Innovative recycling
INNOVATIVE RECYCLING PROJECT
The aim of the project is to create an innovative technology based on a chemical purification of waste materials of superalloys and titanium. The purification process will take place in a specially designed cleaning device using a chemical developed as part of the R&D work. The process will help to achieve a very high purity of the recovered material and return it to the highly demanding aviation industry.
The project is in line with the following provision of the National Smart Specialisation (NSS): 11. Minimisation of waste generation, including non-recyclable waste, and material and energy use of waste (recycling and other recovery methods); Section III. Innovative technologies of recovery, including recycling; Item 1. Innovative technologies of waste treatment using mechanical, thermal, cryogenic, biological, microbiological, physical, and chemical methods. The purification will cover the materials from vacuum smelters that supply the raw material to aviation companies. In this respect, the project is also in line with the following NSS provision: 11.III.8 Innovative technologies for the treatment of post-production and post-mining waste.
EXPECTED PROJECT OUTCOMES
The project involves the development of purification technology for nickel and titanium superalloys. The technology will make it possible to use a chemical substance developed as part of the project to sufficiently clean the material while keeping its structure intact as well as to operate self-designed cleaning machine designed to work with the substance. If the parameters of the input material are achieved as expected in the project, the material can be used in the demanding aviation industry, which is currently not possible with materials obtained from production waste. This is beneficial for both the applicant (as it is possible to achieve higher margins from sales) and the main customer of the material, i.e. vacuum smelters specialising in supplying production materials for industries that are demanding in terms of performance. Currently, the materials for vacuum smelters come almost exclusively from the extraction of metals from ores, which is an expensive and environmentally suboptimal solution. Incorporating processed and purified scrap into production reduces the costs associated with sourcing raw material from primary non-renewable sources and is good for the environment.
Project co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund under the Smart Growth Programme.
Project implemented as part of the National Centre for Research and Development competition: Innovative Recycling.
Project value: PLN 5,703,107.79
European funds contribution: PLN 3,282,751.70
Project implementation period: 2018-2020
