Valorauto

The main objective of this project (VALORAUTO) is the research and analysis of chemical recycling, specifically the adsorbent-assisted pyrolysis process, as an alternative valorization route for the waste generated from the management of end-of-life vehicles in order to obtain high added value by-products that can be used in different applications (of high interest for the chemical sector), thus promoting circular economy strategies and avoiding landfill.

This type of waste, consisting mainly of plastics, does not currently have an effective recovery route due to its heterogeneous nature and composition, so most of it ends up in the landfill. Its high content of halogens and flame retardants is a technical and environmental barrier to the recovery of this waste, which is why this project proposes different innovative ways of purification to increase the percentage of recycled waste in order to reduce their environmental impact and turn them into a resource.

To achieve the general objective, the following specific objectives have been met to date:

- Detailed characterization of a representative sample of the starting residue.

- Investigation of the pyrolysis process assisted by different purification techniques as a way of waste valorization to obtain high added value products.

To date the results are promising, obtaining a pyrolytic liquid with high potential for different high value applications in the chemical and industrial sector, being a product that contains a great diversity of ''Chemical Platforms'' from which, by means of simple chemical reactions such as hydrogenation or oxidation, compounds of high added value can be obtained. In addition, different adsorbents have been implemented in the pyrolytic process (in order to reduce the content of pollutants in the final product), which will allow obtaining a high quality by-product that will favor its commercialization.

FERIMET, S.L. has received a grant from the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI), within the program "Consolidation of the business value chain 2023" of the aid program for the strengthening and development of the Valencian Innovation System 2023-2025, for the realization of the project "Valorization through chemical recycling of waste from automotive shredding (ASR) currently taken to landfill - VALORAUTO". The main objective of this project is the determination of the energy and/or material potential of the different ASR streams (light and heavy fraction), in order to be valorized by thermochemical processes such as pyrolysis and/or gasification.

Project selected within the framework of the FEDER Comunitat Valenciana 2021-2027 Program.

‍