Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RE-FRACTURE2 (Modelling and optimal design of refractories for high-temperature industrial applications for a low carbon society)
Reporting period: 2021-01-01 to 2022-12-31
Ceramic materials are employed for many industrial purposes: from simple building to fire protection, thermal barriers, refractory products, wear protectors, electric isolators, and catalysts. Of these, the refractory materials, with their excellent thermal and chemical stability and their high melting points, are ideal for handling molten steel in steel mills, Fig. 3. They are also ideal for other high temperature liquids, like molten salts in technologies such as salt-bath furnaces and in heat-storage systems in solar thermal plants. In order to drastically reduce the overall CO2 emissions from the production of steel, the development of breakthrough technologies is crucial. A new and more fundamental engineering model of ceramics with a specific focus on thermal effects will have a direct impact on the design of elements used for high temperature technologies, such as those related to liquid steel pouring, casting and treatment.
There are two main objectives in the proposed project. The first is to derive new computational models for refractory materials, which will make possible for the first time to simulate in-silico their behaviour over the whole of working temperature range. These models will be a breakthrough in the design of components like refractory nozzles, plates, ladle and tundish slide gate systems, which will directly translate to energy savings, waste reduction and decreases in pollution and CO2 emission, together with safety improvements. The second objective is to train a group of highly skilled researchers who, by getting involved in the project and by developing the solutions themselves, will have a deep understanding on the efficient use of these advanced tools to design new refractory devices and metal production processes. These researchers will be trained to use modelling and simulation for a better use of resources, so to educate a new generation of “environment enthusiast designers” and keep Europe to be the leading country in sustainable growth for a low carbon society. This new generation of scientists, with the breadth of knowledge that they will acquire, will be able to develop new materials, design methods and software technologies, lead research teams in industry or academia, with a direct link to the needs of the industry together with a strong consideration of environmental problems.
The final outcomes of the project will make the steel industry more sustainable through:
i. improvement in the design of refractory devices and mechanical components subject to extreme thermal shocks and severe mechanical loads;
ii. development of innovative elements for handling molten materials (steel, glass or other)
The consequence of (i.) and (ii.) is that the new refractories will be produced at lower energy level, will be safer and enhanced with a longer life time, so to globally decrease the environmental impact in the production of steel.
There are two main objectives in the proposed project. The first is to derive new computational models for refractory materials, which will make possible for the first time to simulate in-silico their behaviour over the whole of working temperature range. These models will be a breakthrough in the design of components like refractory nozzles, plates, ladle and tundish slide gate systems, which will directly translate to energy savings, waste reduction and decreases in pollution and CO2 emission, together with safety improvements. The second objective is to train a group of highly skilled researchers who, by getting involved in the project and by developing the solutions themselves, will have a deep understanding on the efficient use of these advanced tools to design new refractory devices and metal production processes. These researchers will be trained to use modelling and simulation for a better use of resources, so to educate a new generation of “environment enthusiast designers” and keep Europe to be the leading country in sustainable growth for a low carbon society. This new generation of scientists, with the breadth of knowledge that they will acquire, will be able to develop new materials, design methods and software technologies, lead research teams in industry or academia, with a direct link to the needs of the industry together with a strong consideration of environmental problems.
The final outcomes of the project will make the steel industry more sustainable through:
i. improvement in the design of refractory devices and mechanical components subject to extreme thermal shocks and severe mechanical loads;
ii. development of innovative elements for handling molten materials (steel, glass or other)
The consequence of (i.) and (ii.) is that the new refractories will be produced at lower energy level, will be safer and enhanced with a longer life time, so to globally decrease the environmental impact in the production of steel.
The methodologies for this project involve developing innovative constitutive models for refractory materials, their implementation in computational codes, the development of numerical-experimental protocols for their calibration, and finally their validation and tuning by laboratory testing (see Fig. Figure 4). The modelling and validation will be performed by UNITN, with related calibration through inverse analysis by BU, while CAEMATE will be in charge of the development of the numerical algorithms and of the software implementation and testing.
