Simulation-based design for resource efficiency of metal production and recycling systems: Cases - copper production and recycling, e-waste (LED lamps) and nickel pig iron

Reuter, M.A.; Schaik, A. van; Gediga, Johannes

doi:10.1007/s11367-015-0860-4

Cited by 82 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 20 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…[9] (3) Mineralogy of recyclates are key to determine the recycling index (RI) of products and have to be quantified in such a manner that thermodynamic and physical properties can be derived for them. This makes it possible to use simulation [9][10][11] tools that can represent and optimize the complete CE system. The innovation, therefore, is to consider all properties of the recyclate particles and flows in the CE system simulation, including properties such as enthalpy, entropy and energy, [11] alloy and material composition, conductivity, color, magnetic susceptibility, density, shape, odor, near-infrared properties, interlinkages of materials in scrap particles, brittleness, and ductility.…”

Section: Digitalizing and Innovating The Cementioning

confidence: 99%

“…[4] (5) Real-time big-data approaches must be used to calibrate metallurgical, recycling, and CE system models that create a basis to optimize the processing chain while providing the necessary detail to calculate capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) in addition to the environmental footprint. [11] The innovation is that the simulation basis provides the true economic potential of the CE as it rigorously maps all recoveries, losses, and costs incurred due to the recovery and losses. [12,13] This simulation basis determines the baseline recovery rate and potential for specific products applying a PCR approach.…”

Section: Digitalizing and Innovating The Cementioning

confidence: 99%

“…unep.org)], [14,15] of which the RI [11] forms an important part, should be optimized as a function of product, recycling, and processing infrastructure design in order to fully reveal the opportunities and limits of the CE system. (8) Adaptive CE system approaches [10][11][12] must be the basis of innovative CE business models. These aid the design of a closed-loop system for material use preventing the loss of materials from the economy and into the environment including innovations to producer responsibility and new product ownership models.…”

Section: Digitalizing and Innovating The Cementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Digitalizing the Circular Economy

Reuter

2016

Metall Mater Trans B

Self Cite

101

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Metallurgy is a key enabler of a circular economy (CE), its digitalization is the metallurgical Internet of Things (m-IoT). In short: Metallurgy is at the heart of a CE, as metals all have strong intrinsic recycling potentials. Process metallurgy, as a key enabler for a CE, will help much to deliver its goals. The first-principles models of process engineering help quantify the resource efficiency (RE) of the CE system, connecting all stakeholders via digitalization. This provides well-argued and first-principles environmental information to empower a tax paying consumer society, policy, legislators, and environmentalists. It provides the details of capital expenditure and operational expenditure estimates. Through this path, the opportunities and limits of a CE, recycling, and its technology can be estimated. The true boundaries of sustainability can be determined in addition to the techno-economic evaluation of RE. The integration of metallurgical reactor technology and systems digitally, not only on one site but linking different sites globally via hardware, is the basis for describing CE systems as dynamic feedback control loops, i.e., the m-IoT. It is the linkage of the global carrier metallurgical processing system infrastructure that maximizes the recovery of all minor and technology elements in its associated refining metallurgical infrastructure. This will be illustrated through the following: (1) System optimization models for multimetal metallurgical processing. These map large-scale m-IoT systems linked to computer-aided design tools of the original equipment manufacturers and then establish a recycling index through the quantification of RE. (2) Reactor optimization and industrial system solutions to realize the ''CE (within a) Corporation-CEC,'' realizing the CE of society. (3) Real-time measurement of ore and scrap properties in intelligent plant structures, linked to the modeling, simulation, and optimization of industrial extractive process metallurgical reactors and plants for both primary and secondary materials processing. (4) Big-data analysis and process control of industrial metallurgical systems, processes, and reactors by the application of, among others, artificial intelligence techniques and computer-aided engineering. (5) Minerals processing and process metallurgical theory, technology, simulation, and analytical

show abstract

Section: Digitalizing and Innovating The Cementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Digitalizing and Innovating The Cementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Digitalizing and Innovating The Cementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Digitalizing the Circular Economy

