Academic literature on the topic 'Hybrid thermochemical process'

This paper presents a hybrid thermochemical process concept for the cogeneration of cold, electricity and thermal storage based on low temperature sources. Several innovative architectures of the process were defined at PROMES-CNRS and the ‘simultaneous mode’ architecture was chosen to be under study. It provides both cold and electricity productions in the discharging step of this storage system. A numerical model was developed at PROMES simulating the simultaneous mode of the hybrid cycle. Based on the results of the model, an experimental prototype was developed at the lab. The thermochemical reactor was tested and operated properly in the charging and discharging phase of the cycle, before its hybridization. The expander was set under the first experimental characterization using nitrogen before integrating it with the thermochemical reactor in the hybrid system to analyze the real performance of the cycle.

The continual generation and discharge of waste are currently considered two of the main environmental problems worldwide. There are several waste management options that can be applied, though anaerobic digestion (AD) process technology seems to be one of the best, most reliable, and feasible technological options that have attracted remarkable attention due to its benefits, including the generation of renewable energy in the form of biogas and biomethane. There is a large amount of literature available on AD; however, with the continuous, progressive, and innovative technological development and implementation, as well as the inclusion of increasingly complex systems, it is necessary to update current knowledge on AD process technologies, process variables and their role on AD performance, and the kinetic models that are most commonly used to describe the process-reaction kinetics. This paper, therefore, reviewed the AD process technologies for treating or processing organic biomass waste with regard to its classification, the mechanisms involved in the process, process variables that affect the performance, and the process kinetics. Gazing into the future, research studies on reduced MS-AD operational cost, integrated or hybrid AD-biorefinery technology, integrated or hybrid AD-thermochemical process, novel thermochemical reactor development, nutrient recovery from integrated AD-thermochemical process, and solid and liquid residual disposal techniques are more likely to receive increased attention for AD process technology of biomass wastes.

Solar power towers can be used to make hydrogen on a large scale. Electrolyzers could be used to convert solar electricity produced by the power tower to hydrogen, but this process is relatively inefficient. Rather, efficiency can be much improved if solar heat is directly converted to hydrogen via a thermochemical process. In the research summarized here, the marriage of a high-temperature (∼1000°C) power tower with a sulfuric acid∕hybrid thermochemical cycle was studied. The concept combines a solar power tower, a solid-particle receiver, a particle thermal energy storage system, and a hybrid-sulfuric-acid cycle. The cycle is “hybrid” because it produces hydrogen with a combination of thermal input and an electrolyzer. This solar thermochemical plant is predicted to produce hydrogen at a much lower cost than a solar-electrolyzer plant of similar size. To date, only small lab-scale tests have been conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of a few of the subsystems and a key immediate issue is demonstration of flow stability within the solid-particle receiver. The paper describes the systems analysis that led to the favorable economic conclusions and discusses the future development path.

Abstract Nozzle erosion is a vital important issue that impacts the performance of hybrid rocket motors. Serious nozzle erosion may significantly decrease the combustion chamber pressure and thrust, which increases the difficulty in designing flight control systems. This paper aims to reveal erosion mechanism systematically. In this paper, transient numerical simulations of thermochemical erosion in hybrid rocket motors are conducted, and combustion flow and thermochemical erosion are coupled calculated. The numerical computation of combustion flow is based on the chemical reactions of propellants and regression rate model, and that of thermochemical erosion is based on the surface reactions between oxidizing species and carbon. The movement of burning surface and nozzle inner surface is simulated through dynamic mesh method. The hybrid rocket motor adopts 90% hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene. Distributions of flow field parameters and fuel regression rate are given. The spatial developing process of nozzle surface is presented, and it is found that the roughness of nozzle profile increases with time. The nozzle wall temperature and wall pressure decline with time. Erosion by different species is calculated. OH and H2O make a major contribution to the nozzle thermochemical erosion, while nozzle erosion contributed by CO2 and O2 are quite low. Time-varying characteristics of the erosion rate are unveiled. At the first 1.5 s, the total erosion rate remains almost constant, and then it reduces over time.

