Cradle to Gate LCA analysis for wrought aluminum recycling process from high impurity content alloys with the fractional crystallization technology

Kotaro Kawajiri; Michio Kobayashi; Yuichiro Murakami; Kotaro Kawajiri; Michio Kobayashi; Yuichiro Murakami

doi:10.3934/ctr.2025006

Clean Technologies and Recycling

2025, Volume 5, Issue 2: 112-126. doi: 10.3934/ctr.2025006

Previous Article Next Article

Research article

Cradle to Gate LCA analysis for wrought aluminum recycling process from high impurity content alloys with the fractional crystallization technology

1.
AIZOTH. Inc 2nd Floor, Daiwa Roynet Hotel Tsukuba Bldg, 1-5-7 Azuma, Tsukuba, IBARAKI 305-0031, Japan
2.
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Chubu center, Multi material research section, Light metal process group, 205, Sakurazaka 4 chome, Moriyama city, Aichi prefecture, 436-8560, Japan

Received: 12 February 2025 Revised: 16 June 2025 Accepted: 07 July 2025 Published: 31 July 2025

An increasing demand for wrought aluminum, such as in the automobile field, requires the recycling of scraped aluminum into low-impurity-content wrought aluminum in an environmentally friendly manner. In this paper, the feasibility of the fractional crystallization method coupled with electromagnetic stirring (EMS) technology to obtain wrought aluminum high-quality alloys from high-impurity-content aluminum was reviewed. Also, a Cradle-to-Gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to assess the greenhouse gas (GHG) effect of this technology. Results indicate that, through this technology, the Al-rich phase was successfully separated from the impurity-rich phase. In LCA, an upscaling method was employed to assess GHG emissions. The results show that GHG emissions reduced as production scale increased. Also, GHG emissions between the lab and the pilot scales at the same production scale were compared; those extrapolated from the lab scale were notably higher. In addition, GHG emissions in an improved scenario were analyzed. At a 1,000 kg production scale, GHG emissions were 0.36 kg CO₂ eq/kg, much lower than the GHG emissions of primary aluminum (9.93 kg CO₂ eq/kg). The analysis showed that the fractional crystallization method with EMS technology is a promising technology for upgrading recycling from high-impurity cast alloys into low-impurity-content wrought aluminum alloys with very low GHG emissions.
- Recycle,
- fractional crystallization,
- wrought aluminum,
- LCA,
- Greenhouse gas (GHG),
- Electromagnetic stirring
Citation: Kotaro Kawajiri, Michio Kobayashi, Yuichiro Murakami. Cradle to Gate LCA analysis for wrought aluminum recycling process from high impurity content alloys with the fractional crystallization technology[J]. Clean Technologies and Recycling, 2025, 5(2): 112-126. doi: 10.3934/ctr.2025006

Related Papers:

Abstract

An increasing demand for wrought aluminum, such as in the automobile field, requires the recycling of scraped aluminum into low-impurity-content wrought aluminum in an environmentally friendly manner. In this paper, the feasibility of the fractional crystallization method coupled with electromagnetic stirring (EMS) technology to obtain wrought aluminum high-quality alloys from high-impurity-content aluminum was reviewed. Also, a Cradle-to-Gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to assess the greenhouse gas (GHG) effect of this technology. Results indicate that, through this technology, the Al-rich phase was successfully separated from the impurity-rich phase. In LCA, an upscaling method was employed to assess GHG emissions. The results show that GHG emissions reduced as production scale increased. Also, GHG emissions between the lab and the pilot scales at the same production scale were compared; those extrapolated from the lab scale were notably higher. In addition, GHG emissions in an improved scenario were analyzed. At a 1,000 kg production scale, GHG emissions were 0.36 kg CO₂ eq/kg, much lower than the GHG emissions of primary aluminum (9.93 kg CO₂ eq/kg). The analysis showed that the fractional crystallization method with EMS technology is a promising technology for upgrading recycling from high-impurity cast alloys into low-impurity-content wrought aluminum alloys with very low GHG emissions.