Reuter

2016

Metall Mater Trans B

Self Cite

101

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The technologies covered reflect the situation globally outside China. In China, the predominant nickel production technologies applied differ significantly due to the process inputs (nickel pig iron) (Reuter et al 2015).…”

Section: Geographical Product and Technological Representationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life cycle assessment of nickel products

Mistry¹,

Gediga

Boonzaier

2016

Int J Life Cycle Assess

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose To support the data requirements of stakeholders, the Nickel Institute (NI) conducted a global life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) to show, with indicators, the potential environmental impacts of the production of nickel and ferronickel from mine to refinery gate. A metal industry wide agreed approach on by-products and allocation was applied. Methods Nine companies, comprising 19 operations, contributed data, representing 52 % of global nickel metal production and 40 % of global ferronickel production. All relevant pyroand hydrometallurgical production routes were considered, across most major nickel-producing regions. Data from Russia, the biggest nickel-producing nation, was included; the Chinese industry did not participate. 2011 was chosen as reference year for data collection. The LCIA applied allocation of impacts of by-products using both economic and mass allocations. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to further understand the relevance and impact of the different allocation approaches. Results and discussion The primary extraction and refining steps are the main contributors to primary energy demand (PED) and global warming potential (GWP), contributing 60 and 70 % to the PED for the production of 1 kg class I nickel and 1 kg nickel in ferronickel, respectively, and over 55 % of the GWP for both nickel products. The PED for 1 kg class 1 nickel was calculated to be 147 MJ, whilst the PED for 1 kg nickel in ferronickel was calculated to be three times higher at 485 MJ. The main factors influencing energy demand in the metallurgical processes are ore grade and ore mineralogy. Sulphidic ore is less energy intensive to process than oxidic ore. Eighty-six percent of the production volume from class 1 nickel producers, in this study, is from sulphidic ore. All ferronickel was produced from oxidic ore. The LCIA results, including a sensitivity analysis of the impact of producers with higher and lower PED, reflect the influence of the production route on energy demand and on environmental impact categories. Conclusions Conformant to relevant ISO standards, and backed-up with a technical and critical review, this LCIA quantifies the environmental impacts associated with the production of the main nickel products. With this study, a sound background dataset for downstream users of nickel has been provided. The Nickel Institute aims to update their data in the coming years to reflect upon changes in technology, energy efficiency, and raw material input.

show abstract

“…Here, the focus has been on exergy as measure of resource use in the characterization part of the LCIA. In a number of case studies (e.g., [36][37][38]), exergy analysis is used as a characterization method or as a method for broadening LCA [39]. It can be used in these ways for both attributional (or accounting) LCA, as well as consequential LCA (cf.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Exergy as a Measure of Resource Use in Life Cycle Assessment and Other Sustainability Assessment Tools

2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:A thermodynamic approach based on exergy use has been suggested as a measure for the use of resources in Life Cycle Assessment and other sustainability assessment methods. It is a relevant approach since it can capture energy resources, as well as metal ores and other materials that have a chemical exergy expressed in the same units. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the use of the thermodynamic approach in case studies and to compare the results with other approaches, and thus contribute to the discussion of how to measure resource use. The two case studies are the recycling of ferrous waste and the production and use of a laptop. The results show that the different methods produce strikingly different results when applied to case studies, which indicates the need to further discuss methods for assessing resource use. The study also demonstrates the feasibility of the thermodynamic approach. It identifies the importance of both energy resources, as well as metals. We argue that the thermodynamic approach is developed from a solid scientific basis and produces results that are relevant for decision-making. The exergy approach captures most resources that are considered important by other methods. Furthermore, the composition of the ores is shown to have an influence on the results. The thermodynamic approach could also be further developed for assessing a broader range of biotic and abiotic resources, including land and water.

show abstract

Simulation-based design for resource efficiency of metal production and recycling systems: Cases - copper production and recycling, e-waste (LED lamps) and nickel pig iron

Cited by 82 publications

References 20 publications

Digitalizing the Circular Economy

Digitalizing the Circular Economy

Life cycle assessment of nickel products

Exergy as a Measure of Resource Use in Life Cycle Assessment and Other Sustainability Assessment Tools

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About