Surface modification on 2205 duplex stainless steel (DSS) was performed by low temperature thermochemical hybrid (nitrocarburizing) heat treatment at temperature of 450° C and at holding time of 30 hours. During the process, carbon and nitrogen elements were simultaneously introduced onto the surface of DSS with composition of 5%CH4 + 25% NH3 + 70% N2. Microstructural observations reveal the formation of thick diffusional hybrid layer on the surface of 2205 DSS with very high hardness at cross sectional area. Both carbon and nitrogen diffusions formed expanded austenite (γN/C) and expanded ferrite (αC), however precipitation of nitride (Cr2N) which also occurred at the layer may deteriorate the corrosion resistance of 2205 DSS. Further investigation is required based on the parameters used in the process to produced precipitation free hybrid layer.

A simple flowsheet of the hybrid sulphur cycle was devised and a steady state simulation thereof was built in Aspen. A sensitivity analysis was done and the snowball effect was identified as a significant process control issue. The flowsheet will become more complex as other process alternatives are investigated and optimisation and heat integration are done. This will probably result in further process control complications that need to be identified and dealt with. A detailed literature study was done and future research needed was identified. This includes further research to be done into the electrolyser and the thermodynamics of the mixtures involved in the hybrid sulphur cycle. The control related lessons learned were summarised in a very preliminary control strategy.
Thesis (M.Ing. (Nuclear Engineering))---North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Aquesta tesi doctoral proposa dos sistemes híbrids de refrigeració basats en energia solar en els quals l'element comú és un procés termoquímic: un sistema híbrid per absorció / termoquímic activat amb energia solar tèrmica de baixa temperatura (< 120 ºC), i un sistema híbrid per compressió / termoquímic activat amb energia solar fotovoltaica i calor residual. El sistema per absorció / termoquímic és presentat en la seva configuració més simple i els seus components i condicions són discutits. Les prestacions del cicle són estimades de forma preliminar amb alguns parells de treball basats en amoníac, essent NH3/NaSCN i el NH3/BaCl2 dos d'interessants. La simulació preliminar del sistema híbrid mostra que aquest augmenta la fracció solar. El sistema per compressió / termoquímic és definit i simulat en la fase d'acumulació de refrigerant assistida amb compressió. Un model de reacció quasi-estacionari de doble front, que pren en compte les limitacions de transferència de massa i de calor, és utilitzat per estudiar de forma preliminar la influència d'algunes condicions d'operació i paràmetres de disseny sobre la corba de reacció amb el parell amoníac / clorur de bari. S'ha construit un dispositiu experimental per a obtenir dades experimentals de la fase d'acumulació de refrigerant assistida amb compressió, i confrontar aquestes dades amb les prediccions obtingudes del model de reacció de doble front, amb l'objectiu d'ajustar alguns dels paràmetres del model. Es conclou que el model ajustat prediu la corba de reacció amb una exactitud acceptable per a gairebé tots els experiments, amb petites discrepàncies. S'espera que els sistemes híbrids proposats operin amb energia solar, siguin relativament compactes, emmagatzemin energia en menys volum d'emmagatzemament, i tinguin un petit grau d'autonomia (algunes hores dins d'un cicle d'operació diari). Aquests sistemes són interessants per a futurs estudis.
