Deref developed new recovery processes on materials so far without recycling routes. They concerned torpedo cars, converters and ladles screened fraction, tundish re-construction/demolition waste fractions, lances, blast furnace monolithic refractories (runners) from demolition, exhausted refractory bricks of torpedo cars, ladle and tundish shroud, spent spinel refractory bricks and dusty metallic materials. Deref characterized the materials, tested and established for each type of refractory treatment methods, lastly adding a briquetting technology for dusty materials. Herewith, most of these materials could be transformed into products to be used again in the steel process, as secondary raw materials for flux products, or for desulphurisation and deoxidant agents used during the secondary metallurgical phase in steel production. A part of refractory bricks could be valorized as secondary raw material (SRM) for refractory production.
Furthermore, to optimize ReStoRe technology to integral cycle steel production, the agglomeration of mineral additives and utilisation in Blast Furnace has been optimized and tested.
A ReStoRe recycling plant was built in May 2019 for an integral steel cycle to develop, trial and industrialise the recovery technology for carbon steel production processes, expanding the range of recyclables to materials originating from blast furnace routes. Refractory selection methodologies and technology were improved, reaching to date a 74% recycling rate.
ReStoRe technologies were applied, on-site and off-site, to the main steel plant configurations: carbon steel production with Blast Furnace (BF) route, carbon steel production with Electrical Arc Furnace (EAC) route, and stainless steel production with EAF route.
Results confirmed the technical feasibility for each of them, and showed that the use of ReStoRe offers numerous benefits, both environmental and economic: reduced consumption of primary raw materials (e.g. lime, dolo-lime), metal recovery, valorisation in refractory production, reduced landfill and significant savings of CO2 emissions. The overall recycling rate achieved for carbon steel production with BF route resulted 74% and for stainless steel production with EAF route 92%. For carbon steel production with EAF route treated materials represented 80% of total exhausted refractory of the steel shop, of which 95% could be recycled.
To standardize ReStoRe technology to facilitate a quick market penetration, an ICT program was developed to determine quantity and qualities of the materials produced by ReStoRe treatment, starting from the characteristics of the steel production process and refractory used in each interested steel mill.
Deref also realised flow sheet (P&I) designs and general layouts for five case studies, which represent an exploitable panel of configurations representative for the variety of steel manufacturing processes worldwide. To cover the main potential configurations 10 different mechanical modules were defined and realized in terms of engineering design.
Deref prioritised in its communication strategy steel-making industry players to raise awareness on ReStoRe technology and interest in the project’s demonstrations. 2 Stands were set up, at METEC 2019 and at 10th ECCC 2021, showcasing ReStoRe technology. 4 Presentations on ReStoRe were given at important conferences (i.e. ESTAD 2021, Mineral Recycling Forum 2022) and one at a professional training course of the Italian Metallurgical Association. On 7 other fairs and conferences Deref exchanged knowledge and built relations, deepened in dedicated meetings with 15 steel producers. An article was published in Refractories Worldforum and a popular one in the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. An interview on the ETV programme was also published. To support all this, Deref released a video on the technology on YouTube, created a page dedicated to ReStoRe technology on its website, prepared posters and a brochure, and opened a LinkedIn page.
As far as exploitation concerns: the commercialization plan was updated at project end based on a market study. Patents were rewarded in India, Iran, Russia and South Africa and trademark registered in EU, Russia, Iran and UK.
ReStoRe underwent a EU Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) on its achievements concerning recycling, cost saving, reduction of CO2 emissions and energy consumption, and recognized as verified technology in October 2021.
Lastly, Deref positively assessed its compliance with the H2020 'ethics requirements', concerning in particular environmental impacts and health and safety issues. Deref has a strong attention for such issues and had all authorisations and certifications timely in place.
