current limitations of the systems (high energy use, expensive and rigid process, strong logistical requirement), adopting a highly environmentally friendly model that will allow flexibility in the use of the material and in the process. Therefore, EverGLASS has the potential to revolutionize recycling as a concept. It also addresses one of the main problems with recycling, user participation, in an innovative way by allowing the personalization of recycled items of different use. Finally, it aims to encourage the use and reuse of glass as a quality material, displacing more environmentally problematic materials, such as plastics. This project brings together experts from advanced laser technologies (UVIGO), glass and ceramics science (ICV-CSIC), glass processing and engineering(TnUAD), risk and impact assessment (ACTALIA), Social Sciences (ESCI) and numerical simulation (ITWM).
The work performed during the first year of the EVERGLASS project included the initial steps on:
• The assessment the technological feasibility from a perspective focused on remote municipalities and glass waste production industries.
• Testing the proof of concept of EVERGLASS as an integral recycler of glass waste and as converter of glass waste into glass products.
• The analysis of the conditions for acceptance of EVERGLASS through stakeholder dialogue.
• The assessment of early-stage security, economic viability, and environmental soundness of EVERGLASS technology.
The main achievements of the EVERGLASS project so far includes:
• The knowledge on the glass waste properties and required conditioning for Glass Laser Morphing.
• The initial development of a computational model and simulations of the Glass Laser Morphing process.
• The execution of the EVERGLASS lab prototype for the research and development of the Glass Laser Morphing process.
• The initial life cycle assessment of the EVERGLASS prototype.
• The assessment the technological feasibility from a perspective focused on remote municipalities and glass waste production industries.
• Testing the proof of concept of EVERGLASS as an integral recycler of glass waste and as converter of glass waste into glass products.
• The analysis of the conditions for acceptance of EVERGLASS through stakeholder dialogue.
• The assessment of early-stage security, economic viability, and environmental soundness of EVERGLASS technology.
The main achievements of the EVERGLASS project so far includes:
• The knowledge on the glass waste properties and required conditioning for Glass Laser Morphing.
• The initial development of a computational model and simulations of the Glass Laser Morphing process.
• The execution of the EVERGLASS lab prototype for the research and development of the Glass Laser Morphing process.
• The initial life cycle assessment of the EVERGLASS prototype.
During the first year of implementation of the EVERGLASS project, a ,main result can be highlighted:
• Development of the EVERGLASS laboratory prototype for the research and development of the Glass Laser Morphing process.
Moreover the following assests have been developed:
• Creation of Know-how on the around the environmental assessment of Glass Laser Morphing recycling process and equipment.
• Creation of a new asset that comprises on the Innovative macroscopic modelling of glass additive manufacturing to determine geometrical, surface and structural properties.
• Creation of Know-how on the use and formulation of mixed waste glasses as raw material and conditioning of glass waste to feed the Glass Laser Morphing process as integral glass recycling process.
• Development of the EVERGLASS laboratory prototype for the research and development of the Glass Laser Morphing process.
Moreover the following assests have been developed:
• Creation of Know-how on the around the environmental assessment of Glass Laser Morphing recycling process and equipment.
• Creation of a new asset that comprises on the Innovative macroscopic modelling of glass additive manufacturing to determine geometrical, surface and structural properties.
• Creation of Know-how on the use and formulation of mixed waste glasses as raw material and conditioning of glass waste to feed the Glass Laser Morphing process as integral glass recycling process.