Transforming the Foundation Industries Research and Innovation Hub (TransFIRE)

Completed

Not Energy Related
Energy Efficiency(Industry)
Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Environmental, social and economic impacts)

Basic and strategic applied research
Applied Research and Development

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting
Systems Analysis related to energy R&D (Other Systems Analysis)
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Other sociological economical and environmental impact of energy)
Other (Energy technology information dissemination)

Dr M Jolly
School of Applied Sciences
Cranfield University

Standard

EPSRC

01 July 2021

31 December 2024

42 months

£4,836,821

Materials processing

East of England

ISCF - Wave 3 - Transforming Foundation Industries

Dr M Jolly, School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University

Dr PD Ball, School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University
Mr T Bide, Minerals, British Geological Survey (BGS) - NERC
Dr PA Bingham, Faculty of Arts Computing Eng and Sci, Sheffield Hallam University
Professor S S Black, Computer Scienc, Durham University
Dr S Cinderby, Stockholm Research Institute (SEI), University of York
Mr J Cullen, Engineering, University of Cambridge
Professor S Evans, Engineering, Cardiff University
Dr GG Haq, Stockholm Research Institute (SEI), University of York
Mr CJ Mitchell, Corporate Comms and Publications, British Geological Survey (BGS) - NERC
Dr G A Ormondroyd, Biocomposites Centre, Bangor University
Professor J Perry, Fac of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University
Dr E Petavratzi, Minerals, British Geological Survey (BGS) - NERC
Dr P Purnell, Civil Engineering, University of Leeds
Dr K Salonitis, Sch of Energy, Environment and Agrifoo, Cranfield University
Professor R Setchi, Engineering, Cardiff University
Dr M G Unthank, Fac of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University
Professor S Yearley, Science Technology & Innovation Studie, University of Edinburgh
Professor S Zhang, Engineering Computer Science and Maths, University of Exeter

Project Contact, LafargeHolcim
Project Contact, Industry Wales
Project Contact, Saint-Gobain (International), France
Project Contact, Chemical Industries Association Ltd
Project Contact, Catal International Ltd
Project Contact, Mineral Products Association (MPA)
Project Contact, Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3)
Project Contact, Glass Technology Services Ltd
Project Contact, North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC)
Project Contact, Netzsch Instruments
Project Contact, Cast Metals Federation
Project Contact, ANSYS Europe Limited
Project Contact, Almath Crucibles Ltd
Project Contact, Morgan Advanced Materials and Technology
Project Contact, International Synergies Limited
Project Contact, Beatson Clark
Project Contact, Imerys Minerals Ltd
Project Contact, Aluminium Federation Ltd
Project Contact, Greenology (Teeside) Limited
Project Contact, Society of Glass Technology
Project Contact, Diageo plc
Project Contact, British Ceramic Confederation
Project Contact, Bunting Magnetics Europe (UK)
Project Contact, CLT Carbon Limiting Technologies
Project Contact, Capital Refractories Limited
Project Contact, Croda Europe Limited
Project Contact, Emerson Advanced Design Center
Project Contact, Fives Stein Limited
Project Contact, Guardian Industries (International)
Project Contact, IS-Instruments Ltd
Project Contact, Jayplas (J&A Young (Leicester) Ltd)
Project Contact, Kimberly-Clark Limited (UK)
Project Contact, Materials Processing Institute (MPI)
Project Contact, Breedon Cement Ltd
Project Contact, Saica Paper UK Ltd
Project Contact, Sheffield Refractories Ltd
Project Contact, URM (UK) Limited
Project Contact, Zentia (Ceiling Solutions Limited) (UK)
Project Contact, Trent Refractories Ltd
Project Contact, Vesuvius UK
Project Contact, AMETEK (UK)
Project Contact, Lucideon Ltd
Project Contact, NSG Group (UK)
Project Contact, Hanson Heidelberg Cement Group
Project Contact, Alpek Polyester UK Ltd
Project Contact, Texon (UK)
Project Contact, Northumbrian Water Ltd
Project Contact, Liberty House Group
Project Contact, Luxfer MEL Technologies
Project Contact, Knowledge Transfer Network Limited
Project Contact, Confederation of Paper Industries
Project Contact, British Glass
Project Contact, Power Minerals Ltd
Project Contact, Heraeus Electro Nite International NV , Belgium
Project Contact, Siemens plc (UK)
Project Contact, The Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education
Project Contact, Encirc Ltd
Project Contact, Celsa Steel UK
Project Contact, Glass Futures Ltd
Project Contact, Norton Aluminium Ltd
Project Contact, Akzo Nobel
Project Contact, EnergyNest AS
Project Contact, Constellium UK Limited
Project Contact, F.I.C (UK) Limited

The Transforming the Foundation Industries Challenge has set out the background of the six foundation industries; cement, ceramics, chemicals, glass, metals and paper, which produce 28 Mt pa (75% of all materials in our economy) with a value of 52Bn but also create 10% of UK CO2 emissions. These materials industries are the root of all supply chains providing fundamental products into the industrial sector, often in vertically-integrated fashion. They have a number of common factors: they are water, resource and energy-intensive, often needing high temperature processing; they share processes such as grinding, heating and cooling; they produce high-volume, often pernicious waste streams, including heat; and they have low profit margins, making them vulnerable to energy cost changes and to foreign competition.Our Vision is to build a proactive, multidisciplinary research and practice driven Research and Innovation Hub that optimises the flows of all resources within and between the FIs. The Hub will work with communities where the industries are located to assist the UK in achieving its Net Zero 2050 targets, and transform these industries into modern manufactories which are non-polluting, resource efficient and attractive places to be employed. TransFIRe is a consortium of 20 investigators from 12 institutions, 49 companies and 14 NGO and government organisations related to the sectors, with expertise across the FIs as well as energy mapping, life cycle and sustainability, industrial symbiosis, computer science, AI and digital manufacturing, management, social science and technology transfer. TransFIRe will initially focus on three major challenges:1 Transferring best practice - applying "Gentani": Across the FIs there are many processes that are similar, e.g. comminution, granulation, drying, cooling, heat exchange, materials transportation and handling. Using the philosophy Gentani (minimum resource needed to carry out a process) this research would benchmark and identify best practices considering resource efficiencies (energy, water etc.) and environmental impacts (dust, emissions etc.) across sectors and share information horizontally.2 Where there's muck there's brass - creating new materials and process opportunities. Key to the transformation of our Foundation Industries will be development of smart, new materials and processes that enable cheaper, lower-energy and lower-carbon products. Through supporting a combination of fundamental research and focused technology development, the Hub will directly address these needs. For example, all sectors have material waste streams that could be used as raw materials for other sectors in the industrial landscape with little or no further processing. There is great potential to add more value by "upcycling" waste by further processes to develop new materials and alternative by-products from innovative processing technologies with less environmental impact. This requires novel industrial symbioses and relationships, sustainable and circular business models and governance arrangements.3 Working with communities - co-development of new business and social enterprises. Large volumes of warm air and water are produced across the sectors, providing opportunities for low grade energy capture. Collaboratively with communities around FIs, we will identify the potential for co-located initiatives (district heating, market gardening etc.). This research will highlight issues of equality, diversity and inclusiveness, investigating the potential from societal, environmental, technical, business and governance perspectives. Added value to the project comes from the 3.5 M in-kind support of materials and equipment and use of manufacturing sites for real-life testing as well as a number of linked and aligned PhDs/EngDs from HEIs and partners This in-kind support will offer even greater return on investment and strongly embed the findings and operationalise them within the sector.

03/11/21