Esta tesis doctoral propone dos sistemas híbridos de refrigeración basados en energía solar donde el elemento común es un proceso termoquímico: un sistema híbrido absorción / termoquímico activado con energía solar térmica de baja temperatura (< 120 ºC), y un sistema híbrido compresión / termoquímico activado con energía solar fotovoltaica y calor residual. El sistema absorción / termoquímico es presentado en su configuración más simple y sus componentes y condiciones de operación discutidas. El desempeño del ciclo es estimado preliminarmente con algunos pares de trabajo con amoníaco, con NH3/NaSCN y NH3/BaCl2 como pares interesantes. La simulación preliminar del sistema híbrido muestra que este aumenta la fracción solar. El sistema compresión / termoquímico es definido y simulado en la fase de acumulación de refrigerante asistida con compresión. Un modelo de reacción cuasi-estacionario de doble frente, que tiene en cuenta limitaciones de transferencia de masa y de calor, es usado para estudiar preliminarmente la influencia de algunas condiciones de operación y parámetros de diseño sobre la curva de reacción con el par amoníaco / cloruro de bario. Se ha construido un dispositivo experimental para obtener datos experimentales de la fase de acumulación de refrigerante asistida con compresor, y confrontar estos datos con las predicciones obtenidas del modelo de reacción de doble frente, con el objetivo de ajustar algunos parámetros del modelo. Se concluye que el modelo ajustado predice la curva de reacción con exactitud aceptable para casi todos los experimentos, con pequeñas discrepancias. Se espera que los sistemas híbridos propuestos operen con energía solar, sean relativamente compactos, almacenen energía en menor volumen, y tengan un pequeño grado de autonomía (unas pocas horas en un ciclo de operación diario). Estos sistemas son interesantes para futuros estudios.
This doctoral thesis proposes two solar-based hybrid refrigeration systems where the central piece is a thermochemical process: an absorption / thermochemical hybrid system driven by low-grade solar thermal energy (< 120 ºC), and a compression / thermochemical hybrid refrigeration system driven by solar-PV energy and waste heat. The absorption / thermochemical hybrid system is presented in its most simple configuration, and its components and operating conditions discussed. A preliminary performance estimation is carried out with some ammonia-based working pairs finding the NH3/NaSCN and NH3/BaCl2 as interesting working pairs. A preliminary simulation of the hybrid system shows that it increases the solar coverage. The compression / thermochemical hybrid system is also defined and simulated in its refrigerant storage phase assisted with compression. A 2-front quasi-steady reaction model which accounts for heat and mass transfer limitations is used to preliminarily study the influence of some operating conditions and design parameters on the system’s reaction curve with the NH3/BaCl2 working pair. An experimental setup has been built to obtain experimental data from the compression-assisted refrigerant storage phase, and confront this data with the predictions obtained from the 2-front reaction model, with the objective of adjusting some parametres of the model. It is concluded that the adjusted model predicts the reaction curve with acceptable accuracy for almost all experiments, with small discrepancies. The proposed hybrid systems are expected to operate with solar energy, be relatively compact, store energy with reduced storage volume, and have a small degree of autonomy (a few hours within a daily operating cycle). These systems are promising for further study.

