Plant Technology in Transition: AMAG on the Path to a Climate-Neutral Foundry
AMAG Austria Metall AG, based in Ranshofen and one of the member companies of HIAA, has relied for years on energy efficiency in its high-temperature processes. With the introduction of the ISO 50001 energy management system in 2013, these efforts were intensified. To actively shape the transition toward a climate-neutral foundry, the Upper Austrian company has developed a decarbonization roadmap that is continuously adapted to current legal framework conditions and is based on three pillars: increasing the recycling content in produced alloys, continuously improving energy efficiency, and substituting fossil fuels with alternative energy sources.
Hydrogen as an Alternative to Natural Gas
The shift to climate-neutral technologies particularly affects energy-intensive melting and casting furnaces. While natural gas is still predominantly used worldwide, AMAG is working on alternative solutions. Especially where higher performance requirements exist, hydrogen represents a promising option for decarbonization.
There are several possible approaches for using hydrogen as a fuel:
- Blending hydrogen into the natural gas grid, which results only in a slight reduction in CO₂ emissions
- Modifying existing natural gas burner systems to operate with pure hydrogen
- Replacing natural gas burners with dedicated hydrogen burners optimized for the efficient combustion of pure hydrogen
Research Projects on Metallurgical Effects
Using hydrogen as a fuel leads to significantly higher water vapor levels in the furnace atmosphere compared with natural gas. To investigate the metallurgical and process-related impacts, AMAG has initiated research projects in cooperation with Montanuniversität Leoben. The research particularly focuses on hydrogen absorption by the melt, dross formation (aluminum oxide), altered pyrolysis reactions during the melting of scrap, as well as the lifespan of refractory materials and emissions.
Industrial Practical Tests with Hydrogen
In 2023, AMAG carried out industrial tests using hydrogen on a rotary tilting drum furnace and a single-chamber holding furnace. The results showed that AMAG’s plant infrastructure is capable of producing metal of consistently high quality even with higher hydrogen levels in the melt.
Infrastructure Challenges
The tests also highlighted the challenges of hydrogen supply: significant quantities of hydrogen are required for a single melting batch. Industrial production is therefore only feasible with a suitable pipeline network. This underlines the need for European and national policymakers to move quickly on the necessary infrastructure if climate neutrality targets are to be met on schedule.
Outlook for Regulatory Adjustments
The industrial tests also showed an increase in NOₓ concentrations in dry exhaust gas. Whether sufficient reduction can be achieved through adjustments to burner systems must be evaluated together with manufacturers. It was also emphasized that legal emissions regulations (**BAT/BVT**) must be adapted with regard to the use of hydrogen as an energy source in order to facilitate the transition.
The text is based on the article "Plant Technology in Transition – The Transformation to a Climate-Neutral Foundry” from the AluReport and can be accessed here.