Optimizing raw material composition to increase sustainability in porcelain tile production: A simulation-based approach

Reducing the environmental impact of porcelain tile production while maintaining cost-effectiveness is challenging. This work introduced a novel modeling approach for optimizing a standard composition range comprising kaolinite (15–38 wt.%), illite (0–20 wt.%), quartz (20–40 wt.%), and feldspar (20–45 wt.%) to establish a robust composition interval for porcelain stoneware tiles. The proposed study considers several factors, such as composition impact on the manufacturing sequence, production costs, and CO₂ emission. A flowsheet simulation database was generated by coupling the Dyssol framework with MATLAB. This study investigated the influence of raw material composition within the process sequence, the total CO₂ emissions, and production costs within the contexts of Spain and Brazil, two of the top five global producers. Granules with a higher proportion of talc and illite exhibit reduced moisture content after spray drying, and these combinations have lower green body porosity after compaction. The addition of talc allowed for decreased porosity content after compaction reduced firing temperature, and lowered costs and CO₂ emissions despite the higher prices associated with talc. The proposed simulation methodology offers a powerful decision-making tool for optimizing raw material composition to minimize cost and CO₂ emissions in the porcelain tile production. This methodology represents an early stride toward integrating digital twin methodologies within the ceramic tile sector, facilitating improved process regulation, and promoting the adoption of digital technologies.