Production of the world’s first industrial-scale zero-emissions cement has taken a “big step” forward with the completion of an initial trial melt.
The Cement 2 Zero project, which uses a by-product of electrical steel recycling as the basis for a greener cement, aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of the construction, cement and steel sectors.
Partners include Balfour Beatty, AtkinsRéalis, Tarmac, Celsa, Day Aggregates, the University of Cambridge and the Materials Processing Institute.
The melting test was carried out using the Material Process Institute’s seven-tonne Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) at its Teesside campus.
Three more castings will be carried out using the furnace before industrial-scale trials are carried out at Celsa’s EAF in Cardiff.
The process was invented by Cyrille Dunant at the University of Cambridge, who discovered that the chemical composition of the cement used is virtually identical to that of the lime flux used in conventional EAFs.
Balfour Beatty and Atkins are defining test protocols and detailing projects that will use the Cambridge Electric Cement (CEC) material produced from the pilot-scale EAF trials.
The two-year trial, which began in February, is being watched closely as the construction sector grapples with the challenge of decarbonisation.
Chris McDonald, executive director of the Materials Processing Institute, said the institute’s furnace had allowed lab-scale research to enter a scale-up phase of development and testing.
“The preliminary findings are encouraging in terms of providing the project team with a much greater understanding of the process and how it can be improved and scaled,” he said.
“The initial trial fusion is a critical part of the project and a major step towards creating a more efficient, environmentally friendly and resource conscious manufacturing process that contributes to the decarbonisation of the construction sectors, cement and steel”.
Celsa UK chief executive Carles Rovira said the new phase of the project had started to provide information on whether the lime replacement material will work for industrial-scale steelmaking.
“We are committed to a net zero path and embracing the principles of a circular economy through our Celsa Circular Steel programme, so investing resources in this innovative collaborative project is a great opportunity for all involved.” he said.
The Cement 2 Zero project secured £6.5m of UK Government Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding as part of the Transforming Foundation Industries challenge.