Cette thèse s'inscrit dans le cadre du pilier efficacité énergétique. Le travail présenté vise à apporter une contribution modeste à la recherche considérable sur l'efficacité énergétique, en se concentrant sur l'utilisation de sources de chaleur à des températures inférieures à 250°C. Ces sources sont qualifiées «basse à moyenne température», en référence à leur utilisation limitée dans l'industrie. Étant donné que l'énergie de ces sources n'est souvent pas directement utilisable (sous forme de chaleur fatale), leur conversion est une perspective intéressante pour générer un effet utile pouvant être injecté sur le site ou dans un réseau d'énergie à proximité. Le processus thermodynamique examiné dans cette recherche permet la conversion de la chaleur à basse et moyenne température en deux effets utiles : froid (à basse température) et électricité, avec une fonctionnalité de stockage de la source de chaleur sous forme de potentiel chimique. Ce processus hybride sont conçus sur la base de l'intégration d'une machine d'extraction de travail appelée "expandeur volumétrique" dans un cycle thermochimique qui exploite une réaction chimique réversible entre un solide et un gaz pour produire du froid à partir d'une source de chaleur à basse et moyenne température. La fonctionnalité de stockage dans le cycle permet de séparer la phase de disponibilité de la source de chaleur de la phase de cogénération des effets utiles. Cette propriété est extrêmement avantageuse, car la ressource et la demande peuvent être très variables dans le temps. L'état de l'art présenté vise à positionner les cycles thermodynamiques hybrides impliquant un processus de sorption dans le contexte de la valorisation des sources de chaleur à basse température. Après avoir passé en revue les ressources existantes (notamment la chaleur fatale industrielle) et le potentiel de stockage de chaleur, le chapitre introduit les systèmes actuels qui génèrent de l'électricité et/ou du froid à partir de sources de chaleur à basse température, plaçant la discussion dans le contexte des solutions techniques existantes. Il souligne la recherche sur les « cycles de sorption hybrides » et identifie les lacunes expérimentales dans leur étude. Un prototype thermochimique hybride est développé à PROMES afin de réaliser la preuve de concept. Les premiers tests sur le cycle sont présentées. Après la preuve de concept en produisant simultanément du froid et de la puissance mécanique stable, l'effet de la température froide est étudié sur la dynamique du cycle et sur sa cogénération. Une analyse analytique du couplage est également effectuée. Dans un deuxième temps, une analyse numérique et expérimentale du cycle hybride est faite. L'effet de la charge électrique couplée au générateur à l'expandeur est étudié. La dynamique du cycle et sa cogénération sont analysées pour différentes charges électriques couplées. Les principales limitations affectant la production dans le cycle sont mises en évidence. Le modèle numérique en régime permanent est validé, et une étude de sensibilité sur les paramètres limitants est réalisée. Un travail numérique détaillé sur le cycle est ensuite présenté. Le modèle énergétique dynamique (basé sur le 1ère principe) est mis en validation avec les résultats expérimentaux, en identifiant et en adaptant ses paramètres à ceux du prototype. Ensuite, un modèle exergétique est développé. Les destructions d'exergie dans le cycle sont estimées, en évaluant l'irréversibilité à chaque composant (basé sur le 2ème principe). Suite à une analyse exergétique pour minimiser la destruction d'exergie pendant la phase de production, la performance de la cogénération est améliorée. Enfin, la thèse se conclut par un résumé des travaux entrepris. Elle présente des perspectives basées sur cette recherche, y compris les développements potentiels pour le cycle et ses composants, l'intégration dans le monde réel, et de nouvelles configurations
This thesis falls within the pillar of energy efficiency. The work presented in this manuscript is to make a modest contribution to the vast body of research on energy efficiency, focusing on the utilization of heat sources at temperatures below 250°C. These sources are referred as "low-to-medium temperature" heat sources, in reference to their limited exploitability in industry. Since the energy from these waste heat sources is often unusable directly, its conversion appears to be an interesting prospect for generating a useful effect that can be injected on-site or into a nearby energy network. The proposed and examined thermodynamic process in this research enable the conversion of low-to-medium temperature heat into two useful effects: cold (at low temperatures) and electricity, with a storage functionality of the heat source in the form of chemical potential. This so-called "hybrid" process is designed based on the integration of a work extraction machine called “volumetric expander” into a thermochemical cycle which exploits a reversible chemical reaction between a solid and a gas (in a reactor) to produce cold from a low-to-medium temperature heat source. The storage functionality in the cycle allows for the separation of the heat source availability phase from the phase of cogenerating useful effects (cold and electricity). This property is extremely advantageous because the timing of the resource and the demand can be very different. A state of the art is conducted to specifically position hybrid thermodynamic cycles involving a sorption process within the context of low-to-medium temperature heat source valorization. After reviewing existing resources (notably industrial heat waste) and the potential for heat storage, the chapter introduces current systems that generate electricity and/or cold from low-temperature heat sources, placing the discussion within the context of existing technical solutions. It highlights the research on “hybrid sorption cycles” and identifies the experimental gaps in their examination. The hybrid thermochemical prototype developed at PROMES (to achieve the proof of concept) is then presented. The first examinations on the cycle are presented. After the concept proof by producing simultaneously cold and stable mechanical power, the effect of cold temperature is studied on the dynamics of the cycle and on its cogeneration. Analytical analysis of the coupling is done too. After, numerical and experimental analyses of the hybrid cycle are done. The effect of the electrical charge coupled to the generator at the expander is studied. The dynamics of the cycle and its cogeneration are analyzed experimentally for different coupled electrical load. Main limitations affecting the production in the cycle are highlighted. The numerical model in steady state is validated, and a sensitivity study on the limiting parameters is done. Detailed numerical work on the cycle is performed. The dynamic energetic model (based on the 1st law) is set under validation with the experimental results, by identifying and adapting its parameters with the ones of the prototype. After, an exergetic model is developed. Exergy destructions in the cycle are calculated, by estimating the irreversibility at each component (based on the 2nd law). Following an exergetic analysis to minimize the exergy destruction during the production phase, the cogeneration performance is improved. Finally, the thesis concludes with a summary of the work undertaken. It outlines perspectives based on this research, including potential developments for the cycle and its components, real-world integration, and new configurations

