The factory, located in Irurtzun (Navarra), is the first in the world to replace the natural gas used as fuel for smelting with carbon-free green hydrogen. Until now, this type of test had only been carried out in the laboratory. For this, Hydro Navarra has had the collaboration of Fives North America Combustion, an industrial engineering company with experience in hydrogen burner technology. While the results are being evaluated, the start-up of this prototype will facilitate the manufacture of extruded aluminium profiles.
Hydro Navarra, located in the town of Irurtzun, was the first company in the world to succeed in producing a batch of recycled aluminium with green hydrogen. Specifically, this development, a world first, consisted of replacing the natural gas used as fuel for smelting with carbon-free green hydrogen. This is an unprecedented advance in the industrial field since, until now, this type of test had only been carried out in the laboratory.
To achieve this, Hydro Navarra has collaborated with Fives North America Combustion, an industrial engineering company with proven experience in hydrogen burner technology. In this sense, the latter has also supervised the design of the components and controls necessary to operate safely and effectively, another of the fields of activity in which this company excels.
Thus, while the results obtained until the end of the year are being evaluated, the start-up of the prototype implemented at the Irurtzun factory will enable Hydro to manufacture extruded aluminium profiles with green hydrogen. All of this with the aim, according to its promoters, of becoming a “leading supplier of industrial solutions” based on this type of non-polluting fuel at world level.
Source: Noticias de Navarra