Hydro recycles “world’s first” hydrogen fueled aluminum, pioneering carbon-free testing

20 Jun 2023 --- Hydro has replaced natural gas with carbon-free green hydrogen as a fuel for aluminum recycling. The recycling test in Navarra, Spain, is the “world’s first” successful-industrial scale test of using hydrogen as an energy source in aluminum production.

Hydrogen has previously been used in lab-scale tests. The aluminum produced in the test will be used in Hydro Extrusions’ Navarra facility to make the “world’s first” extruded profiles using hydrogen. 

“Green hydrogen is key for decarbonization of heavy industry, and one of the most promising solutions to tackle hard-to-abate emissions from high heat processes in industries like aluminum, glass, cement and steel. Early preparations for this fuel switch will be a competitive advantage in the net zero markets we will have in the future,” Per Christian Eriksen, head of Hydro Havrand, tells Packaging Insights.

Testing for carbon-free material
The test was led by hydrogen experts from Hydro Havrand, Hydro’s green hydrogen company, in partnership with Fives, an industrial engineering group with expertise in hydrogen burner technology and solutions for the aluminum industry. 

Hydro wants to produce carbon-free aluminum from recycling post-consumer scrap.Fives has contributed design, and the supply of key components and controls needed to operate safely and effectively, explains Hydro. 

The test investigates how fuel differences affect the aluminum melting process and the aluminum quality. The results from this test can also be relevant for using hydrogen in primary aluminum casthouses and in other high-temperature processes, like glass or cement.

Setting incentives 
The test provides new insights on fuel switching from natural gas to hydrogen and its effects on metal quality. Hydrogen behaves differently and burns at a different temperature than natural gas. 

“We believe we will be able to bring the fuel switch solutions to full maturity within the next two years. Green hydrogen can be available for industrial decarbonization within that timeframe, especially if the US and EU continue to kickstart the market through incentives in the IRA and the Hydrogen Bank,” asserts Eriksen.

“For green hydrogen to be available on a large scale, there needs to be incentives for decarbonization on the offtaker side and access to cost competitive renewable power for the green hydrogen producers – and thus increased deployment of renewables. The cost of green hydrogen is projected to fall heavily by the end of this decade, which will make it more accessible.”The test investigates how fuel differences affect the aluminum melting process and the aluminum quality.

Maintaining quality
When introducing green hydrogen that usually runs on natural gas, melting furnaces need to be adjusted and retrofitted, explains Eriksen. 

“Hydrogen behaves differently from natural gas, it is lighter, has a different energy content and burns at higher temperatures than natural gas. When melting metal we pursue to have uniform heat distribution and avoid hotspots in the furnace.”

A key challenge has been to confirm that the metal quality is not affected by hydrogen and that we can use all sorts of scrap, he says. “Now we proved that this is possible to achieve with the Navarra tests.”

Furthermore, ensuring that hydrogen is introduced and managed safely is crucial for the company. New or upgraded burners, new piping and valves, control systems, safety functions and auxiliary systems are required.

“With the test in Navarra, we have proven that porosity and breakages can be avoided and are very happy to see that we can recycle aluminum with very high quality using hydrogen,” concludes Eriksen. 

By Natalie Schwertheim