alumina technology roadmap

1、International Aluminium InstituteAlumina Technology RoadmapBauxite&AluminaBCommitteeMay 2006Coordinated by AMIRA InternationalAlumina Technology RoadmapTable of ContentsPrefaceiChapter 1 Introduction1Chapter 2 Alumina Industry Research and Technology Needs3Chapter 3 Implementing the Roadmap Initiati

2、ves7Chapter 4 Moving Forward11Bibliography13Appendix A Priority R&D Needs15Appendix B R&D Areas29Appendix C The IAI Bauxite & Alumina Committee43Appendix D List of Acronyms45Alumina Technology RoadmapAlumina Technology RoadmapPrefacehe first edition of this Alumina Technology Roadmap was published i

3、n November 2001, following an industry-wide workshop held in May that year and coordinated by AMIRA International. The workshop and the RoadmapExperienceoverthepastfour yearsinimplementingthe outcomesoftheoriginal Alumina Technology Roadmapclearly points to the need to review its contentsand produce

4、 an update. This will ensure the document does communicate the future needs of the industry, focus the efforts of diverse groups such as public research laboratories, supplier companies and thepublication,facilitatedbyEnergetics,Incorporated, USA, resulted from collaborationbetween the Aluminum Asso

5、ciationInc., U.S. DepartmentofEnergy,OfficeofIndustrialuniversities on critical issues, interests of all stakeholders.andaligntheTechnologies(DOE/OIT),theAustralianDepartment of Industry, Science andResources and the then nine alumina companies directly involved.Prior to 2001 the DOE/OIT had been in

6、strumental in developments assisting the aluminium industry, following the industrys production of a vision for its future and technology roadmaps to achieve that vision. In addition to a generic roadmap, the industry developed roadmaps related to inert anodes and advanced smelter technology, the us

7、e of aluminium in automotive markets, the handling and treatment of bauxite residue, and the use of advanced ceramics to improve aluminium production and processing. The 2001 alumina roadmap represented the last significant portion of the production chain to be addressed.Roadmaps should be living do

8、cuments thatperiodicallyneedupdatingastechnologydevelopments change industry sectors in differentways. Hence the Aluminum Association re-issued an updated Aluminum Industry Technology Roadmap in February 2003, following publication of the original Roadmap in 1997.iAlumina Technology RoadmapiiAlumina

9、 Technology Roadmap1Introductionhe alumina industry continues to face similarThese strategic goals are just as valid today as they were four years ago.issues as producers: reporting,operations, themost other global commoditysocialandenvironmentalthechallengeofsustainableThe initial Roadmap outlined

10、a comprehensive long-term research and development plan that defined the industrys collective future andimage of a green industry, andcompetition from substitute materials. Individuallyeach producer is addressing these challenges. However, some challenges are best dealt with by an industry sector ab

11、ove and beyond the direct competitive environment. One key outcome of aestablishedaclearpathwayforward.Itemphasized twelve high-priority R&D needs (referto Appendix A) deemed most significant in addressing the strategic goals. Both continuous improvement through incremental changes as well as signif

12、icant advances through innovative step changes are essential if the industry is going to respond effectively to the challenges in the years to come.technologyroadmapisidentifyingthesecollaborative areas and the steps that must be taken to achieve the industry-wide goals.In producing the original Alu

13、mina Technology Roadmap the essential first step was the development of critical technology goals to which the industry should aspire. These ambitious goals establish the long-term vision and encompass the challenges for alumina as a commodity energy efficiency, safety, environmental performance, su

14、stainability issues, and customer expectations as well as the product challenges of quality, consistency, and performance. The goals reflect the industrys acknowledgment of the growing impact of environmental and social issues onbusinesspractices.Improvingoverallperformance on environment, health, a

15、nd safety,for example, will push the industry beyond currentbestpracticeandenhanceitslong-termcompetitiveness. The specific industry strategicgoals for the year 2020 in the original Roadmapare shown in Exhibit 1.1Alumina Technology Roadmap2Alumina Technology RoadmapExhibit 1. Alumina Technology Road

16、map Strategic GoalsThe Commodity ChallengeThrough the application of technologyu Reduce operating costs of existing plants by 3% per annumu Achieve substantial energy efficiency gains against a benchmark of reducing total energy consumption to 25% below current bauxite specific best practiceu Target

