Abstract
In a world striving for the conservation of natural resources, metal recycling is an essential component of sustainable resource management. Continuous scientific research into the parameters controlling the recovery rates of the applied metallurgical treatments both promotes technological advancements in the design of high-efficiency resilient processes and enables their optimization at the implementation phase. In this work, a series of lab-scale testing data was generated to study the relationship between the delacquering degree and recovery rate in the pyrometallurgical recycling of Used Beverage Cans (UBCs). The effect of the atmosphere on thermal delacquering kinetics was studied. The obtained Temperature-Delacquering Degree correlation was utilized to prepare UBC samples of varying delacquering degrees, which were subsequently melted by two procedures: direct melting and addition into AA3104 hot heel. Assessment of metal recovery employing different methodologies, including cast metal weight and separation of entrapped aluminium in the dross, both mechanically and after re-melting, demonstrated key affecting parameters.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Communication document from the Commission, “The European Green Deal”, COM/2019/640 final. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2019:640:FIN.
Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/102, COM(2023) 160 final, 2023/0079(COD). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52023PC0160.
Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020 – Mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament.
Aluminium beverage can recycling rates 2020, European Aluminium, 6/12/2022. https://european-aluminium.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/14-12-2022_European-Aluminium_Report-alumnium-beverage-can-recycling-rates-2020.pdf.
https://www.recyclingtoday.com/news/ubc-recycling-rate-goals-cmi/.
A Circularity Case for Aluminium Compared with Glass and Plastic (PET), International Aluminium Institute, March 2022. https://international-aluminium.org/resource/aluminium-beverage-can-study/.
Opportunities for Aluminium in A Post-Covid Economy, International Aluminium Institute, March 2022. https://international-aluminium.org/resource/opportunities-for-aluminium-in-a-post-covid-economy/?_thumbnail_id=6715.
Raabe D, Ponge D, Uggowitzer PJ, Roscher M, Paolantonio M, Liu C, Antrekowitsch H, Kozeschnik E, Seidmann D, Gault B, De Geuser F, Deschamps A, Hutchinson C, Liu C, Li Z, Prangnell P, Robson J, Shanthraj P, Vakili S, Sinclair C, Bourgeois L, Pogatscher S (2022) Making sustainable aluminum by recycling scrap: The science of “dirty” alloys. Prog. Mater. Sci. 128:100947.
Stotz PM, Niero M, Bey N, Paraskevas D (2017) Environmental screening of novel technologies to increase material circularity: A case study on aluminium cans. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 127:96–106.
Steglich J, Dittrich R, Rosefort M, Friedrich B (2016) Pre-Treatment of Beverage Can Scrap to Increase Recycling Efficiency. JMSE-A 3(3-4):57–65.
Kvithyld A, Meskers CEM, Gaal S, Reuter M, Engh TA (2008) Recycling light metals: Optimal thermal de-coating. JOM 60:47–51.
Steglich J, Dittrich R, Rombach G, Rosefort M, Friedrich B, Pichat A (2017) Dross Formation Mechanisms of Thermally Pre-Treated Used Beverage Can Scrap Bales with Different Density. In: Ratvik, A. (eds) Light Metals 2017. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham.
Vallejo-Olivares A, Høgåsen S, Kvithyld A, Tranell G (2022) Thermal De-coating Pre-treatment for Loose or Compacted Aluminum Scrap and Consequences for Salt-Flux Recycling. J. Sustain. Metall. 8:1485–1497.
Chamakos, N. et al. (2023) Towards the Efficient Recycling of Used Beverage Cans: Numerical Study and Experimental Validation. In: Broek, S. (eds) Light Metals 2023. TMS 2023. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham.
Niedermair, F., Wimroither, G. (2011) Latest Trends in Post Consumer and Light Gauge Scrap Processing to Include Problematic Processing Material such as UBC, Edge Trimmings and Loose Swarf. In: Lindsay, S.J. (eds) Light Metals 2011. Springer, Cham.
Pichat, A., Vassel, A., Menet, P.Y., Jouët-Pastre, L. (2020) Constellium R&D approach in recycling, from lab to industrial scale. In: Tomsett, A. (eds) Light Metals 2020. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham.
Kvithyld, A. et al. (2002) Decoating of aluminium scrap in various atmospheres. In: Schneider, WA. (eds) Light Metals 2002. TMS 2002. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series.
Vyazovkin S, Burnham AK, Favergeon L, Koga N, Moukhina E, Pérez-Maqueda LA, Sbirrazzuoli N (2020) ICTAC Kinetics Committee recommendations for analysis of multi-step kinetics Thermochim. Acta 689: 178597.
Gökelma, M., Diaz, F., Öner, I.E., Friedrich, B., Tranell, G. (2020) An assessment of recyclability of used aluminium coffee capsules. In: Tomsett, A. (eds) Light Metals 2020. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham.
Capuzzi S, Kvithyld A, Timelli G, Nordmark A, Gumbmann E, Engh TA (2018) Coalescence of clean, coated, and decoated aluminum for various salts, and salt–scrap ratios. J. Sustain. Metall. 4(3):343–358.
Acknowledgements
Special acknowledgements go to Dimitris Voulgaris, Head of the Surface Science and Coatings Department of ELKEME SA for his cooperation and support in this research work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2024 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
About this paper
Cite this paper
Tzevelekou, T. et al. (2024). Recovery Considerations in the Pyrometallurgical Recycling of Used Beverage Cans. In: Wagstaff, S. (eds) Light Metals 2024. TMS 2024. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50308-5_117
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50308-5_117
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-50307-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-50308-5
eBook Packages: Chemistry and Materials ScienceChemistry and Material Science (R0)