Despite the growing interest in reducing the direct environmental impact of steel and aluminum production, little effort has been made in the recovery of these two elements from the wastes deriving from their working processes, namely mill scale and aluminum dross. Since they are mainly oxidic materials, the recovery of metals from such matrixes requires the use of a reductant, usually fossil derived carbon. Therefore, one promising possibility is to exploit carbon sources of biogenic origin, which would on the one hand be capable to adequately carbo-thermal reduces the oxidic wastes and on the other hand creates a process that can be environmentally sustainable and characterized by neutral carbon dioxide footprint. For these reasons, the BioMet project aims to create a supply chain of biocarbon for metallurgical use from both industrial and furniture wood processing wastes. In fact, the wood industry offers a wide range of waste derived from wood processing (wood chips and wood sawdust) or from end-of-life products (pallets). This waste could be suitably treated by pyrolysis (a process in which the biomass, the wood waste, is heated to 350\u00f7750 \u00b0C in an inert atmosphere) to obtain a high-value carbonaceous mass (biochar) capable of being used as a reducer in substitution of the fossil carbon. The possibility of exploiting agglomeration techniques would allow the creation of easily handling products (e.g., briquettes, pellets, etc.) that could be easily reduced by appropriate process. Specifically, mill scale would be reduced by a traditional carbothermal reaction using cupola or resistance ovens. However, exploiting new possible heating source to fulfil the reduction and smelting of iron-bearing waste material can open to new competitive processes capable to be extended also for the reduction of aluminum foundry wastes. This is the reason why innovative microwave-assisted carbothermal reaction will be tested on both iron mill scale and aluminum dross in order to compare the two possible reduction routes. This should auspicial open to a new primary aluminum production in competition to the energy-intensive Hall-Heroult process. All these activities still rely on low TRL (2-4). The BioMet project would thus ensure a more efficient utilization of wood waste, as opposed to its actual and low-efficient use as a fuel and, most importantly, the creation of a stable market for biochar, which can be further linked to the agricultural sector. The Project also aims to enhance the economic, environmental and social aspects through the reduction of dependence on the raw materials market and the possibility of creating a “zero km” supply chain, the reduction of waste disposal in landfills and the creation of new carbon neutral metallurgical pathways, further to the creation of a domestic market independent of external sources, through interoperability between industrial sectors and the attraction of new specialized figures.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-3090","projects","type-projects","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n