Technology for a better society Presentation given by E. Skybakmoen MIT – Titanium Work shop March 2007

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Outline „ Presentation of SINTEF „ SINTEF Group „ Division: SINTEF Materials and Chemistry „ Department: Energy Conversion and Materials

„ Present research activities (general basis)

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The Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research at the Norwegian Institute of Technology The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

Campus A Technological Cluster with Education, Basic and Applied Research

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Located in Trondheim (1300) and Oslo (450).

Tromsø

One of the largest independent research institutes in Europe.

Trondheim

Bergen

Oslo

Stavanger

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OUR

Partners „ The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU - 20000 full-time students - 973 scientific personnel

„ University of Oslo, UiO, Faculty of mathematics and natural sciences - 4500 full-time students - 518 scientific personnel

NTNU and the SINTEF Group Collaboration in R & D NTNU personnel working on SINTEF projects

SINTEF personnel teach at NTNU

Joint use of laboratories and instruments

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Educational background of research personnel employed by the Foundation

66,7% Master of Science

9,5% Cand. polit

11,3% Cand. scient

39% of the 1264 researchers in the SINTEF Group have a doctorate. Of this group, 22% are women and 78% are men. (2005-12-31)

12,5% Other

Cand. real. (M.Sc.)

3.1%

Bachelor of science

2.9%

Master of business

1.4%

Cand. psychol. (M.Sc.)

1.0%

Other

4.1%

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The SINTEF Group revenues The SINTEF Group turnover in 2005: NOK 1.8 billion (Appr. USD 280 million)

Research Council strategic programmes 3%

Research Council basic grants 3%

International contracts 15%

Industry 42%

Research Council project grants 14%

Public sector 16%

Other income 7%

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Projects in the SINTEF Group completed in 2005 Size of projects and proportion of turnover (5640 projects in total)

59%

30%

27% 17% 7%

Less than 50 000

8%

50 000 200 000

12%

14% 10%

16%

Proportion of projects Proportion of total turnover

200 000 500 000

500 000 1 000 000

Over 1 000 000

Project size in NOK

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The SINTEF Group SINTEF’s Council SINTEF’s Board

President Executive Vice Presidents

Corporate Staff

Research Divisions SINTEF Health Research

SINTEF Building and Infrastructure

SINTEF Technology and Society

SINTEF ICT

SINTEF Marine

SINTEF Petroleum and Energy

MARINTEK SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture

SINTEF Petroleum Research SINTEF Energy Research

SINTEF Materials and Chemistry

SINTEF Holding

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Materials and Chemistry From ideas to business opportunities

Materials and Chemistry

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Core areas of research „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „

Advanced Characterization and Analysis Biotechnology Chemical Engineering and Process Chemistry Energy Conversion Environmental Technology Flow Technology Functional Materials and Nanotechnology Materials Performance Materials Production and Recycling Modeling and Simulation Processing and Manufacturing Synthesis and Testing

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Economy – Employees (2005)

„ Turnover

372 MNOK (Appr. 58 MUSD) (2005-12-31)

„ 325 employees (2005-12-31)

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Organisation

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Energy Conversion and Materials Research Teams Research Director Rune Bredesen

Electrolysis (6) Research Manager Egil Skybakmoen

Inorganic Materials Chemistry (9) Research Manager Arne Petter Ratvik

Energy Conversion (5) Research Manager Ann-Mari Svensson

Functional Ceramics (13) Research Manager Henrik Ræder

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Energy Conversion and Materials „ Main Fields „ Electrolysis „ High temperature electrochemistry „ Aluminium electrolysis „ New processes SoG-Si, Ti and Fe „ Inorganic Materials Chemistry „ Refractories and ceramics „ Carbon materials science - electrodes „ Energy Technology „ Fuel cells, solar energy, hydrogen energy, etc „ Functional Ceramics „ Membranes, coatings, nano-technology, etc

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Electrolysis Research Topics „ Al electrolysis „ Fe electrolysis (EU-ULCOS) „ Si-electrolysis and Si refining (EU-Foxy) „ Ti- electrowinning

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Aluminium Electrolysis More than 25 years research cooperation with the Norwegian Aluminium industry has led to significant process improvements. Some projects/fields: Electrolyte Chemistry

Current Efficiency

Electrode Mechanisms

Cell Life Failure Mechanisms

Refractory Technology

Recirculation of Materials New Processes

Properties of Alumina

Non-oxide Ceramics HAL 250 Fluid Flow Modelling

Environmental; Internal and External 17

Modern Prebake Line - Sunndalsøra

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Fields of Research „ Traditionally only primary production of Al – a long and strong cooperation with the Norwegian Al industry and NTNU. Recruitment. Ph-D students. „ High temperature lab. – molten salts from 600 – 1600 °C. „ Electrochemical measuring methods (cyclic voltammetry etc…). Electrode „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „

reactions. Systematic mapping of electrolyte properties – fluoride melts, mainly. Analytical methods (LECO for oxide content in melts). Na-content in metal. Current efficiency (optimal cathode reaction). Measurements on industrial cells (CE, distance electrodes, anodic overvoltage, flow pattern electrolyte, metal, liquidus temperatures etc. Test methods – graphite cathode – anode – refractories. Modeling – heat balance, flow pattern (FLUENT) Voltage balance – save energy. Anode slots – gas evolution. Modeling. Development of sensors (oxide content in situ, AlF3-content in situ) Gas driven flows – gas bubble resistance. HF- formation – climate gases (CF4, C2F6)

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Current Projects, Al-related „ CarboMat (Ended 2006) „ RCN, Hydro Al, Elkem, Søral, Statoil and Ferro-alloy industry

„ ThermoTech (Degradation linings, modeling) „ RCN, Hydro Al, Elkem, Søral, Statoil and Ferro-alloy industry

„ Hydro Al „ Projects directly related to process optimization (confidential) „ Also projects partly financed by RCN (5 year program started

2006). Topic: Higher current densities.

