ECOQUENCH · Controlled quenching and heat recovery from thin walled, complex high performance, hardened Al alloy extrusions

Our Idea is to develop a computer controlled, advanced, profile spray quench, heat extraction system with advanced cooling rate control, closed loop thermal and dimensional control and integrated high grade heat recovery & re-use. We aim to recover 50% of the energy wasted at the profile cooling stage (for re-use in the energy intensive heat-ageing process), and simultaneously reduce scrap produced at the profile cooling stage by 25%. This would mean a saving of 1.9 million kWh of energy per line, and an increase in revenue of around € 1.3 million per line, almost trebling profit (through scrap turned into saleable product & reduction in energy used). The benefit to the environment is also substantial, with a reduction of 474Te of CO2 emissions per line