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Simulation-Based Exergetic Analysis of NdFeB Permanent Magnet Production to Understand Large Systems

  • Thermodynamic Modeling of Sustainable Non-Ferrous Metals Production
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Abstract

Metallurgical simulation and evaluation of the resource efficiency of whole production processes are of key importance for sound environmental impact assessments. Exergy dissipation analysis is suitable to quantify the theoretical limits of a process and pinpoint hotspots for improvements along the value chain. Production of NdFeB permanent magnets is evaluated herein using a simulation-based life cycle assessment and exergetic analysis, including 107 unit operations, 361 flows, and 209 compounds. This methodology highlights areas with the greatest potential for improvements in terms of technology and environmental impact, shedding light on the true resource efficiency and minimum exergy dissipation for the production of permanent magnets, which are applied in several low-carbon technologies. The maximum exergy efficiency of 60.7% shows that there is a limit on sustainability, which could however be improved via technological improvements and recovery of waste streams, revealing the inconvenient truth that the resource efficiency will never reach 100%.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in the framework of the REGINA - Rare Earth Global Industry and New Applications - project (funding number 033R185B), promoted within the Framework Program FONA - Forschung für nachhaltige Entwicklung, under the funding priority CLIENT II - International Partnerships for Sustainable Innovation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, Chemnitzer Str. 40, 09599, Freiberg, Germany

    I. B. Fernandes, A. Abadías Llamas & M. A. Reuter

  2. Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany

    I. B. Fernandes

  3. Institute for Nonferrous Metallurgy and Purest Materials (INEMET), Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipziger Str. 34, 09599, Freiberg, Germany

    A. Abadías Llamas & M. A. Reuter

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  1. I. B. Fernandes
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See Figs. 9 and 10.

Fig. 9
figure 9

Contribution of processes and resources used (material and energy) to various impact categories (six major sources presented).

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Fig. 10
figure 10

Sensitivity analysis for global warming potential, acidification potential, and ionizing radiation for REM production.

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Fernandes, I.B., Abadías Llamas, A. & Reuter, M.A. Simulation-Based Exergetic Analysis of NdFeB Permanent Magnet Production to Understand Large Systems. JOM 72, 2754–2769 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-020-04185-6

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