INDUSTRIAL CONTEXT:
ArcelorMittal is a world leader in the field of steel. Among the many applications of flat steel, sandwich panels occupy a significant share of the construction market. The sandwich panels are composed of 2 steel facings that surround a PIR (polyurethane) type insulating foam. They are used in warehouses, industrial buildings with cladding and roofing. The PIR foam provides thermal insulation to the panel while the facings provide the mechanical properties. The sandwich panel is a complex and technological product. ArcelorMittal’s developments in the field of sandwich panels are carried out by the Advanced Coatings and Construction Solutions research laboratory, CRM group. The CRM Group has about 260 people and a fleet of very high quality experimental, pilot and analytical equipment. (https://crmgroup.be/en/).
A large amount of waste (foam + steel) is emitted during the production of sandwich panels or during the demolition of buildings at the end of their life. Currently, foam waste is either buried or used as fuel to produce energy. From an environmental point of view, these two methods of treating this waste are no longer acceptable.
OBJECTIVE(S):
The objective of this internship is to develop and then refine chemical recycling process in order to obtain a raw material that can be reused in the initial formulation of the foam, while maintaining the performance of the final product (mechanics and thermal insulation).
This internship will take place as part of the launch of the chemical recycling laboratory and the development of these skills. A part of the work has been done but there are still many trials, methodologies and optimisations needs to be developed.
The work will begin with the grinding of the foam. Then, an in-depth study of the chemical recycling of foam powder will be carried out. The recycled material will be characterized and then reused in the formulation of the foam. Finally, the properties of the foam will be characterized.
This course will be divided into several parts
– a training part on the formulation and techniques of the laboratory
– a bibliographic section on chemical recycling, analysis methodologies and foam formulation
– part of laboratory tests to formulate and test the solutions (additive content, nature of catalysts, test conditions, etc.)
– testing the recipe in the pilot scale reactor
– the drafting of a technical report.
PRACTICAL ASPECTS
Duration: 5 to 7 months
Education: Master’s degree or engineering school in formulation, materials, chemistry or process engineering
The candidate displays a good level of English
Student based at CRM Group – AC&CS on the university campus of Sart-Tilman-Liège-Belgium