17、 capital costs of new plants at US$500/annual tonne and falling, with major expansion at half this cost, achieved within a framework of return on investment before tax of greater than 18%u Contribute to improvement of overall performance on environment, health and safety to worlds best practice and

18、consistent with global sustainable development principlesu Produce a product that meets all of our customers current and future needsThis indicates a need to improve over a 5 to 20 year period, with 3 year intermediate goals, throughu Increasing yield by 20% above current bauxite specific best pract

19、iceu Reducing DSP caustic consumption to 30 kg/tonne Al2O3 and reducing other losses (excluding to product) to best practiceu Achieving a simple capable process by significantly reducing process variability (3 sigma of 7 years).Appendix A highlights the twelve priority R&D needs for the alumina refi

20、ning industry. The details shown include: the likely partners to be involved in each research effort the technical and economic risk of developing the technology and the potential payoff if successful the time frame for usable results to be developed, given that research could beginalmostimmediately

21、withnofundingconstraints3Alumina Technology RoadmapStrategic Goal Legend4Alumina Technology RoadmapExhibit 2. Relationship Between Priority R&D Needs and Major Roadmap ThemesMajor ThemesPriority R&D NeedBayer Process Chemistry and AlternativesResource UtilizationEnergy EfficiencyProcess and Knowledg

22、e ManagementResidue Treatment and ReuseSafety/Human ExposureBauxite Residue: Cost-Effective Inerting and Alternative Uses99Direct Reduction of Bauxite or Other Aluminium Materials999Impurity Removal: Bauxite and Bauxite Beneficiation999Knowledge Management and Best Practices Benchmarking9Scale Manag

23、ement9999Waste Heat Recovery995Alumina Technology RoadmapTechnicalSolutions for9RefineryReleasesMajor Reductionin Caustic999ConsumptionImpurityRemoval: Bayer9LiquorFull Automation/Improved Control99StrategiesConversion ofMonohydrate999Bauxite to a MoreBeneficial StateAlternative Methods toAccelerate

24、99Precipitation Rates6Alumina Technology Roadmap3Implementing theRoadmap Initiativeso progress implementation of the Alumina Technology Roadmap outcomes the industryProvide a concerted technical focus for dealings with suppliers (chemical, equipment, engineering) to the industry.Act in a referral ro

25、le in dealings with the industry associations on technical issues.establishedanAluminaRoadmapCommittee (ARC). The ARC was comprisedof key industry representatives, all at the uppertechnical companies.managementechelonsoftheirProvideanappropriateframeworkfordiscussion of the future technology goals o

26、fthe alumina industry and wide dissemination of information.The Terms of Reference for the ARC were to:Advance initiatives from the Technology Roadmap.Identify appropriate subgroups to sponsor research projects and other initiatives and monitor their progress.Establish and maintain an ongoing review

27、 ofThe Activities of the ARC were as follows:-The Committee meets on average twice a year, via face-to-face, teleconference or videoconference means. These meetings should, where possible, be organised around a major industry meeting, such as the Annual TMS meeting and the Alumina Quality Workshop.T

28、he chairmanship of the Committee should be decided by the members on an annual basis. Relevant government representatives will be kept informed of the Committees business by receiving minutes of the meetings.Research providers and consultants will be involved by invitation to consider specific topic

29、s at meetings.The Committee may commission reviews on specific topics from time to time.The wider industry meetings (TMS, AQW, etc.) should be used as a vehicle for the information and review process.7thelong-termgoalsoftechnologydevelopment for the alumina industry.Monitor & enhance the alumina res

30、earch infrastructure to facilitate delivery of leading edge pre-competitive research and suitably trained personnel for the industry.Inform key decision-makers within companies-andgovernmentstoensureadequate-understanding of the priorities in aluminatechnology development and commitment to necessary

31、 research funding.-Engenderalong-termperspectiveforresearch needs and delivered outcomes. Leverageindustryresearchfunds-withsuccessfulapplicationstorelevantgovernment funding programs.Alumina Technology Roadmap-AMIRA International will act as the secretariat in the planning, facilitation and reporti

32、ng of meetings.-Alumina dusting in smelters and alumina transportation (flowability, segregation, breakdown)Bauxite residue Air emissions.-The ARC has put considerable effort into ranking the Priority R&D Needs in order to initiate specific collaborative research projects that would engage a broad r