„ Others „ For instance SGL-Carbon (graphite cathode materials)

„ Testing Refractories „ Suppliers world-wide (SiC-based sidelinings and bottom linings) „ Alilab (Al-industries refractories lab. at SINTEF)

RCN = Research Council of Norway 20

ULCOS Ultra Low CO2 Steelmaking

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48 organizations…and partners

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How can we do it?

Very critical deadline 1st pruning of technologies

Final choice of ULCOS process Launch Large-scale Pilot demonstration

Technology development – 5 years Phase 1

ULCOS – RFCS

SP1 -New Blast Furnace

SP10-New C-based Steel production

SP8-New Advanced C-lean &C-based Route to Steel

SP11-New adv. C-based Steel production. SP14ULCOSProcess

SP2-New Smelting Reduction SP12-New Nat Gas-based Steel Production

SP3-New NG Route to Steel

for Steel Production

SP4-Hydrogen steel production SP13-New Electricity-based Steel Production

SP5-Electrolysis steel production SP6-CO2 Capture & Storage for steelmaking SP7-Biomass-based Steel production

Phase 2

Phase 3

ULCOS – 6FP

SP9-Scenarios, sustainability, innovation, training & dissemination Project Management

ULCOS 23

Electrolysis of iron ore Working Group N°5

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Electrolysis of iron ore Step 1 – 0-18 months

Step 2 – 54 months

Step 3 – 60 months

27/06/2005 8:36

Affichage > En-tête et pied de page >

Pyroelectrolysis of iron ore in molten slags

Electrodeposition of iron in molten salts Large Laboratory Electrolysis Tests

Design of indutrial scale Electrolysis Cell

Electrowinning of iron in alkaline aqueous solution

Electroforming of iron strip in acid aqueous solution

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Processing the cathode deposit (3)

Drying fine-grained iron in rotating magnetic field

39.05 g scraped off deposit

Magnetic stirring

Beaker with fixed magnets on the outside

Adhering fine-grained iron

Final product: 4.46 g fine -grained iron 26

SILICON: Current SINTEF activities „ Si electrolysis from CaCl2-CaO-SiO2 at 850°C, further developments 2006: „ Test of glassy carbon as anode at high anodic current densities „ Test of silicon as cathode material

„ EU project FoXy, WP3: Electrochemical refinement of metallurgical feedstock

- Plans for 2007: Investigate K2SiF6 in FLINAK melts

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Si electrolysis in CaCl2-CaO-SiO2: After electrolysis

pr 1 SiO1 23-05-06 5000

4000

Start cathode Lin (Counts)

3000

6 cm 2000

Si deposited on a silicon cathode platinum as anode material 1000

0 5

10

20

30

40

50

60

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2-Theta - Scale sample 01 - File: si01-230506.RAW - Type: 2Th/Th locked - Start: 5.040 ° - End: 69.960 ° - Step: 0.040 ° - Step time: 1. Operations: Import 00-005-0586 (*) - Calcite, syn - CaCO3 - Y: 14.67 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Rhombo.H.axes - a 4.989 - b 4.98900 00-039-1425 (*) - Cristobalite, syn - SiO2 - Y: 4.17 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Tetragonal - a 4.9732 - b 4.97320 - c 6. 00-027-1402 (*) - Silicon, syn - Si - Y: 38.20 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Cubic - a 5.43088 - b 5.43088 - c 5.43088 - a 00-001-0962 (N) - Calcium Carbide - C2Ca - Y: 6.25 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 00-049-1672 (N) - Calcium Silicate - Ca2SiO4 - Y: 4.86 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Orthorhombic - a 5.0821 - b 11.22 00-029-0368 (I) - Calcium Silicate - Ca8Si5O18/Ca8(SiO4)2(Si3O10) - Y: 4.69 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Orthorhom

00-048-0708 (*) - Moissanite-8H, syn - SiC - Y: 3.47 % - d x by: 1. - WL: 1.5406 - Hexagonal - a 3.079 - b 3.07900 - c 2

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Conclusions, Si electrolysis from CaCl2 „ Glassy carbon anode is consumed, C is deposited at the cathode „ Still no inert anode „ It is possible to use Si as cathode material „ Other challenges: relatively low productivity, low Si(IV) solubility in the electrolyte

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EU Project FoXy, WP3: Electrochemical Refinement of Metallurgical Feedstock

2006-activity

Part I: Evaluation of best technology T~1500°C MxOy-SiO2-MxFy

T~800°C Na3AlF6/MexCly/K2SiF6

months 6

Best mid-T system identified

Best process route identified. Main selection criteria: Purity, energy consumption, productivity, handling of the product.

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2007-activity

Conclusion: Medium temperature molten salt process seems most viable

Part II: Optimization of the selected process

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- Plans for 2007: Investigate K2SiF6 in FLINAK melts ‰Elwell, Rao, Bouteillon and several others have reported high purity of silicon produced by electrolysis ‰Advantages of system: high solubility of K2SiF6, no oxides

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Titanium „ From autumn 2006, SINTEF have participated in a project supported by Norwegian Research Council of Norway and Norsk Titanium AS. „ De-oxidation process Ti in CaCl2-system „ Referring to presentation given by Kevin Dring, Norsk Titanium.

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Thanks for your attention ! Molten salt electrolysis is the future…or ?

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