Waste glass fibre composites valorization using the fluidised bed: a global warming potential and economic assessment

Abstract

Glass fibre composites have become widely used in many applications, notably in wind turbine rotors. Fluidised bed valorization has demonstrated glass fibre recycling from waste composites, enabling reuse in traditional composite manufacturing technologies. This paper intendeds to inform long-term strategies for glass fibre composite waste by identify operating conditions that can optimise environmental and economic metrics for fluidised bed valorization. Experimentally derived operating parameters were integrated into energy models for a commercial-scale recycling process. An environmental assessment was conducted to compare the global warming potential of recycled glass fibres with that of virgin materials. In addition, a technoeconomic analysis was performed to assess the viability of the recycling technology at scale. The findings indicate that recycled glass fibre can achieve a global warming potential of less than 2 kg CO2e. per kg, contributing to a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when replacing virgin glass fibre. Furthermore, the economic analysis showed that a recycling facility with a capacity of just 10 kt per year could produce recycled glass fibre at a cost of $0.61/kg, significantly lower than the cost of virgin glass fibre. Overall, fluidised bed valorization presents an environmentally and economically sustainable solution for managing glass fibre composite waste.