UniversityofAdelaide 1

Integrating Concentrating Solar Thermal Energy into the Bayer Alumina Process

Bassam Dally, Woei Saw, Gus Nathan, Keith Lovegrove, Roman Bader, Andrew Beath, Alicia Bayon, Ahmed Naufal Philip van Eyk, Robbie McNaughton, Ross

Haywood, Ray Chatfield

• TheproductionofcalcinedaluminainAustraliausingtheBayerrefiningprocess:• Generates revenueworth$5.3billion/pa• Consumes 160PJ/pa ofnaturalgas• Responsiblefor ~40% ofAustralia’sCO2 emissionsfrommineralsprocessing.

• IntegratingConcentratedSolarThermalenergyintotheBayerrefiningprocesshasthepotentialto:• Providesavingonfuelcost• ReduceCO2emission• Provideaccesstonewmarketsoflow-carbonhighvalueproducts

Background

Objectives• Developthreeclassesofhybridtechnologiesforlowandhightemperatureprocessestoenablea29%-45%solarshare;• Advancethecommercialreadinessofthetechnologyplatforms,bothasretrofitandgreenfieldsites;• IdentifycombinationsoftechnologiesandapplicationstotheBayeraluminaprocesswithstrongcommercialpotentialanddevelopacommercialisationplanforimplementation.

ARENA Funded Bayer Project

Three Technologies for Carbon Reduction

SolarCalcinationat700-1000°C

Solarreformingofnaturalgas

SolarSteam/CHPat180/500°C

AluminaRefinery

UniversityofAdelaide 5

Solar Hybridised Bayer Process: Sub-programs

Process&Techno-economicModelling

• Identifyviabletechnologypaths• Comparewithalternativeoptions• BenchmarkreAlcoa/Hatch

models

Lowtempsteam/CHP• Developimplementation

proposalØ EvaluateintegrationØ Comparealloptions

SolarReforming• Developproposalforpilottesting

Ø AddressprocessintegrationØ Preferredstorageoptions

Calcination• Demonstrateatlab-scaleready

forfutureon-sundemonstrationØ Beam-up/Beam-downØ Direct/Indirect

Progresstodate– Program1• Techno-economicassessmentoflowtemperatureCSTtechnologiesintotheBayerprocess:• ProcessmodelsoflowtemperatureCSTtechnologiesintegratedintotheBayerprocess• ParabolicTroughandCentralTower

• PreliminarytechnicalspecificationforCSTplantandidentifytargetdesignpointsforoperation• Evaluatetheplausiblesitestoidentifyphysicalandoperationalconstraints• Obtainpriceestimatesfromvendors

Program 1 - Low Temperature CST Technologies into the Bayer Process

Parabolic Trough – Influence of Solar Multiple on Solar Share (CST) and NPV

Image sources: top right: K. Lovegrove; bottom right: http://www.solarpaces.org)

Central Tower– Influence of Solar Multiple on Solar Share (CST) and NPV

(Image sources: top right: Torresol Energy; bottom right: http://www.solarpaces.org)

• AfeasibilitystudyoflowtemperatureCSTtechnologies(Dec2019)• Assessrequiredlandareaandavailability;• Identifyconfigurationswithshortandmid- tolonger-termpotential;• Providequotationsanddetailedpricing.

Future work

Progresstodate– Program2• Preliminarytechno-economicassessmentofintegrationofsolarreformerintotheBayerprocess• ProcessmodelsofsolarreformingintegratedintotheBayerprocess• Developapreliminaryconceptdesigntoallowcostandperformanceestimation• Identifymostprospectiveopportunitiesforintegratingsyngas/thermalstorage

Program 2 - Integration of solar reformer into the Bayer process

Syngas composition, Energy and CO2 emission

EffectofsyngascompositionfromsolarreformedofnaturalgasonenergyconsumptionandCO2emission

18%

19%

20%

21%

22%

23%

24%

Syngas (H₂:CO = 1:1) Syngas (H₂:CO = 2:1) Syngas (H₂:CO = 3:1)

Pote

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• Detailedtechno-economicassessmentandFullfeasibilitystudyofintegrationofsolarreformerintotheBayerprocess(Dec2019);

Future work

Progresstodate– Program3• Firststageoftechno-economicassessmentofsolarcalcinationofalumina• 2configurations• IdentifyhighvalueopportunitiesforfuelsavingandCO2reduction

Program 3 - Solar calcination of alumina

Hybrid solar Calciner based on the patented

SolarExpandingVortexReceiver(SEVR)

Cyclone1

Cyclone2

HoldingVessel109

113 Cyclone3

Cyclone4

111

117

110

114

102

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Cyclone5119

122

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112

128

Duct1

Duct3108

Duct4

Duct5

Drier

AirPreheatFurnace

104

Duct2

105

107

Duct7121

Watercooler

123

MainFurnace

116

120

106

103

101

129

CST

Hydrate

Fuel

Air

Air

Alumina

Air

Coldwater

Hotwater

Duct6127

Configuration 1: Direct solar calcination of alumina

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5%

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25%

30%

1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0

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Solar Multiple

Pinjarra (WA) Gladstone (QLD) Learmonth (WA)

UniversityofAdelaide 16

Configuration 1: Direct solar calcination of alumina

Calcination temperature at 950°C

University of Adelaide 17

0%

10%

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30%

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60%

1.5 2 2.5 3 4

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Solar Multiple

Pinjarra Gladstone Learmonth

Hot air at 1000°C

Configuration 2: Direct solar irradiation of particles to generate hot air for the calcination process

• Completedevelopmentofhightemperaturesolar-airheater(Dec2020);• Adetailedtechno-economicassessmentofthepreferredhybridcalciner configurationintegratedwith/withoutthesolarreformingtechnology(June2021);

Future Work

• Futureinformationcanbefoundinthelinkbelow:• https://www.adelaide.edu.au/cet/solar-alumina/

HiTeMP Forum

HiTeMP Forum, 17 September - 19 September 2018Zero Carbon High Temperature Mineral Processing• Whatisthepathtoreducingcarbonemissions inmineralprocessing lookslike?• Whataretheopportunities tocauseastep-changeincarbonreduction forheavyindustry?• Whattargetsareachievableinthetimeframeof2030to2050inthisfield?• Whatroledogovernment, researchersandindustryplayinthepathwaytodecarbonising

heavyindustry?https://www.adelaide.edu.au/hitemp/

Please come and visit our booth if you like more information about these technologies and to pick up a HiTeMP forum flier