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Waste heat recovery is one of the solutions included in the roadmap for reducing both energy consumption and the carbon footprint. Its high replication capacity in steel, ceramics, pulp and paper, and other energy-intensive industries favours the efficiency of the process and, consequently, achieves reductions in consumption, pollution and the equipment size and cost. As a result, the large-scale deployment of those innovative technologies is determinant for achieving energy efficiency and climate changes objectives in an effective and efficient manner. In this vein, VULKANO and RETROFEED projects implements and validates an advanced retrofitting solution to improve the overall efficiency and reduce emission in intensive sectors. On this route, a novel high-temperature Phase Change Materials (PCMs)-based thermal energy storage system (TES) for industrial furnaces is evaluated to increase the energy and environmental efficiency by recovering waste heat from the combustion gases. Design details such as preliminary sizing, costs and conceptual design configuration is presented as an example of integration at industrial scale, adapted to the plant operational requirements, by searching the best conceptual design and a proper selection of core materials. A multicriteria analysis is developed and applied to select the most profitable system configuration. The methodology is based on technical indicators, that is, life cycle assessment, life cycle cost, and techno-economic analysis, to assess both the status quo of existing gas furnaces and their modification after incorporating the PCM-TES. The potential for improving efficiency, reducing environmental impact and cost savings is determined by implementing the waste heat recovery system. Consequently, this methodology considers and integrates the analysis of horizontal and vertical value chain that can be used as a prefeasibility analysis based on a decision support tool for defining reproducibility and replicability.

The environmental implications of soil salinity caused by accumulation of de-icing salt and leaching in soils of northeastern Spain were examined. For this purpose, the concentrations of ions associated with diagnosing and managing this problem were evaluated from several measurements performed over one year along a road. This analysis demonstrated a higher concentration of soluble Na+ in the soil 3 m from a road in the northernmost part of the study area in February, which made the soil saline-sodic. Data from the rest of the study period (during the spring and summer) demonstrated that the de-icing salt moved to areas farther south by runoff water, which caused environmental impacts by modifying soil characteristics. These results suggest that leaching of Ca2+ and Mg2+ cations occurred faster in the studied systems in sodic soils. Leaching of these cations may affect plant yield, and results in environmental impacts within 3–30 m from the road. Awareness of this impact will be useful for developing future strategies for evaluating and reporting these complex relationships within Spain’s transport system and environment.

Waste heat recovery is one of the solutions included in the roadmap for reducing both energy consumption and the carbon footprint. Its high replication capacity in steel, ceramics, pulp and paper, and other energy-intensive industries favours the efficiency of the process and, consequently, achieves reductions in consumption, pollution and the equipment size and cost. As a result, the large-scale deployment of those innovative technologies is determinant for achieving energy efficiency and climate changes objectives in an effective and efficient manner. In this vein, VULKANO and RETROFEED projects implements and validates an advanced retrofitting solution to improve the overall efficiency and reduce emission in intensive sectors. On this route, a novel high-temperature Phase Change Materials (PCMs)-based thermal energy storage system (TES) for industrial furnaces is evaluated to increase the energy and environmental efficiency by recovering waste heat from the combustion gases. Design details such as preliminary sizing, costs and conceptual design configuration is presented as an example of integration at industrial scale, adapted to the plant operational requirements, by searching the best conceptual design and a proper selection of core materials. A multicriteria analysis is developed and applied to select the most profitable system configuration. The methodology is based on technical indicators, that is, life cycle assessment, life cycle cost, and techno-economic analysis, to assess both the status quo of existing gas furnaces and their modification after incorporating the PCM-TES. The potential for improving efficiency, reducing environmental impact and cost savings is determined by implementing the waste heat recovery system. Consequently, this methodology considers and integrates the analysis of horizontal and vertical value chain that can be used as a prefeasibility analysis based on a decision support tool for defining reproducibility and replicability.

Waste heat recovery is one of the solutions included in the roadmap for reducing both energy consumption and the carbon footprint. Its high replication capacity in steel, ceramics, pulp and paper, and other energy-intensive industries favours the efficiency of the process and, consequently, achieves reductions in consumption, pollution and the equipment size and cost. As a result, the large-scale deployment of those innovative technologies is determinant for achieving energy efficiency and climate changes objectives in an effective and efficient manner. In this vein, VULKANO and RETROFEED projects implements and validates an advanced retrofitting solution to improve the overall efficiency and reduce emission in intensive sectors. On this route, a novel high-temperature Phase Change Materials (PCMs)-based thermal energy storage system (TES) for industrial furnaces is evaluated to increase the energy and environmental efficiency by recovering waste heat from the combustion gases. Design details such as preliminary sizing, costs and conceptual design configuration is presented as an example of integration at industrial scale, adapted to the plant operational requirements, by searching the best conceptual design and a proper selection of core materials. A multicriteria analysis is developed and applied to select the most profitable system configuration. The methodology is based on technical indicators, that is, life cycle assessment, life cycle cost, and techno-economic analysis, to assess both the status quo of existing gas furnaces and their modification after incorporating the PCM-TES. The potential for improving efficiency, reducing environmental impact and cost savings is determined by implementing the waste heat recovery system. Consequently, this methodology considers and integrates the analysis of horizontal and vertical value chain that can be used as a prefeasibility analysis based on a decision support tool for defining reproducibility and replicability.