Elaboration of an advanced ceramic made of recycled industrial steel waste

A ceramic, comprising:

• a consolidated body of steel slag, wherein the steel slag comprises:
• aluminum oxide (Al2O3) present in the range of 2 to 12 wt. %,
• calcium oxide (CaO) present in the range of 24 to 60 wt. %,
• iron oxide (Fe2O3) present in the range of 20 to 33 wt. %,
• magnesium oxide (MgO) present in the range of 3 to 15 wt. %,
• silicon dioxide (SiO2) present in the range of 9 to 20 wt. %,
• optionally, one or more of the following:
• MnO, TiO2, and free CaO present in the range of 0.01 to 8 wt. %, and inevitable impurities, wherein the wt % is the weight percent relative to the total weight of the steel slag to provide, including the inevitable impurities, 100 wt. %, wherein said ceramic exhibits a density in the range of 2550 kg/m3 to 2725 kg/m3 and said ceramic exhibits a compressive strength at failure in the range of 40 MPa to 120 MPa measured at a strain rate of 10−6 mm/mm/min.

A thermal energy storage system, comprising:

• a storage container;
• a plurality of ceramic modules placed within said storage container;
• a heat transfer fluid contacting said ceramic modules;
• an inlet diffuser in fluid communication with said storage container;
• and
• an outlet diffuser in fluid communication with said storage container,
• wherein said inlet diffuser, said storage container, said ceramic modules and said outlet diffuser define a flow path for said heat transfer fluid, and
• wherein said ceramic modules comprise a consolidated body of steel slag, wherein the steel slag comprises aluminum oxide (Al2O3) present in the range of 2 to 12 wt. %, calcium oxide (CaO) present in the range of 24 to 60 wt. %, iron oxide (Fe2O3) present in the range of 20 to 33 wt. %, magnesium oxide (MgO) present in the range of 3 to 15 wt. %, silicon dioxide (SiO2) present in the range of 9 to 20 wt. %, optionally one or more of the following:
• MnO, TiO2, and free CaO present in the range of 0.01 to 8 wt. %, and inevitable impurities, wherein the wt % is the weight percent relative to the total weight of the steel slag to provide, including the inevitable impurities, 100 wt. %, wherein said ceramic exhibits a density in the range of 2550 kg/m3 to 2725 kg/m3 and said ceramic exhibits a compressive strength at failure in the range of 40 MPa to 120 MPa measured at a strain rate of 10−6 mm/mm/min.