Low carbon Aluminium Heat Exchanger Products

Aluminium in automotive applications contributes to lightweighting transportation and reducing carbon emissions in the use phase. When the entire life cycle of passenger vehicles is considered, i.e. taking into account both the production and use-phase in the overall balance, the relevance of the production phase of the car becomes obvious. Higher sustainability demands from the automotive sector on material production opens a market for sustainable materials with documented environmental conscious production and a low carbon footprint along the entire value chain. LowEx has focused on reducing the carbon footprint of DC-cast aluminum alloys for the automotive sector by at least 1 ton of CO2 per ton of aluminum produced and preparing the products for Environmental Product Certification (EPD). The project has explored the possibilities of incorporating post-consumer scrap (PCS) into the alloys without compromising processability and quality. Selected scrap types have been characterized and tested, and a modeling framework has been established to map changes in microstructure and castability when using PCS. The framework has been applied to assess the effect of using different quantities and types of scrap in the alloys. A sustainability calculator has been developed to quickly estimate the carbon footprint of the cast product based on available materials (primary and secondary) for charge planning. The project has demonstrated the possibility for reduction of the carbon footprint by at least 1 ton of CO2 per ton of aluminum for the automotive alloys studied by using low-carbon materials (aluminum and alloying elements) and PCS.

Otucomes of the project: -Increased competence on measures to achieve carbon footprint reduction in production of aluminium ingots including use of post-consumer scrap -Tools to evaluate the carbon footprint of products and processes -Strengthened collaboration across value chains, e.g. Al and Si production. -Strengthened collaboration between Research Institutes, industrial R&D and production units and demonstration of the benefits of interaction between these groups in development of new products and processes Impacts: -Ensuring development of Norwegian industrial production within an environmentally sustainable framework. -Sustainable development in society by carbon reduction in aluminium and silicon production as well as light-weighting of vehicles -Contributing to the transition to circular economy by use of post-consumer scrap in wrought aluminium alloys

Aluminium in automotive applications contributes to light-weighting transportation and reducing carbon emissions in the user phase. Due to the global push for sustainable development and the transformation into a more circular and resource efficient economy, the sustainability of materials in the production phase has come into focus as well. When the entire life cycle of passenger vehicles is considered, i.e. taking into account both the production and use-phase in the overall balance, the relevance of the production phase of the car becomes obvious. Higher sustainability demands from the automotive sector on material production opens a market for sustainable materials with documented environmental conscious production and a low carbon footprint along the entire value chain. This project focuses on the production phase of heat-exchanger materials for the automotive sector with an overall aim to develop low-carbon footprint sheet ingot materials, aligned with Hydros certified product classes for low-CO2 emissions, Reduxa and Circal. The goal is to reduce CO2 emissions from current levels by at least 1 ton per ton aluminium produced. Processes and products developed shall be ready for environmental product declaration (EPD) and fulfil the quality demands on heat-exchanger materials. This will be done through selection of documented sustainable raw materials (Al, Si and alloying materials) produced with clean and sustainable energy sources and low emissions, increasing the content of recycled materials, alloy design that enable down-gauging of metal sheets with higher recycled content and process improvements that increase yield.