A High-Return Circular Recovery Model for Near-Zero Waste in Hot Aluminum Rolling for an Aluminum Flat Rolled Products (FRP) Industry

Abstract

The aluminum industry faces significant economic and environmental challenges due to the rapid degradation of rolling lubricants. Traditional "Bleed and Feed" maintenance fails to address the "Viscosity Trap," leading to the disposal of over 1,000 MT of hazardous waste annually. This study evaluates an integrated Circular Resource Recovery Suite consisting of Vertical Pressure Leaf Filtration (VPLF), Thin Film Evaporation (TFE), and Thermal Desorption (TDU). Empirical data demonstrates a 90% Resource Recovery Rate (RRR) for oil and an 85% RRR for adsorbents. The intervention achieved an annual saving of ₹9.52 Crore with a capital payback period of only 52 days. The transition to on-site regeneration results in a 93.6% reduction in OPEX and ensures compliance with the 2023 Indian EPR Amendment Rules, proving that circularity is a self-financing necessity for modern metallurgical operations.