The EnWaRec project will be presented at the Coatings 2026 Conference in Athens, taking place from 20 to 22 April 2026 (sciforum.net/event/Coatings2026). The presentation will provide an awareness overview of EnWaRec, with particular focus on the anti-scaling and anti-corrosion coating solutions being developed for steel mill cooling water circuits.
EnWaRec addresses the nexus between energy and water in hydrogen-based steelmaking through a holistic approach aimed at recovering waste heat and water from cooling and gas washing circuits, including internal energy and water reuse. To overcome barriers such as fouling, scaling and corrosion, the project integrates real-time monitoring, thermally stable chemical treatments and specialised anti-wear coatings, enabling technologies such as microturbines for hydropower recovery, high-temperature heat pumps for steam generation and membrane distillation for water recovery.
Within EnWaRec, RINA-CSM is working on modelling an industrial cooling water circuit plant and evaluating maximum energy extraction and micro-turbine operating ranges using real-time industrial data and simulations. In parallel, steel materials suitable for industrial water circuits will be assessed through electrochemical testing, including open circuit potential (OCP) and polarization curve measurements in an electrolyte simulating industrial water conditions.
The conference presentation will also highlight the development of tailored silicon alkoxides-based sol-gel coatings(e.g., TEOS, GPTMS) designed to prevent scaling and corrosion on heat exchanger surfaces, cooling nozzles and turbine inner parts. The aim is to achieve very thin, low-wettability coatings adaptable to complex geometries, without impacting flow or cross-sections, while maintaining heat transfer efficiency by discouraging scaling and corrosion settlement.
This presentation is delivered on behalf of the EnWaRec Consortium and is supported by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) under grant agreement No 101216643.
