Project objective

The main objective of this project is to demonstrate, at technology readiness level 6 – 7, the possibility of producing new construction materials with improved performance properties using high percentages of waste clays from the Mines of Maritsa-Iztok EAD, with the addition of other waste raw materials such as ashes from thermal power plants, waste glass crumbs and/or glass wool and water glass obtained from various waste raw materials.

This is a prerequisite for modifying existing technologies for the production of ceramic and geopolymer materials and/or creating new ones, which will allow the use of large quantities in multi-ton production.

Another important objective of the Project is to support local communities through investments in energy efficiency, support for jobs, training and retraining of people in the renewable energy production sectors, as well as other activities involving SMEs and projects in the field of research and innovation. An important part of these will be aimed at supporting the change of use of parts of the coal mining areas, attracting new investments and providing opportunities for retraining and entrepreneurship for the workers affected. To achieve this, it is important to accelerate the deployment of new products and practices and enable technology transfer from research projects to support the transition to a circular economy and provide alternative pathways for employees, management, and partners.

The project starts at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 – Technology validated in a lab and, by the end of its implementation, should reach TRL 7 – System prototype demonstration in an operational environment (Fig. 3).

 

Project implementation is organized into Work Packages (WPs). The project work plan consists of 7 Work Packages:

Work Packages Name of the leading partner (responsible for the implementation)
1 Characterisation and sampling of raw materials (MMI with the subcontractor IMC)
2 Process optimisation and material synthesis (start TRL 4) (UNIMORE)
3 Demonstration and (scale up) pilot plant experiments (end TRL 7) (MMI with the subcontractor IPC)
4 Civil works, design and construction of new pilot facilities, purchase of new equipment (MMI)
5 Work conditions, reskilling and upskilling (MMI)
6 Innovation, Dissemination, Exploitation, Communication, Outreach (MMI with the subcontractor IPC)
7 Project management and coordination (MMI)

Development activities will start in WP 1 and 2, starting from TRL 4.

Work Package 1 (WP 1): The project begins with sampling (different types of clays) and additives (ash from thermal power plants) by MMI and sending them to BAS and the Italian university UNIMORE for research. BAS and UNIMORE conduct analyses, research, etc., combining different types of clays with different types of additives to obtain ceramic materials and geopolymers. The work will be focused on improving the processes, characterizing the best formulations from a physical, chemical, and mechanical point of view to increase the TRL to 7.

Work Package 2 (WP 2): In order to optimize the synthesis of materials, the physical, thermal insulation, sound insulation, and other properties of the obtained materials will be investigated. At the laboratory level, several suitable compositions and modes for their production must be selected and optimized. The samples obtained will be further investigated to refine the composition-structure relationships, heat treatment mode – degree of sintering or foaming, and others, in order to select those with the best performance and most suitable for use in construction. The size of the samples will be increased in order to produce materials ready for WP 3.

Work package 3 (WP 3): Next, work will focus on the materials with the best performance – scaling up their production to demonstrate their suitability in construction, and to see how competitive their production can be. In the final pilot tests of TRL 6 and 7 for the ceramic materials, it is planned to use a modular pilot tunnel furnace already built at BAS, which allows easy change of firing temperatures and times during operation. This is an important prerequisite for conducting successful pilot experiments, which cannot be carried out in industrial conditions. On the other hand, it will be proven that the compositions and regimes specified at the pilot level are subsequently applicable in real industrial conditions. For the implementation of pilot experiments with geopolymer materials, a site for obtaining geopolymer materials, as well as for the production of water glass from suitable local waste raw materials, is planned to be built on the territory of “Mini Maritsa Iztok” EAD (MMI).

Work package 4 (WP 4): For the purposes of Work Packages 2 and 3, pilot facilities will be built on the territory of MMI and the relevant equipment will be purchased. The ceramic materials will be fired in a furnace available at BAS, and the geopolymers will be produced and dried in the pilot plant, which will be built on the territory of MMI.

The laboratory tests of the received samples will be carried out by the operational and research staff on the territory of  BAS in Sofia, as well as on the future site for the implementation of the project on the territory of “Maritsa Iztok” complex, including a newly built laboratory for researching the physical-mechanical properties of new materials, a pilot plant for the production of water glass as an additive for the synthesis of geopolymers and new foam materials, and a building of a drying/wet room for aging of molded geopolymer products. On the dedicated site in the deposit, a clay calcination plant will be built using the flash method, and furnaces (incl. microwave) for clay activation.

WP4 will focus on the construction, operation and development of pilot plants of appropriate scale and using appropriate components, to verify the practical applicability of laboratory results from WP 1 and 2 in WP 3. This will provide additional technical and economic data that are crucial for transition to an industrial stage and establishing an independent company after the project is completed in the PRIMI+ period.

Work package 5 (WP 5): It is planned to conduct retraining for part of MMI staff, so that they can be redirected to work in the pilot facilities.

Work package 6 (WP 6): During the Project implementation, promotion of the Project is planned, and in its later stages (after the second year of implementation) – dissemination of its results. For this purpose, participation with reports and presentations is planned at a number of scientific conferences in Bulgaria and abroad, media publications, specialized publications, etc.

Work package 7 (WP 7): The management and coordination of the Project takes place throughout the period of its implementation and will be the responsibility of „Mini Maritsa Iztok“ EAD as a coordinator.