FOSTERING INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS FOR A SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE INTENSIVE INDUSTRY ACROSS THE EXTENDED CONSTRUCTION VALUE CHAIN

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N° 642154.

Eco-Ceramic TilesPre-industrial and Industrial scale Demonstrations3rd Webinar -15th October 2019

Luis Guaita – KERABEN GRUPO

2

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Case Study 4 has been possible thanks to the industrial symbiosis among different industries, in the field of NaturalStones, Metallurgic and Ceramic sectors.

Case Study 4: Eco Wall and Eco Porcelain Tiles

3

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

ECO-PORCELAIN TILES:Tough ceramic tile of porcelain stonewarebased material for outdoor use in high trafficsites, sidewalks and other urban destinationswith partial replacement of VRM by SRM fromSalt Slag Oxides based materials.

Target: Eco-Wall and Eco-Porcelain tiles

ECO-POROUS WALL TILES:Light ceramic tile of porous based material forindoor use in walls or ceilings with partialreplacement in the composition of Virgin RawMaterials by Secondary Raw Materials fromNatural Stone residue.

It has been developed a new type of tiles including a relevant amount of Secondary Raw Materials as a component ofthe ceramic body of tiles, which have been conceived and manufactured according to ECO-design criteria.

4

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

MANUFACTURING PROCESS

WATER ABSORPTION CAPACITY

Group I W.A. ≤ 3%

Group IIa 3% < W.A. ≤ 6%

Group IIb 6% < W.A. ≤ 10%

Group III W.A. > 10%

A Extruded

Tiles

AI Lower water

absorption

AIIa Medium-Low

water absorption

AIIb Medium-High

water absorption

AIII High

water absorption

B Pressed

Tiles

BIa W.A. ≤ 0.5%

Very Low water absorption

BIIa Medium-Low

water absorption

BIIb Medium-High

water absorption

BIII High

water absorption

BIb 0.5% < W.A. ≤ 3%

Low water absorption

Ceramic Tile Classification under standard EN 14411

ECO-PORCELAIN TILES ECO-WALL TILES

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Product features required

Manufacturing Process

Characteristics

Ceramic paste requirements

Raw materials characteristics

Raw materials selection

Formulation of each

composition

Laboratory experiments

& prototyping

Pre-industrialtrial 0,5-1 Ton

(20-50 m2)

Production20-40 Ton(200 m2)OK

NO

Analysis of results

METHODOLOGY applied for the development of the ECO-TILES

1

2 3 4

Definition of technical requirements1

Eco-design of new products formulation2

Prototyping and pre-industrial validation3

Pilot production for demonstration4

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

ECO-DESIGN of new products2

Characterization studies and lab prototyping on ceramic tile products (ECO-WALL TILE and an ECO-PORCELAIN TILE) have been conducted by ICV & KERABEN.

The Virgin Raw Materials substitution achieved was:

ECO-PORCELAIN TILES ECO-WALL TILES

10,0% 12,5%Subsitution of VRM by SRM:

+ Recycling in own process: 32,5% 39,4%

MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION in:

Total substitution of VRM: 42,5% 51,9%

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

ECO-DESIGN of new products2

Difficulties:

ECO-WALL TILES▪ High humidity content of SRM (>22%) → New Drying Stage▪ Presence of coarse particles (>40μm) → New Sieving Stage▪ Modification of the paste colour → Control

ECO-PORCELAIN TILES▪ Modification of the paste colour → Control▪ Presence of metallic particles. → New Sieving Stage▪ The amount of fluxing agents is too high → Different firing cycle

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

PREPARATION OF THE SRMExperiment for drying natural stone slurries using Microwave technology

It has been experienced several technical difficulties when developing the new ECO-TILES caused by issues like an excess of humidity in the natural stone slurries (>22%). An experiment for drying the marble slurries was conducted using Microwave technology.

①3

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Video①3

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Curves of Humidity evaporation and energy used for drying the marble slurries

The results obtained can be summarized as follows:

Humidity wet basis: 20.32 ± 0.07 % Humidity dry basis: 25.51 ± 0.11 %

Measured Microwave energy consumption (10% humidity): 38 kWh/tonElectrical energy consumption (10% humidity): 46 kWh/tonEstimated microwave energy with filled bed: ~26 kWh/ton

Total estimated energy: ~ 35 kWh/ton

Figure shows the temperature cycle recorded by the optical pyrometer, humidity and evaporation of water in the material and the energy consumption during a drying cycle in which the equipment is working continuously irradiating with 4 magnetrons of 750 W.

①3

②

③

①

PressingMilling andSpray Drying

Drying Glazing &decoration

ECO Porcelain & Wall Tiles

RawMaterials

GlazePreparation

SecondaryRaw

Materials

Firing

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

RawMaterials

ECO-WALL TILES and the ECO PORCELAIN TILES should have an acceptable behaviourduring the production process at industrial scale. Several adjustments have being done because of this.

Prototyping and pre-industrial validation3

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Semi-industrial trial for the pilot production of the new compositions3 ②

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Production of 100 pieces of Eco-Wall Tileswith a size of 25x50 cm

Production of 60 pieces of Eco-Porcelain Tileswith a size of 50x50 cm

Semi-industrial trial for the pilot production of the new compositions3 ②

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Semi-industrial trial for the pilot production of the new compositions3 ③

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Semi-industrial trial for the pilot production of the new compositions3 ③

②

③

①

PressingMilling andSpray Drying

Drying Glazing &decoration

ECO Porcelain & Wall Tiles

RawMaterials

GlazePreparation

SecondaryRaw

Materials

Firing

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

RawMaterials

ECO-WALL TILES and the ECO PORCELAIN TILES should have an acceptable behaviourduring the production process at industrial scale. Several adjustments have being done because of this.

Pilot production for real scale demonstration4

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Pilot production for real scale demonstration4

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

FISSAC platform

Case Study 4: Installation of eco-innovative tiles in Spain

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Demo ParkECO-PORCELAIN TILES

ECO-WALL TILES

3 m

1 mock-up: ~25 m2

FISSAC Case StudiesREAL SCALE DEMONSTRATION

• Case Study 4 Eco-porcelain tiles Madrid – Spain KERABEN & ACC

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

FISSAC Case StudiesREAL SCALE DEMONSTRATION

• Case Study 4 Eco-porcelain tiles Madrid – Spain KERABEN & ACC

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

FISSAC Case StudiesREAL SCALE DEMONSTRATION

• Case Study 4 Eco-porcelain tiles Madrid – Spain KERABEN & ACC

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Laying possibilities …

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

On site installation

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

On site installation

Eco-Ceramic Tiles

Conclusions

• The semi-industrial pilot productions carried out so far have proved a limited feasibility for the replacement of a significant amount of VRM by SRM coming from the Natural Stone and Metallurgic sectors. It has been reached TRL 7.

• It has been produced 123.12 m2 (456 pieces) of ECO WALL TILES achieving a substitution of 51.9 wt % of VRM by recycled materials.

• It has been produced 240.00 m2 (960 pieces) of ECO PORCELAIN TILES achieving a substitution of 42.5 wt % of VRM by recycled materials.

• The new ECO-CERAMIC TILES have been installed in a Demo Park in Madrid, and will be under observation for at least 1 year.

• Unfortunately, so far no technical benefits have been observed in the production using the SRM, and there is also no clear improvement in the performance of the product. The production of the new ECO TILES is feasible, but it’s difficult to justify new investments required.

Thank you !!!

Eco-Ceramic Tiles