Fireproof high efficiency inorganic building insulation from waste industrial slag
Lead Research Organisation:
Swansea University
Department Name: College of Engineering
Abstract
THE RESEARCH QUESTION TO BE ADDRESSED:
Steelmaking produces large megaton quantities of slag, which due to its high soluble calcium content cannot easily be used as an aggregate material as it swells. The slag as-formed contains considerable quantities of entrapped gases and hence upon solidification has quite an open structure. Steel slags form the basis of rockwool insulation which is used widely in buildings as it is an excellent insulator, is stable chemically and totally fire resistant. Recent high-profile building fires have thrown the light on certain polymeric cored metal products and there is a need for alternate non-combustible insulation.
KEY OBJECTIVES AND AIMS OF THE RESEARCH:
This project will seek to explore how molten slag can be used direct from the steel plant and cast into a board product. Our intention is to produce a structurally rigid insulation board that could be used as a stand-alone material or in composite steel panels.
The aim will be to gain a full understanding of the chemical properties of various steel slags from both the BOS process as used in a conventional integrated works and that from steel recycled through electric arc routes. The work will evolve to consider the high temperature properties of the slag and how to increase the foaming characteristic during solidification to maximise strength and minimise weight. This can be done on small static casts and then a model continuous casting process will be designed to emulate that produced for strip casting to enable a 30-50mm board product to be produced continuously from input molten slag in a very similar process to that used for metal casting.
This has potential to be an idea deployed in all steel plants and indeed in other areas (such as glass) where inorganic slag like materials are produced. Since the product is high in value addition, and is being made from something that would normally be landfilled it has incredible importance economically and from an environmental perspective as it is made from direct feed of molten slag (with no remelting) its carbon footprint is superior. We would also project that this could transformative in building insulation since as a structural fireproof building element it has huge advantages over both timber and polymeric based products.
THE NOVEL ENGINEERING THAT PLACES IT WITHIN EPSRC REMIT:
This is a unique advanced materials project which will combine chemical sciences, physics and materials engineering to deliver a new class of construction insulation which is completely resistant to fire and environmental degradation.
Steelmaking produces large megaton quantities of slag, which due to its high soluble calcium content cannot easily be used as an aggregate material as it swells. The slag as-formed contains considerable quantities of entrapped gases and hence upon solidification has quite an open structure. Steel slags form the basis of rockwool insulation which is used widely in buildings as it is an excellent insulator, is stable chemically and totally fire resistant. Recent high-profile building fires have thrown the light on certain polymeric cored metal products and there is a need for alternate non-combustible insulation.
KEY OBJECTIVES AND AIMS OF THE RESEARCH:
This project will seek to explore how molten slag can be used direct from the steel plant and cast into a board product. Our intention is to produce a structurally rigid insulation board that could be used as a stand-alone material or in composite steel panels.
The aim will be to gain a full understanding of the chemical properties of various steel slags from both the BOS process as used in a conventional integrated works and that from steel recycled through electric arc routes. The work will evolve to consider the high temperature properties of the slag and how to increase the foaming characteristic during solidification to maximise strength and minimise weight. This can be done on small static casts and then a model continuous casting process will be designed to emulate that produced for strip casting to enable a 30-50mm board product to be produced continuously from input molten slag in a very similar process to that used for metal casting.
This has potential to be an idea deployed in all steel plants and indeed in other areas (such as glass) where inorganic slag like materials are produced. Since the product is high in value addition, and is being made from something that would normally be landfilled it has incredible importance economically and from an environmental perspective as it is made from direct feed of molten slag (with no remelting) its carbon footprint is superior. We would also project that this could transformative in building insulation since as a structural fireproof building element it has huge advantages over both timber and polymeric based products.
THE NOVEL ENGINEERING THAT PLACES IT WITHIN EPSRC REMIT:
This is a unique advanced materials project which will combine chemical sciences, physics and materials engineering to deliver a new class of construction insulation which is completely resistant to fire and environmental degradation.
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/T517987/1 | 01/10/2020 | 30/09/2025 | |||
| 2601049 | Studentship | EP/T517987/1 | 01/10/2021 | 30/09/2025 | Zachary Lowther |