Técnicas Reunidas contributes to the decarbonization of the ceramics industry through research into green hydrogen

Técnicas Reunidas is leading the H2togreenceramics project: applied research for the production of alkaline electrolyzers to support the decarbonization of the ceramic cluster in the Valencian Community through the use of green hydrogen.

The project involves two technological centers from the Valencian Community: the Ceramic Technology Institute (ITC, Castellón) and AIJU (Alicante), the company Proying XXI Ingeniería, which specializes in the manufacture of frit kilns and burners, and Coloresmalt, the end-user company that produces frits. All of them working together “close the value chain of the project, from the production of renewable hydrogen through electrolysis to its use in an industrial application,” as explained by Técnicas Reunidas.

This research is partially funded by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism of the Valencian Community within the framework of the Aid Program to promote strategic industrial projects in the region.

With a budget of €2,135,203.99, of which the Generalitat Valenciana contributes €854,081.60, the project has great potential to achieve an efficient and sustainable solution that increases energy autonomy within the ceramic cluster.

Currently, the project has completed its first phase, with the development and integration of a 50 kW alkaline electrolyzer at the ITC’s Hypocarbonic Plant located in Almassora (Castellón). The electrolyzer has been installed in the combustion chamber.

Following the successful integration of the electrolyzer into ITC’s pilot plant, the hydrogen it generates has been directed to the burner, where experimental tests have been conducted to study the continuous operation of the electrolyzer-burner-combustion chamber system, and to analyze the technical feasibility of partially or fully replacing natural gas with hydrogen as fuel in ceramic tile firing.

In a second phase, an advanced electrolyzer ranging from 250 kW to 500 kW will be integrated into a ceramic frit manufacturing company (Coloresmalt), to validate the technology in an industrial environment.

In this case, a pre-industrial scale study will be carried out, integrating the hydrogen generated by the electrolyzer into the company’s natural gas distribution network. The natural gas and hydrogen mixture could reach up to 20% by volume. Additionally, all necessary adjustments and adaptations will be made to safely operate an existing oxy-fuel kiln, which will also use the oxygen generated by the electrolyzer. Experimental tests will then be conducted to melt frits.