Innovative and efficient solution, based on modular, versatile, smart process units for energy and resource flexibility in highly energy intensive processes (CIRMET)

The project aims to design, develop and validate an innovative solution, the CIRMET solution, to provide energy and resource flexibility to Energy Intensive Industries (EIIs) The CIRMET solution will be validated in an operational environment (TRL7) in an existing process plant (nonferrous sector) while the replicability of the solution will be assessed in three additional energy intensive sectors (steel, cement and water sector). For this purpose, three new demonstrators will be build up, plus the retrofitting of existing industry process unit. The new demonstrators or modules will be: EFFIMELT furnace, a new concept of flexible and modular process unit for industrial wastes treatment, RECUWASTE heat recovery unit, for flue gas heat recovery and transformation into compressed air to re-used in the same plant, having also the possibility of storing the excess energy and AFF40 (Analytic For Factory 4.0) platform, to improve process plant competitiveness, to increase energy and resource efficiency by controlling and optimizing process units. The retrofitting of an existing process unit (Metallo S.L process furnace) will be done to implement and validate the complete CIRMET solution. A well-balanced consortium formed by academia, research organization, SMEs and energy intensive industries ensures the whole value chain needed to achieve project objectives and paves the way for future exploitation of the solution. The effective dissemination of project outcomes to the current and next generation of citizen and employees through the development of learning resources with flexible usage to be carried out by education/training experts within the consortium is eventually also an important objective of the consortium.