The contribution of VESUVIUS will be crucial for the assessment of the theoretical and numerical models, through
i. definition of the technological parameters of the materials involved in the high temperature applications;
ii. design and manufacture of laboratory test devices to measure mechanical properties at high temperature;
iii. assessing the robustness of the numerical codes with their usefulness and flexibility for design;
iv. providing experimental results to verify developed calibration procedures, and applying appropriate modifications to the testing set-up according to the results of sensitivity and optimization analysis;
v. explore and implement the ways towards sustainable technology in view of reduction of the environmental footprint.
The contribution of VESUVIUS will be crucial for the assessment of the theoretical and numerical models, through
i. definition of the technological parameters of the materials involved in the high temperature applications;
ii. design and manufacture of laboratory test devices to measure mechanical properties at high temperature;
iii. assessing the robustness of the numerical codes with their usefulness and flexibility for design;
iv. providing experimental results to verify developed calibration procedures, and applying appropriate modifications to the testing set-up according to the results of sensitivity and optimization analysis;
v. explore and implement the ways towards sustainable technology in view of reduction of the environmental footprint.
One of the outcomes of the project will be to produce a generation of European researchers, with a full set of academic credentials together with a deeper understanding of industrial needs and a new sensitivity to energy saving and waste minimization. They will be capable of managing complex industrial research projects targeted to a circular economy approach leading to: innovative design, a reduction in the amount of materials used, encouragement of reuse and recycling of all materials and minimised waste.
PhD students will be involved in individual projects, tailored to expand their knowledge in areas in which they have not been previously trained. At the end of the project, they will be able to set up agile manufacturing technologies, minimizing design and production time, thus reducing manufacturing costs, and improving process reliability together with the final product quality.
Training Programme (TP) and Transfer of Knowledge (ToK) will be carried out in both directions: from Industry to Academia and vice versa, through several activities (direct collaboration in work groups; training-through-research, as well as seminars, workshops, and conferences).
The importance and timeliness of the training implemented in RE-FRACTURE2 is demonstrated by the fact that European steel industry is facing new challenges related to CO2 emission, so that Carbon Leakage to developing countries could severely affect the European leadership. To remain globally competitive, Europe needs to invest in training and research programmes addressed to the development of new technologies and to the training of young researchers thereby boosting critical mass in targeted research areas, with a the consideration that Europe has to lead the transition toward a low carbon society.
General Impact: In addition to the above mentioned objectives, the results obtained within this research and training project will help to:
i. train young researchers to effectively improve industrial production processes and develop novel advanced applications for high temperature processes;
ii. sustain the markets for steel-mills components;
iii. increase the technological and scientific skills of the next generation of EU scientists;
iv. create new jobs in the area of novel high temperature applications within the EU;
v. enhance competitiveness of EU manufacturers for the steel producers in the global market through more efficient design procedures;
vi. decrease waste of raw materials and energy and consequently reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
vii. create a new generation of environment-sensitive designers.
PhD students will be involved in individual projects, tailored to expand their knowledge in areas in which they have not been previously trained. At the end of the project, they will be able to set up agile manufacturing technologies, minimizing design and production time, thus reducing manufacturing costs, and improving process reliability together with the final product quality.
Training Programme (TP) and Transfer of Knowledge (ToK) will be carried out in both directions: from Industry to Academia and vice versa, through several activities (direct collaboration in work groups; training-through-research, as well as seminars, workshops, and conferences).
The importance and timeliness of the training implemented in RE-FRACTURE2 is demonstrated by the fact that European steel industry is facing new challenges related to CO2 emission, so that Carbon Leakage to developing countries could severely affect the European leadership. To remain globally competitive, Europe needs to invest in training and research programmes addressed to the development of new technologies and to the training of young researchers thereby boosting critical mass in targeted research areas, with a the consideration that Europe has to lead the transition toward a low carbon society.
General Impact: In addition to the above mentioned objectives, the results obtained within this research and training project will help to:
i. train young researchers to effectively improve industrial production processes and develop novel advanced applications for high temperature processes;
ii. sustain the markets for steel-mills components;
iii. increase the technological and scientific skills of the next generation of EU scientists;
iv. create new jobs in the area of novel high temperature applications within the EU;
v. enhance competitiveness of EU manufacturers for the steel producers in the global market through more efficient design procedures;
vi. decrease waste of raw materials and energy and consequently reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
vii. create a new generation of environment-sensitive designers.