3.8 million euros for a project with UBT participation

Funded with over 3.83 million euros and running for three years, the project aims to reduce gas consumption and therefore CO2 emissions in ceramic production by up to 60 percent. To achieve this goal, Rauschert is working with the University of Bayreuth to research a CO2-neutral and natural gas-independent sintering technology for technical ceramics using renewable energy.

From left: 1) Reinhard Lenk (Rauschert), Prof. Günter Motz and Vice President Nina Nestler (both UBT) with Economics Minister Robert Habeck. 2) Robert Habeck and Nina Nestler look at ceramic prototypes. 3) Nina Nestler and Günter Motz, in the middle Dipl.-Ing. Georg Puchas, research assistant & doctoral student at the Chair of Ceramic Materials. (c) Anja-Maria Meister /UBT

Dr. Robert Habeck praised the project work during his visit to Pressig: “In order to generate as much renewable energy as possible ourselves and use it for industrial processes, it takes pioneering work, courage and investment to move forward. This is the only way to develop innovative and sustainable technologies that will drive the market forward and possibly become standard in a few years' time.”

The CONSINTEC project focuses on robust, electrically heated combustion chambers that can be controlled individually and flexibly in a multi-part system. The energy management adapts to both the specific sintering processes and the availability of regeneratively generated energy. During sintering, powdery materials are compacted and bonded together by heating them below their melting point.

In order to be able to convert the operation of the sintering plants completely to renewable energies, Rauschert is planning to expand existing photovoltaic systems and ensure power generation through battery storage. For the insulation in the high-temperature furnaces, the company is developing new types of lightweight refractory bricks that can withstand temperatures of up to 1750°C and are chemically stable. These lightweight refractory bricks made of calcium zirconate are being developed at the Department of Ceramic Materials at the University of Bayreuth, a long-standing partner in the field of materials research.

In addition, the optimization of post-combustion and the targeted investigation of debinding processes can significantly reduce gas consumption and thus CO2 emissions during exhaust gas purification “Debinding” in ceramics refers to the process of removing organic binders that were used during shaping. During the debinding step, these binders are dissolved out of the component by heating or chemical processes or burned off.

If successful, the new technology will be available as a research and development demonstration plant at the Heinersdorf-Pressig site and will be implemented at other Rauschert sites in the long term. An introduction at other European production sites is also planned. The results will also serve as a model for the entire industry.