In Helsingborg, Sweden, aluminium fluoride producer Alufluor is testing a new technology to recover energy, water and materials from waste streams in the chemical production process. The Heat Pipe Condensing Economiser (HPCE), which was developed as part of the EU-funded iWAYS project, captures heat from hot exhaust gases and uses it to heat fresh water, thereby saving energy. At the same time, the system condenses fluoride-containing vapours into liquid form. This water is then treated and can be reused to clean equipment, thereby reducing emissions and freshwater consumption. This is the first of three HPCE systems to be tested across Europe, with the aim of demonstrating how industries can transform waste into valuable resources.
