The EU ceramics industry is a key contributor to export, value added and jobs, representing an annual production value of around €30 billion (2018), delivered by 17,000 enterprises directly employing over 240.000 people. Ceramic processing is highly demanding in terms of energy: the production of one ton of ceramic tiles required 6GJ (1.67 MWh) of energy, and the ceramic industry has the highest number of installations in EU Emission Trading System, mainly associated with the use of energy in the kiln and spray dryer.
Within the ceramic manufacturing process, firing accounts for 55% of all thermal energy used in tile manufacture . Average thermal energy consumption in ceramic tile manufacture is estimated to be 1,28 kWh/kg fired tile, relative to the lower heating value (LHV) of natural gas. The energy required in the process is obtained by combustion of natural gas, which is a fossil fuel. Natural gas combustion gives rise to air emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, the emissions of which are internationally subject to control and capture measures.
In order to encourage the evolution of ceramic kilns towards a more sustainable technological paradygm, the DREAM project aims to design, develop and demonstrate a radically improved architecture for ceramic industrial furnaces, characterised by optimised energy consumption, reduced emissions, and lower operating costs compared to currently available technological solutions. This will be obtained by substantially enhancing specific furnace parts (control system, refractories, emissions abatement system) and by adding new modules and sub-systems (CHP unit, heat pipes) to the current furnace architecture.
The DREAM Specific Objectives are:
Biofuel fed CHP integration in firing stage (WP1). In order to optimise the firing process energy consumption, DREAM integrates state-of-the art technological solutions which have never been applied to the ceramics industry, and which will represent a significant upgrade to the current practice.
Advanced simulation tools equipped kiln control system (WP2). DREAM aimed to endow end users with accurate and optimised process control tools, by integrating within the kiln control system an ad-hoc developed thermal-fluid dynamic model.
Waste heat recovery through heat pipes (WP3). DREAM designs a solution for conveying waste heat from the cooling stage of the kiln to the drying stage of the ceramic manufacturing line.
Innovative refractory solutions and new materials for insulation (WP4). Through DREAM, the consortium developed innovative refractory materials and retrofitting solutions (including foam ceramics, opacifiers and emissivity coatings), aimed to reduce the heat transfer within refractory materials and to optimise the heat transfer between the kiln and the materials.
Emissions monitoring and abatement techniques optimisation (WP5). DREAM systematically investigated and optimised currently employed emissions abatement techniques in the ceramics industry, based on the combination of Best Available Techniques with a specifically designed absorbent for filters.
DREAM develops and demonstrates technologies enabling a significant advancement in the sustainability of ceramics processes, implementing 5 synergic lines of research and 3 industrial demonstrators, which are acting as technological showcases for market deployment.