33、ange of industry companies. The first step was to seek feedback on the 12 Areas and then summarise as High Importance vs. Low Importance. Exhibit 3 provides an overview of the responses. The top six topics were then taken and templates developed to define the problem.SubsequentlyWorleyEngineering(Da

34、nielThomas) was contracted to develop detailed scopes for these collaborative projects. The industry agreed at a Workshop in April 2003 to pursue the Air Emissions topic via an Australian Industry Air Emissions Forum under the aegis of the Australian Aluminium Council.These six areas were:The Alumin

35、a Dusting topic progressed to AMIRA Project P791 as a six-month Scoping Study which concluded in October 2004. The Alumina Transportation topic is in abeyance.Scale ManagementA Quantum Leap in Precipitation while meeting Future Product QualityYieldThe Bauxite Residue topic was further developed into

36、 a series of discrete projects: four Foundation projects, to be supported by all companies involved in the Roadmap implementation, and a series of optional projects to follow, building on the key information developed in the Foundation projects. Exhibit 4 describes the suite of Residue projects in m

37、ore detail. All four Foundation projects are currently underway and will conclude during 2006.Reduce the Potential for EnvironmentalImpacts from Bauxite Residue Storage Impurity Removal Bauxite Beneficiation Impurity Removal Bayer Liquor Refinery Releases to Air.Further detailed discussion across th

38、e industry focussed attention on three key areas to actively develop collaborative projects:8Alumina Technology RoadmapExhibit 3. Ranking of Twelve Priority R&D Needs9Alumina Technology RoadmapPriority1 - ALMOST ALL SAW AS IMPORTANT31.1Scale Management21.2Technical solutions for refinery releases12.

39、5-3.1Impurity Removal2 HIGH BY SOME & LOW BY OTHERS42.1Alternative method to accelerate precipitation rates52.2Bauxite Residue cost effective inerting and alternate uses2.3Conversion of monohydrate bauxite to a more beneficial state2.4Major reduction in caustic consumption2.5Impurity removal Bauxite

40、 & Bauxite beneficiation3 - SOME INTEREST3.1Impurity Removal: Bayer Liquor3.2Knowledge management & Best Practice Benchmarking3.3Waste Heat recovery4 “LITTLE” INTEREST4.1Full Automation/Improved Control Strategies4.2Direct Reduction of Bauxite and Other Al materialsExhibit 4. Summary of Bauxite Resi

41、due ProjectsIndicates Foundation project (sponsored by all companies currently involved, namely Alcan, Alcoa, Aughinish/Glencore, BHP Billiton, Comalco and Hydro Aluminium)Indicates optional project yet to be scoped10Alumina Technology RoadmapProject NumberAMIRANo.Project TitleResearch Provider1.1P7

42、72Measure of Sustainability ImprovementCSRP2.1P942Fundamental properties of Residue RadionuclidesANSTO2.2P928Fundamental properties of Residue LeachabilityAlcoa and ECN (Netherlands)2.3P943Fundamental properties of Residue EcotoxicityCSIRO3.1Residue Treatment Reactivity of Solid Alkalinity3.2Residue

43、 Treatment Long-Term Stability of Treated Residue3.3Residue Treatment In-situ Treatment4.1Re-use of Residue Targeted Research4.2Re-use of Residue Icon Projects4.3Re-use of Residue Risk Assessment Framework5.1Value Extraction from Residue4Moving ForwardheAluminaTechnologyRoadmapwas intended to be a d

44、ynamic document. Theexercise. It took longer than expected for the industry to agree on appropriate research topics. Scoping individual topics was a slow process. Other factors that came into play were the challenges of driving a collaborative model in a competitive industry, poor definition of the

45、role of the ARC and communication within companies, and maintaining consistent membership of the ARC during a time when the industry underwent major rationalisations.industryfacessignificantandvariedchallenges over the next 20 years. Duringthis period some challenges may diminish inimportance while

46、others particularly social and environmental issues may become more prominent. By aggressively pursuing innovative solutions to its long-term problems, the alumina industry can favorably position itself to meet these challenges as they arise.Two significant developments have recently prompted a desi

47、re by the industry to revisit and revise the roadmap such that it receives a greater impetus to move forward. First, the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) has constituted a Bauxite & Alumina Committee, and secondly the Alumina Technical Panel, comprised of the R&D Managers of the five major alumina producers in Australia, has undergone a new lease of life.A major objective of the original roadmap was tohelpalumi