Technical Visit at ELBI, Italy
On 27 February 2026, partners of the StreamSTEP project gathered at ELBI S.p.A. in Italy for a technical visit to the project’s Demo Case 4 (DC4) industrial site. The visit marked an important step forward in refining the system design and preparing for the integration of the StreamSTEP waste heat recovery solution.
Representatives from Brunel University London, SINTEF, ALEA, and FOS joined ELBI’s team for a full day of meetings and on-site activities. The visit also included participation from Reflex Winkelmann GmbH, ELBI’s new owner, providing a valuable opportunity to align on project objectives and reinforce collaboration between industrial and research partners.
During the visit, participants were introduced to ELBI’s production environment and discussed how the StreamSTEP solution will be integrated into the existing industrial process. Technical sessions focused on the development of the Advanced Heat Pipe Scrubber (AHPS) system, which will recover heat from contaminated exhaust streams while safely managing volatile compounds and improving overall energy efficiency.
Discussions also covered the updated system design and P&ID, including the heat exchanger configuration, system capacity, and integration requirements. Topics such as material durability, installation planning, and monitoring needs were addressed, with partners aligning on key technical decisions and responsibilities, including the role of SIMBIOSI as installer in collaboration with ELBI.
A factory tour allowed partners to assess the installation area and evaluate positioning options for the system. A suitable location was identified close to the exhaust infrastructure, ensuring efficient integration while maintaining operational flexibility within the plant.
The visit also included discussions on data acquisition and monitoring. Current limitations related to PLC systems were identified, and partners explored solutions to enable structured data collection and integration with the StreamSTEP digital platform. A dedicated monitoring system will be implemented to support performance assessment without interfering with existing operations.
Throughout the day, partners exchanged views on system integration, operational considerations, and next steps, highlighting the strong collaboration across the consortium and the shared commitment to delivering an efficient and sustainable industrial solution.
Looking ahead
Following this successful technical visit, the consortium will continue working closely with ELBI to finalise the system design and prepare for installation. This next phase will bring the project closer to demonstrating how advanced waste heat recovery technologies can support more sustainable and cost-effective industrial operations.
We extend our gratitude to ELBI for hosting this visit and to our partners from Brunel University of London, SINTEF, ALEA and FOS for their valuable contributions.
