Project description
In-line real-time chemical analyses support aluminium manufacturers sustainably
The global aluminium market size was over EUR 140 billion in 2020, and it is growing. Aluminium is widely used in transport, construction, foil and packaging, electrical engineering and machinery and equipment. Its strategic importance is reflected by the inclusion of bauxite, an aluminium-rich ore used to produce aluminium, in the European Commission's Critical Raw Materials list. Currently, monitoring production of aluminium is very energy-intensive. The Icelandic SME DT Equipment has developed instrumentation capable of performing in-line real-time chemical analyses with optimum accuracy and repeatability, enabling adjustment of process parameters accordingly. The EU-funded PEA project is helping the team optimise the technology and prepare a plan for commercialisation.
Objective
Founded in 2013 in Reykjavík (Iceland), our company DTE is an innovation-driven European SME dedicated to the development oFounded in 2013 in Reykjavík (Iceland), our company DTE is an innovation-driven European SME dedicated to the development of high technology equipment and systems for process and quality control in the aluminium industry. We have maximized the synergy between our team of experts and the aluminium sector through close cooperation with end users – global producers of primary aluminium Century Aluminum, Alcoa and Rio Tinto – and strategic collaboration with the research and engineering community – such as Reykjavik University and the Innovation Center Iceland. To sustainably grow, we are committed in redefining problems to opportunities and providing creative solutions to our customers by thinking outside the box. Our philosophy: safe, reliable and high performance equipment that meets the customer's demand. Our project, PEA, is based on the industrialization and commercialization of the next generation of process analytical instrumentation: Capable to perform in-line real-time chemical analyses of molten aluminium and cryolite with optimum accuracy and repeatability, PEA allows to precisely adjust the process parameters to their optimal limits. Our plan is to offer our PEA systems to primary and secondary aluminium producers, who are constantly seeking solutions regarding process efficiency, operating costs, worker safety and environmental impact. Our revolutionary technology is set to change the entire industry, as it addresses the current limitations of a process known to be extremely energy intensive. Furthermore, while leading to long-term profitability for our customers, with potential yearly savings of €13.6 per produced ton of aluminium, our consolidated business plan indicates that we will lease and sell 84 system units from 2020-2025, generating €20.69 million of accumulated profit and creating 21-23 full-time positions in our company.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
112 REYKJAVIK
Iceland
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.