75d5bcf2-7b26-46b1-9c4c-e7971ab4f7aeAluminium ingot mix IAI (2010)Primary productionproduction mix, at producerAluminium ingot mixAl ingot mixMaterials productionMetals and semimetalsCradle to gate, Aluminium ingot production based on data from the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). This data is valid for "Rest of the world (RoW)", since China is not included in this dataset to achive the best possible representativity for the international spot-market (China is known to supply aluminium ingot from China for the production of chinese aluminum products).0The data set represents the global aluminium production except for China, focusing on the main technologies and the legislative boundary conditions.The regions are Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Europe and Oceania.
This data is valid for "Rest of the world (RoW)", since China is not included in this dataset to achive the best possible representativity for the international spot-market (China is known to supply aluminium ingot from China for the production of chinese aluminum products).Foreground System:
The common raw material for aluminium production, bauxite is composed primarily of one or more aluminium hydroxide compounds, plus silica, iron and titanium oxides as the main impurities. Aluminium is the third most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, but does not occur as a metal naturally. The environmental data related to bauxite mining have been collected and developed by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) for the year 2010.
Bauxite has to be processed into pure aluminium oxide (alumina) before it can be converted to aluminium by electrolysis. This is achieved through the use of the Bayer chemical process in alumina refineries. The aluminium oxide contained in bauxite is selectively leached from the other substances in an alkaline solution within a digester. Caustic soda and lime are the main reactants in this leaching process which takes place in autoclaves at temperature between 100 and 350°C (depending on alumina reactivity). The solution is then filtered to remove all insoluble particles which constitute the so-called red mud. On cooling, the aluminium hydroxide is then precipitated from the soda solution, washed and dried while the soda solution is recycled. The aluminium hydroxide is then calcined, usually in fluidised-bed furnaces, at about 1100°C. The end-product, aluminium oxide (Al2O3), is a fine grained white powder. About 2,3 tonnes of bauxite is used per tonne of alumina. The calcination process and, to a lesser extent, the leaching process consumes most of the thermal energy. About 10 GJ of thermal energy is used per tonne of alumina as well as 180 kWh/t of electricity.
Primary aluminium is produced in electrolysis plants (frequently called "smelters"), where the pure alumina is reduced into aluminium metal by the Hall-Héroult process. Between 1.920 and 1.935 kg of alumina is needed to produce 1 tonne of aluminium. The reduction of alumina into liquid aluminium is operated at around 950 degrees Celsius in a fluorinated bath (i.e. cryolite) under high intensity electrical current. This process takes place in electrolytic cells, where carbon cathodes form the bottom of the pot and act as the negative electrode. Carbon anodes (positive electrodes) are held at the top of the pot and are consumed during the process when they react with the oxygen coming from the alumina. There are two major types of cell technology in use. All potlines built in Europe since the early 1970s use the prebake anode technology, where the anodes, manufactured from a mixture of petroleum coke and coal tar pitch (acting as a binder), are ‘pre-baked’ in separate anode plants. In the Söderberg technology, the carbonaceous mixture is fed directly into the top part of the pot, where ‘self-baking’ anodes are produced using the heat released by the electrolytic process. In 2010, 82,5% of the primary aluminium worldwide was produced using prebake technology.
At regular intervals, molten aluminium tapped from the pots is transported to the cast house where it is alloyed (according to the user’s needs) in holding furnaces by the addition of other metals and aluminium scrap cleaned of oxides and gases, and then cast into ingots. Cast houses produce a wide variety of products and alloys. Since it is not possible to produce one dataset for every type of product and alloy, average data have been developed for a generic aluminium ingot covering ingot for rolling (slabs), for extrusion (billets) or for remelting. Rolling slabs and extrusion billets are produced through Direct Chill (DC) casting technology (liquid metal is poured into short moulds on a platform and then cooled when the platform is lowered into a water-filled pit). Before exiting the cast house, the ends of the rolling slabs and extrusion billets are usually sawed and directly recycled into the holding furnace. In the current model, the product exiting the cast house is a sawn rolling ingot, a sawn extrusion ingot or an ingot for remelting.
The specific mixes for thermal energy and electricity based on IAI data from 2010 for the regions Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Europe and Oceania skaled on 100% (because China was excluded). For bauxite mining and ingot casting the electricity mix based on IEA data from 2009.
