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Recycling technologies for circular ALuminium

Project description

Circularity HUB for aluminium recycling technologies

In terms of global decarbonisation, recycling aluminium is indispensable, using a mere 5 % of energy compared to primary production. However, alloying renders conventional recycling ineffective, leading to downcycling. As aluminium is forecasted to amount to 49 % of overall material circulation by 2050, Europe’s secondary aluminium potential is vital to sustainable production. In this context, the EU-funded RecAL project will address circularity comprehensively, from recycling tolerant alloy design to digitisation as booster for smart recycling technologies, creating valuable high-purity recyclate streams. This initiative will mature 14 technological solutions to TRL6, fostering a socio-technical ecosystem – the Aluminium HUB for Circularity. Connecting stakeholders across the value chain, RecAL will propel Europe towards a sustainable, closed-loop aluminium economy.

Objective

Recycling aluminium from existing End of Life (EoL) and production scraps uses only 5% of energy compared to primary material production, making it mandatory for exploiting its global decarbonisation potential and meeting the demands of the European Green Deal.
However, once aluminium is alloyed with other metals, it is virtually impossible to remove these elements again. Extensive mixing of different EoL alloys therefore inevitably leads to downcycling. This practice has been a successful strategy due to high demand for cast aluminium alloys in combustion engines, a universal recycling “sink” that will dry up in the coming years.
Europe possesses a rich potential of secondary aluminium resources with an expected share of 49% of total aluminium production by 2050. The RecAL project (Recycling technologies for circular ALuminium) provides a balanced approach to fully exploit this valuable resource. It synergistically addresses all stages of circular production and tackles problems of the entire value chain:
- Increase impurity tolerance in alloy design at level or superior performance
- Exploit the benefits of digitization and robotic assistance in sorting and dismantling
- Create recyclate streams with vastly enhanced purities
- Adapt production paradigms to unfold the full potential of secondary resources
- Harmonise communication between all sectors of the aluminium industry

The project will mature an envelope of 14 crucial technological solutions towards these goals up to TRL6 and embed them into a digital, “socio-technical ecosystems”: the Aluminium HUB for circularity. This interactive platform will directly link stakeholders along the value chain for full scale industrial and technological symbiosis and circular economy closing energy, resource and data loops at regional and European scale.

Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL4-2023-TWIN-TRANSITION-01

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Coordinator

LKR LEICHTMETALLKOMPETENZZENTRUM RANSHOFEN GMBH
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 395 490,91
Address
LAMPRECHTSHAUSENERSTRASSE 61
5282 Ranshofen
Austria

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Region
Westösterreich Oberösterreich Innviertel
Activity type
Research Organisations
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Total cost

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Participants (18)

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