Axion is undertaking further research into increasing recycled aluminium content in new vehicles as part of a £2 million project headed by Jaguar Land-Rover.
The research undertaken by the Manchester-based resource recovery company will focus on techniques for sorting and separating specialist alloys from aluminium derived from end-of-life vehicles.
REALITY is an extension of a 2008 project by Jaguar Land-Rover.
Axion say its research will also focus on proving the technical and economic viability of separation techniques for non-ferrous metals from the scrap aluminium, and for separating the different aluminium alloys from each other.
Richard McKinlay, head of circular economy at Axion, explained that the project will “refine the process of turning aluminium from ‘end-of-life’ cars into new vehicles”.
He added: “It will continue to deliver significant sustainability benefits, with aluminium recycling requiring up to 95% less energy than primary aluminium production.”
REALITY
Recycled Aluminium Through Innovative Technology (REALITY) is an extension of a 2008 project by Jaguar Land-Rover to create a closed-loop process for post-industrial aluminium scrap from its vehicle manufacturing.
Jaguar Land Rover say the original project and subsequent work with suppliers enabled the company to reclaim more than 75,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap and re-use it in the aluminium production process in 2016/17. The three-year REALITY project aims to build on that figure.
The project will consider sorting technologies and evaluate the next generation aluminium alloys for greater recyclability. Axion’s team will work on developing the sorting technologies for recovery of high-grade recycled aluminium.
Axion
Axion will evaluate sensor-based sorting technologies alongside collaboration with Novelis, Norton Aluminium, Warwick Manufacturing Group, Brunel University and Innoval Technology.
Mr McKinlay added: “Extracted aluminium alloys will also be extensively tested to assess their suitability for reuse in new vehicles. If we can extract the right alloys and reuse them in the right components, then we will have created a closed-loop value chain for automotive aluminium.”
The post Axion studies higher aluminium content for new cars appeared first on letsrecycle.com.
Source: letsrecycle.com Metal
