Provision of Deep Decarbonisation of Brick Manufacturing

Brick manufacturing currently uses a significant amount of natural gas, the combustion of which leads to a range of air pollutants. One solution to reduce pollutant emissions in brick manufacture is to replace natural gas with hydrogen to fuel firing of the brick kilns.

This project looks at trialling a new hydrogen fuelled brick kiln to replace those traditionally fuelled with natural gas. Emissions of a range of pollutants are monitored during both natural gas and hydrogen fuelled burns and the differences in emissions profiles are examined.

It trials the deep decarbonisation of brick manufacturing, investigating the feasibility of retrofitting burners used for brick drying and firing to use hydrogen instead of natural gas. The study explores burner testing to prove hydrogen firing capability and looks to determine the subsequent impacts on brick integrity, brick aesthetics and air pollution emissions.

Fuel switching to hydrogen is needed to decarbonise many industries, including brick manufacturing. Replacing natural gas with hydrogen will result in a significant reduction in pollution emissions from such industrial processes; fuel switching to 100% hydrogen would ultimately enable a deep decarbonisation of brick manufacturing. Gas consumption from brick manufacture is calculated to contribute over 50% of typical brick manufacturers total carbon footprint and results in the emission of a range of air quality and climate pollutants.