References

[1]	Guilhem G, Nicholas P, Bertrand L (2016) Life Cycle Assessment of aluminum recycling process: Case Shredder Cables. Process CIRP 48: 212–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2016.03.097 doi: 10.1016/j.procir.2016.03.097
[2]	Paraskevas D, Kellens K, Dewulf W, et al. (2015) Environmental modeling of aluminum recycling: a Life Cycle Assessment tool for sustainable metal management. J Cleaner Product 105: 357–370. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.09.102 doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.09.102
[3]	Nakajima K, Takeda O, Miki T, et al. (2011) Thermodynamic analysis for the controllability of elements in the recycling process of metals. Environ Sci Technol 45: 4929–4936. https://doi.org/10.1021/es104231n doi: 10.1021/es104231n
[4]	Hatayama H, Daigo I, Matsuno Y, et al. (2012) Evolution of aluminum recycling initiated by the introduction of next-generation vehicles and scrap sorting technology. Resour Conserv Recycl 66: 8–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2012.06.006 doi: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2012.06.006
[5]	Kelly SM (2018) Recycling of passenger vehicles: A framework for upcycling and required enabling technologies. PhD Dissertation, April 2018. Worcestor Polytechnic Institute.
[6]	International Aluminum Institute (IAI) (2012) Global Aluminum Recycling: A Cornerstone of Sustainable Development. Available from: https://www.world-aluminum.org
[7]	IDEA_v2.1.3 database (2017) Advanced Industry Science and Technology.
[8]	AMETEK (2011) Aluminum Recycling -Add Vale by Analysis. Available from: https://spectro.jp/uploads/Aluminum_Recycling_Feb2011_web0.pdf
[9]	Modaresi R, Műller DB (2012) The role of automobiles for the future aluminum recycling. Environ Sci Technol 46: 8587–8594. https://doi.org/10.1021/es300648w doi: 10.1021/es300648w
[10]	Global Aluminum Recycling (2009) A cornerstone of sustainable development. http://www.worldaluminium.org/media/filer_public/2013/01/15/fl0000181.pdf
[11]	Kevorkijan V (2010) Advances in recycling of wrought aluminum alloys for added value maximisation. MJoM 16: 103–114. UDC: 669.14:621.791.037
[12]	Cullen JM, Allwood JM (2013) Mapping the global flow of aluminum: From liquid aluminum to end-user goods. Environ Sci Technol 47: 3057–3064. https://doi.org/10.1021/es304256s doi: 10.1021/es304256s
[13]	Martinsen K, Gulbrandsen-Dahl S (2015) Use of post-consumer scrap in aluminum wrought alloy structural components for the transportation sector. Procedia CIRP 29: 686–691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2015.02.072 doi: 10.1016/j.procir.2015.02.072
[14]	McQueen HJ, Spigarelli SS, Kassner ME, et al. (2011) Hot Deformation and Processing of Aluminum Alloys, 1st ed., CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/b11227
[15]	Das SK (2006) Material Science Forum, 519–512: 1239.
[16]	Kondo M, Maeda H, Mizuguchi M (1990) The production of high-purity aluminum in Japan. JOM 42: 36–37. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03220434 doi: 10.1007/BF03220434
[17]	Mehmetaj B, Bruinsma O, Kool W, et al. (2002) Aluminum scrap recycling with solid layer fractional crystallization. In 15th International Symposium on Industrial Crystallization (ISIC-15), Sorrento, Italy, September 15–18.
[18]	Peel A, Herbert J (2011) Technology for electromagnetic stirring of aluminum reverberatory furnaces. Light Metals 2011: 1193–1198.
[19]	El-Kaddar N, Ashish PD, Natarajan TT (1995) The electromagnetic filtration of molten aluminum using an induced-current separator. JOM 47: 46–49. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF0321176 doi: 10.1007/BF0321176
[20]	Park PJ, Tanaka Y, Sassa K, et al. (1994) International Symposium On Electromagnetic Processing of Materials, Nagoya, ISIJ, 497.
[21]	Zou Q, Tian H, Zhang Z, et al. (2020) Controlling segregation behavior of primary Si in hypereutectic Al-Si alloy by electromagnetic stirring. Metals 10: 1129. https://doi.org/10.3390/met10091129 doi: 10.3390/met10091129
[22]	Kawajiri K, Goto T, Kon Y, et al. (2020) Development of life cycle assessment of an emerging technology at research and development stage: A case study on single-wall carbon nanotube produced by super growth method. J Clean Prod 255: 120015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120015 doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120015
[23]	Weyand S, Kawajiri K, Mortan C, et al. (2023) Scheme for generating upscaling scenarios of emerging functional materials based energy technologies in prospective LCA (UpFunMatLCA). J Indust Ecol 27: 676–692. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13394 doi: 10.1111/jiec.13394
[24]	Kawajiri K, Sakamoto K (2022) Environmental impact of carbon fibers fabricated by an innovative manufacturing process on life cycle greenhouse gas emissions. Sustain Mater Technol 31: e00365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2021.e00365 doi: 10.1016/j.susmat.2021.e00365
[25]	Kawajiri K, Kishita Y, Shinohara Y (2021) Life cycle assessment of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) in an automobile application. Sustainability 13: 13630. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413630 doi: 10.3390/su132413630
[26]	Lee GC, Kim MG, Park JP, et al. (2010) Iron removal in aluminum melts containing scrap by electromagnetic stirring. Mater Sci Forum 638–642: 267–272. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.638-642.267 doi: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.638-642.267
[27]	Murakami Y, Omura N (2021) Reduction of Impurity Elements by Applying Electromagnetic Stirring in Fractional Crystallization. In Perander L eds, Light Metals 2021, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series, Springer, Cham, 818–821. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65396-5_107
[28]	Kawajiri K, Inoue T (2016) Cradle-to-gate greenhouse gas impact of nanoscale thin-film solid oxide fuel cells considering scale effect. J Clean Prod 112: 4065–4070. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clepro.2015.05.138 doi: 10.1016/j.clepro.2015.05.138

Reader Comments

Your name:*

Email:*
© 2025 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)