The TyGRe Project

Synthesis of ceramic materials from waste residues

Sabrina Portofino^a, Sergio Galvagno^b, Anna De Girolamo Del Mauro^c , Enzo Calò^d

Unità Tecnica Tecnologie Portici (UTTP), ENEA

P.le Enrico Fermi 1 – 80055 Portici (NA)

^asabrina.portofino@enea.it, ^bsergio.galvagno@enea.it, ^canna.degirolamo@enea.it, ^denzo.calo@enea.it

Keywords:

Rice shell, carbothermal reduction, silicon nitride, SEM, XRD

Abstract:

Steam gasification of waste tyre: influence of process temperature on yield and product composition

S. Portofino¹, A. Donatelli², P. Iovane², C. Innella², R. Civita², M. Martino², D. A. Matera², A. Russo², G. Cornacchia², S. Galvagno¹

¹UTTP - C.R. ENEA Portici  –  ²UTTRI, - C.R. ENEA Trisaia

Riassunto

La produzione mondiale di pneumatici usati ammonta a 7 milioni di tonnellate, di cui 3 milioni nella sola Comunità Europea. Per questo tipo di rifiuti la messa in sicurezza in discarica rappresenta ancora la via di smaltimento più adoperata in molti Paesi.. Per affrontare una corretta gestione di queste enormi quantità di rifiuti, sono state considerate molte alternative; tra queste, le tecnologie di trattamento termico sembrano rappresentare una via incoraggiante per il recupero sia di energia sia di materia. In particolare, la pirolisi e la gassificazione sono applicazioni interessanti in virtù dell’ottenimento di sottoprodotti ad alto valore aggiunto. Il lavoro in oggetto riguarda le prove sperimentali e i risultati ottenuti nella gassificazione con vapore di pneumatici di rifiuto, allo scopo di valutare l’influenza della temperatura sulla resa e sulla composizione dei prodotti.

Summary

The world production of tyre waste amounts to 7 millions of tons, 3 millions of which are generated in Europe. For this waste stream the landfill is the most practiced way of disposal in many Countries. In order to perform a correct management of this huge quantity of waste, many options were considered. Among these, thermal technologies seem to be an encouraging way to attain energy and/or matter recovery. Pyrolysis and Gasification are very interesting application to produce high added value by-products. Present work relates to experimental tests and obtained results of Scrap Tyre gasification with steam, with the aim of evaluating the influence of the process temperature on the products yields and compositions.

INTEGRATING ECONOMIC MECHANISMS INTO LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS: WHAT TO CONSIDER AND HOW

ABSTRACT

A research project has been recently started to evaluate the environmental performances of an innovative tyre recycling system by means of the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, comparing the new technology with a more conventional solution involving the use of tyres as fuel in a cement kiln. The technology analysed, developed under the 7th Framework Programme project “TyGRE” (High added value materials from waste tyre gasification residues) consists of the gasification treatment of waste tyres and the utilization of the carbon-rich char fraction obtained, together with glass cullet, for the synthesis of ceramic materials (SiC) and the energy recovery of syngas.

For a more accurate and comprehensive environmental assessment of the new technology, it is important to identify and analyse the markets affected (e.g.: waste tyres, cement, glass, SiC, as first order markets), the involved quantities and the related substitution mechanisms. Indeed, the introduction of a new technology in a market sets off multiple dynamics with the surrounding systems, at the environmental, economic and social level. If dealt with in its wholeness, this problem would pose several methodological challenges; nevertheless, even if we narrow the question to the environmental analysis, problems are still far to be solved from both the conceptual and computational viewpoints. A pure environmental assessment would leave the surrounding system in which a product/process is embedded out of consideration. However, in some circumstances this simplification is not acceptable. Working on the environment-economy interface, the question “Which is the environmental impact of technology X?” would be rephrased into “Which are the environmental consequences due to the introduction of technology X in the market?”

This paper described an analysis performed within the Life Cycle Sustainability Analysis (LCSA) framework, which was proposed in the 6th Framework Programme project CALCAS (Co-ordination Action for innovation in Life-Cycle Analysis for Sustainability). LCSA is a structure that works with a plethora of disciplinary models and guides selecting the proper ones, given a specific sustainability question. A three-phase work method has been developed for the application of the framework: i) Framing the question, i.e. identification of question and object of the analysis; ii) Selection of appropriate methods and models to perform the analysis; iii) Application of the methods and interpretation of results.

This paper discusses the general approach to the Life Cycle Sustainability Analysis, focusing on its first step, i.e. framing the question, and suggesting an approach to structure this phase, in which both qualitative and quantitative analyses should be used. Our research suggests that in this phase an iterative approach should be used, which combine experts’ judgment with analytical tools. Regarding the latter, more than one tool could provide useful insights: for this reason, during the project different analytical approaches will be tested. It appears also necessary to translate the approach to the framing of the question into practical guidelines, easily extendible to other systems besides the technological ones.

Definition of social indicators: a case study of an innovative technology.

A. Zamagni¹, P. Buttol¹, O. Amerighi², B. Felici², R. Roberto¹, P. Masoni¹ - ENEA