The background system is addressed as follows:
Electricity, Thermal energy: The electricity (and thermal energy as by-product) used is modelled according to the individual country-specific situation. The country-specific modelling is achieved on multiple levels. Firstly the individual power plants in service are modelled according to the current national grid. This includes net losses and imported electricity. Second, the national emission and efficiency standards of the power plants are modelled. Third, the country-specific fuel supply (share of resources used, by import and / or domestic supply) including the country-specific properties (e.g. element and energy contents) are accounted for. Fourth, the import, transport, mining and exploration processes for the energy carrier supply chain are modelled according to the specific situation of each power-producing country. The different mining and exploration techniques (emissions and efficiencies) in the different exploration countries are accounted for according to current engineering knowledge and information. Steam: The steam supply is modelled according to the individual country-specific situation with regard to the technology efficiencies and energy carriers used. Efficiencies range from 84% to 94% in relation to the representative energy carrier (gas, oil, coal). Coal, crude oil and natural gas used for the generation of steam are modelled according to the specific import situation (see electricity). Transports: All relevant and known transport processes used are included. Overseas transport including rail and truck transport to and from major ports for imported bulk resources are included. Furthermore all relevant and known pipeline and / or tanker transport of gases and oil imports are included. Energy carriers: Coal, crude oil, natural gas and uranium are modelled according to the specific import situation (see electricity). Refinery products: Diesel, gasoline, technical gases, fuel oils, basic oils and residues such as bitumen are modelled via a country-specific, refinery parameterized model. The refinery model represents the current national standard in refinery techniques (e.g. emission level, internal energy consumption,...) as well as the individual country-specific product output spectrum, which can be quite different from country to country. Hence the refinery products used show the individual country-specific use of resources. The supply of crude oil is modelled, again, according to the country-specific crude oil situation with the respective properties of the resources.ProductIngots have an integral part to the production of many aluminum products. Plate, sheet, foil, wire, rod, and bar products are all produced by pressing or rolling ingot and billet.metals_glo_aluminium_ingot_mix_iai_2010.jpgNoneLCI resultAttributionalNoneAllocation - market valueAllocation - net calorific valueAllocation - exergetic contentAllocation - massForeground system: none
Background system: For the combined heat and power production, allocation by exergetic content is applied. For the electricity generation and by-products, e.g. gypsum, allocation by market value is applied due to no common physical properties. Within the refinery allocation by net calorific value and mass is used. For the combined crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids production allocation by net calorific value is applied.
For details please see the document "GaBi Databases Modelling Principles"Foreground system: none
Background system: All data used in the calculation of the LCI results refer to net calorific value.NoneCut-off rules for each unit process: Coverage of at least 95 % of mass and energy of the input and output flows, and 98 % of their environmental relevance (according to expert judgement).
For further details please see the document "GaBi Databases Modelling Principles"None60.0Production data from 2010
Electricity grid mix from 2010 (IAI) and 2009 (IEA)
Thermal energy mix from 2010 (IAI)The dataset covers cradle-to-gate system of Aluminium ingots for the defined regions. The dataset includes data aggregated by the IAI and the overall quality is very good. Dataset can be used as representative for worldwide aluminium ingots without chinese production. Dataset should be reviewed for potential technology changes in 10 years.No statementGaBi conformity systemFully compliantFully compliantFully compliantFully compliantFully compliantNot definedUNEP SETAC Life Cycle InitiativeNot definedNot definedNot definedNot definedNot definedNot definedILCD Data Network - Entry-levelNot definedNot definedFully compliantNot definedNot definedNot definedIAIThis dataset can be used for any LCA analysis that requires the use of global aluminium ingots, representing the global production mix without the chinese production share.Sphera Solutions GmbH2022-03-01T00:00:00.000ILCD format 1.1Sphera Solutions GmbHNo official approval by producer or operator2022-03-01T00:00:00.00000.00.001Data set finalised; entirely publishedIAItrueOtherGaBi (source code, database including extension modules and single data sets, documentation) remains property of Sphera Solutions GmbH. Sphera Solutions GmbH delivers GaBi licenses comprising data storage medium and manual as ordered by the customer. The license guarantees the right of use for one installation of GaBi. Further installations using the same license are not permitted. Additional licenses are only valid if the licensee holds at least one main license. Licenses are not transferable and must only be used within the licensee's organisation. Data sets may be copied for internal use. The number of copies is restricted to the number of licenses of the software system GaBi the licensee owns. The right of use is exclusively valid for the licensee. All rights reserved.Aluminium ingotOutput1.01.00.000Mixed primary / secondaryMeasuredvaluable