Speira, a leading aluminium recycler, is set to significantly enhance its recycling operations with the installation of new furnaces at its Grevenbroich and Töging plants.
This upgrade involves replacing existing units with four state-of-the-art tiltable rotary furnaces. The new aluminium recycling furnaces are specifically designed to process ‘low grades,’ which include heavily contaminated scrap and dross from the melting process.
This investment is a major step forward in Speira’s commitment to a holistic approach to recycling, aiming to maximise the recovery of aluminium from even the most challenging materials.
Major investment in aluminium recycling
The company is investing approximately $11m in this project, which covers not only the furnaces themselves but also charging machines, suction hoods, thermal afterburners, piping, and other essential infrastructure.
The incorporation of cutting-edge burner technology and automatic charging systems is expected to enhance metal yield significantly.
Ralf Köring, Head of Recycling Services, emphasises that this upgrade will benefit both Speira’s internal business areas and external customers in sectors.
He said: “We take a holistic view of our contribution to a functioning circular economy. That’s why we don’t just look at the pure, easy-to-recycle scraps but also at the more difficult lower grades and by-products.
“Wherever aluminium is in it, we want to get the maximum out of it and put it back into the cycle.”
Enhanced safety and environmental standards
Employee safety and ease of operation have been prioritised in the new furnace design.
Maintenance tasks will be more straightforward due to improved accessibility of individual components, and the process of tapping molten metal can now be carried out with furnace doors closed, reducing exposure to hazards.
The use of charging machines will also minimise wheel loader and forklift traffic in front of the furnaces, further enhancing operational safety.
Environmentally, the new furnaces set a high bar. They meet the latest environmental standards, and the advanced suction and burner technology will contribute to significant CO2 savings.
Moreover, the furnaces are ‘H2 ready,’ meaning they can be operated with hydrogen in the future, aligning with long-term sustainability goals.
Energy efficiency improvements
In terms of energy efficiency, the new furnaces represent a threefold improvement. Firstly, the increased throughput capacity allows for the recycling of each tonne of aluminium to save up to 95% of the energy required to produce one tonne of primary aluminium.
Secondly, the modern burner and afterburner technology ensure optimal energy yield from the natural gas used, utilising the impurities in low-grade scraps as combustibles in the melting process.
Lastly, the optimised furnace design minimises heat loss, with automatic charging and closed-door tapping further enhancing energy efficiency.
With these advancements, Speira is poised to play a crucial role in promoting a functioning circular economy, ensuring that even the most challenging aluminium scraps are efficiently recycled and returned to the production cycle.
