| Stone technology for Eco-efficient Production |  |
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|---|---|---|
| Start: 2013 – Duration: 30months | ||
| CIP Eco-Innovation 2012 |
The production chain in natural stone factories involves, among other steps, a drying stage in natural gas kilns, followed by the application of reinforcement resins to seal cracks or fractures that may weaken products at later surface treatment and finishing operations, and finally a curing stage to harden the resins in natural gas furnaces.
As an innovative idea, the project involves the replacement of conventional solvent-based resins for water-based epoxy resins, specifically formulated for the new thermal curing process which intends to be fully developed and validated at industrial scale.
With the market uptake of the new technology, the natural stone sector will be able, on one hand, to remove the drying lines fed with natural gas kilns, thanks to the fact that new resins are compatible with wet moistures; on the other hand, to implement a new technology for the thermal curing stage, highly efficient and fully compatible with the new developed formulations.
The joint implementation of both technologies (thermal processing equipment and adapted resins) results in significant benefits for the natural stone sector in terms of efficiency, productivity and utilization of raw materials, as well as in health and safety aspects for employees of the production lines.
Objectives
The main objective of the STEP Project is the implementation of eco-efficient technologies in the Natural Stone sector that result in environmental, sustainable and economic benefits in the market of the construction products. It also seeks to overcome certain traditional limitations of the sector such as high energy costs, low efficiency of the material (low utilization of raw materials) and emission of volatile organic compounds into the environment.
These are the 2 eco-innovations that will be achieved thanks to the STEP Project:
- Development and industrial scale validation of a new on-line processing system for rapid and continuous curing resin reinforcement of flat semi finished Natural Stone products, replacing conventional thermal systems based on natural gas and electric support elements.
- Development and validation of water-based eco-resins based on nano-composites with zero emission of volatile organic compounds.
