Sensors, controls and digitalisation – Defining the foundation industries' sector innovation needs

To help answer this question, KTN is running a short series of Transforming Foundation Industries Technical Challenge webinars. At each of these you will be given the opportunity to either help define the technology needs or to offer solutions. The events will be structured to bring out the common opportunities in the different TFI sectors (Cement, Ceramics, Chemicals, Glass, Metals and Paper). They are aimed at all companies, equipment suppliers and research organisations with an interest in innovation in the TFI sector.

Three cross-sector themes have been identified by sector experts as being particularly important for reaching 2050 targets:

Heat recovery and utilisation

Capturing waste heat from energy intensive processes can reduce energy costs by using the heat in other processes, or by generating electrical power. Although the technology and principles are well understood, it is often seen as impractical or not cost effective. Discussions will consider the innovation opportunities for newer types of heat capture technologies, improved ways for moving heat energy, techniques to better match varying demands and heat streams, opportunities for co-location, and methods for quicker evaluation of opportunities.

Sensors, controls and digitalisation

The use of sensors to capture live plant data is becoming more common place in the foundation and manufacturing industries, but there is still a large amount of untapped potential. Discussions will include what data capture is still required, how it could be captured, and how can it can be used most efficiently to increase resource and energy efficiency. This discussion will include all stages of this process from sensor technology to data storage and management, and controls and process hardware, such as drives and burners, to fully embed digitalisation within the industries and move towards automated process management.

Waste utilisation and symbiosis

The foundation industries require large volumes of raw materials in a mixture of virgin and recycled forms alongside other inputs such as water and produce a number of process by-products. As we move towards a UK circular economy, with a focus upon Net Zero waste, how can some of these input and output streams become connected and extract best value from these valuable commodities? Discussions will include the current barriers to recycling some of these products and opportunities for innovation and development.

There are seven webinars in this series, each between 10:30-12:00 on Wednesday mornings, beginning on 30th September. Each event will have a specific technology focus, with separate events for defining the common innovation needs, featuring keynote talks from sector leaders and panel discussions, and learning about suggested solutions with the opportunity for delegates to pitch technology solutions or research ideas.

We’re hoping that attendees will find these events invaluable for shaping their innovation plans and possibly forming consortia to bid into future competitions, or you may hear of technologies that you weren’t previously aware of that you can adopt immediately. As this is a virtual event, there will also be the opportunity to hold meetings with other participants to discuss opportunities on a one to one basis. Information will also be presented about future funding opportunities.

All delegates will have the opportunity to make a 5-minute video to pitch a product or research idea at the three ‘Solutions for the Foundation Industries Sector’ events (Workshops 4, 5 and 6).  Details of how to do this will be given at the end of the relevant ‘Defining the foundation industry sector innovation needs’ event.

Please contact Ajay Kapadia with any enquiries.

• 30th September | Heat recovery and utilisation – Defining the foundation industries’ sector innovation needs
• 7th October | Sensors, controls and digitalisation – Defining the foundation industries’ sector innovation needs
• 14th October | Waste utilisation and symbiosis – Defining the foundation industries’ sector innovation needs
• 21st October | Heat recovery and utilisation – Solutions for the foundation industries sector
• 28th October | Sensors, controls and digitalisation – Solutions for the foundation industries sector
• 4th November | Waste utilisation and symbiosis – Solutions for the foundation industries sector
• 11th November | The foundation industries technology challenge – A review