Dr Michal Drewniok Archives

Potential for energy savings and carbon dioxide emissions reduction in the cement industry

Potential for energy savings and carbon dioxide emissions reduction in the cement industry

TransFIRe researchers have undertaken a literature review to compare cement production practices, in terms of energy consumption and CO2 emissions, in order to identify approaches that are the least energy and emissions intensive. Cement production accounts for 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions, 3 to 4% of green-house gas emissions, and 7% of global industrial energy use. Demand for cement is also continuously increasing due to the rising worldwide population and urbanisation trends, as well as infrastructure development needs, with a further global increase of 12- 23% from its current level expected by 2050. Following the net-zero carbon 2050 agenda, both energy and emissions must be significantly reduced and, in order to do so, it is essential to understand the manufacturing processes involved and the accompanying energy utilisation and CO2 emissions. The literature review considers both the different types of cement production routes and the different production stages involved, [...]

Joanna Johnson2023-12-11T15:25:15+00:00December 11th, 2023|

TransFIRe at the TFI Network+ Conference

TransFIRe at the TFI Network+ Conference

TransFIRe made an appearance at the excellent Transforming Foundation Industries Network+ Conference in Sheffield this week. It was great to get together with other members of the TFI community and hear about the different Network+ funded projects! As part of the event, TransFIRe researchers, James Railton, PhD, Natanael Bolson and Ahmed Khalil, generated a lot of attention with their posters on “Polymers in the Foundation Industries”, “Resource Flows in UK Steel Production” and “Exploring New Horizons for Waste Recycling in Foundation Industries with ThermoRecycliSt’s Universal Guidance Approach”. Dr Michal Drewniok also gave a presentation on "Element-based mapping to identify industrial symbiosis opportunities in the UK cement, steel, glass and ceramics sectors". A great event and a number of contacts made – thanks Transforming Foundation Industries Network+! You can read a short write up of the conference here and see some of the presentations (including Michal's) here .

Joanna Johnson2023-12-08T14:26:39+00:00December 8th, 2023|

Our shared understanding: a circular economy in the built environment

Our shared understanding: a circular economy in the built environment

We need to transition to a circular economy if we are to solve our global systemic challenges: climate change mitigation and adaption, biodiversity loss and social equity. We won’t hit our net zero targets if we don’t. TransFIRe researchers from the University of Leeds recently contributed to “Our Shared Understanding”, a report put together by a panel of world-leading experts to explore the core concepts that inform the transition to a circular economy. By holding these principles in common we can align policies, strategies and initiatives, enabling the built environment industries to work together across the globe to work together towards a common goal, with coordinated action. This report was launched at the World Circular Economy Forum 2023 and is aimed at policymakers, business leaders and future leaders in the built environment – both circular economy experts and non-experts. The launch event can be watched here. The call to [...]

Joanna Johnson2023-07-24T15:33:13+00:00July 24th, 2023|

The efficient use of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) in reducing global emissions

The efficient use of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) in reducing global emissions

A draft copy of a cross industry paper, which included contributions from TranFIRe researcher Michal Drewniok, has reported the current and future levels of availability of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) in concrete and has concluded that GGBS is a highly utilised and constrained material. As such, it was noted that any local increase in the amount of clinker substituted with imported GGBS is unlikely to decrease global emissions. GGBS is a co-product of the iron and steel industry obtained by water-cooling and grinding blast furnace slag. It is used as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in concrete due to its cementitious properties, which enhance the long-term strength and durability. The technical benefits of including GGBS in concrete are now well understood and documented, but in recent years GGBS has also been a subject of discussion among concrete producers for its ability to partially replace Portland cement clinker [...]

Joanna Johnson2023-07-24T13:23:51+00:00July 24th, 2023|

What to do about plastics? Lessons from a study of UK plastics flows

What to do about plastics? Lessons from a study of UK plastics flows

A new study of UK plastics flows co-authored by TransFIRe researchers Michał Drewniok and Jonathan Cullen shows that 1/3 of related green house gas (GHG) emissions could be reduced by increasing recycling capacity and reducing demand. Plastics are pervasive. We use them every day in our phones, laptops, clothes, and cars. Plastics have also been found in the most unlikely places, from the human bloodstream to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Public concern about the use and disposal of plastic has soared in recent years, catalysed by David Attenborough’s documentary pleas and enduring images of seahorses grasping Q-tips circulating on social media. But alongside issues of marine and terrestrial pollution sits the less visible contribution of plastics to climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions are released when heat is generated for the chemical reactions required to manufacture plastics, and from those reactions themselves. Emissions also result from the management of waste [...]

Joanna Johnson2023-07-18T13:15:10+00:00July 18th, 2023|

Mapping material use and embodied carbon in UK construction

Mapping material use and embodied carbon in UK construction

TransFIRe researchers have co-authored a paper in which they quantified and benchmarked the material use and embodied carbon to the deliver the 'core and shell' of typical residential and non-residential buildings. In this paper embodied carbon emissions, equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), are released during the production of materials and construction processes rather than when it is in use. They are an essential measurement to deliver carbon neutral buildings. With the government’s 2050 net-zero deadline approaching and the pressure to decarbonise increasing, it is vital that ways of minimising levels of embodied carbon are tackled. The detailed bottom-up approach taken by the researchers showed that, compared to the top-down analysis, the embodied carbon emissions were underestimated by up to 20%. Combining their detailed bottom-up model with top-down analysis and other material consumption data, the researchers found that in 2018 (the year in which the most recent available high-level [...]

Joanna Johnson2023-07-18T11:00:51+00:00July 18th, 2023|

Investigating alternative uses for Spent Foundry Sand

Investigating alternative uses for Spent Foundry Sand

After an extensive literature review by TransFIRe researchers, a number of potential applications for re-using huge quantities of Spent Foundry Sand (SFS) have been identified. As part of Work Stream 2 of the TransFIRe project, which focusses on creating new materials and process opportunities for the foundation industries, TransFIRe researchers have been undertaking a case study focussing on potential uses of Spent Foundry Sand (SFS), a waste product of UK metals foundries leftover after the production of sand moulds or cores for casting of metals. A literature review, carried out with input from the Cast Metals Federation, John Winter Ltd and Wm Lee Ltd, was undertaken to identify potential opportunities for re-using SFS and several applications were identified within ceramics, glass, cement, fillers in concrete and asphalt; and several others. Although SFS can be successfully recycled and used numerous times, the sand grains eventually degrade and their ability to [...]

Joanna Johnson2023-05-15T08:44:48+00:00May 15th, 2023|