Mass production of hydrogen is a major issue for the coming decades, particularly for greenhouse gas lowering purpose. Thanks to fourth-generation nuclear reactors development, providing high-temperature energy, hydrogen production processes are currently revisited worldwide. In France, the CEA is particularly investigating the Westinghouse hybrid sulfur cycle. This cycle, which combines an electrolysis step (oxidization of SO2 to H2SO4 from a liquid-phase anode stream) and a thermochemical step (decomposition of H2SO4), was developed in the 1970s by Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Its production capacity was demonstrated at a scale of 150 NL·h−1 of hydrogen and a conceptual plant, designed to produce 90 Nm3·s−1, was developed in 1977. This plant was however never built, probably for both economic and technological reasons. Since 2000, the Westinghouse process is the subject of renewed interest. Indeed, the decomposition of sulfuric acid has been investigated in detail (many thermochemical cycles are based on sulfur) and it is now optimized from a thermodynamic standpoint. Moreover, the substantial research efforts devoted to fuel cells have led to the development of new materials and structures that are expected to yield significant performance improvements when applied to classical electrochemical processes. Therefore, the CEA has decided to build a pilot electrolysis facility with an hydrogen capacity of 100 NL·h−1, allowing implementation of the most promising material technologies.

The Hybrid Sulfur Process is a leading candidate among the thermochemical cycles being developed to use heat from advanced nuclear reactors to produce hydrogen via watersplitting. It has the potential for high efficiency, competitive cost of hydrogen, and it has been demonstrated at a laboratory scale to confirm performance characteristics. The major developmental issues with the HyS Process involve the design and performance of a sulfur dioxide depolarized electrolyzer, the key component for conducting the electrochemical step in the process. This paper will discuss the development program and current status for the SDE being conducted at the Savannah River National Laboratory.

Solar power towers can be used to make hydrogen on a large scale. Electrolyzers could be used to convert solar electricity produced by the power tower to hydrogen, but this process is relatively inefficient. Rather, efficiency can be much improved if solar heat is directly converted to hydrogen via a thermochemical process. In the research summarized here, the marriage of a high-temperature (∼1000 °C) power tower with a sulfuric acid/hybrid thermochemical cycle (SAHT) was studied. The concept combines a solar power tower, a solid-particle receiver, a particle thermal energy storage system, and a hybrid-sulfuric-acid cycle. The cycle is “hybrid” because it produces hydrogen with a combination of thermal input and an electrolyzer. This solar thermochemical plant is predicted to produce hydrogen at a much lower cost than a solar-electrolyzer plant of similar size. To date, only small lab-scale tests have been conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of a few of the subsystems and a key immediate issue is demonstration of flow stability within the solid-particle receiver. The paper describes the systems analysis that led to the favorable economic conclusions and discusses the future development path.

Abstract A thermochemical water-splitting iodine-sulfur process (IS process) is one of candidates for the large-scale production of hydrogen using heat from nuclear energy. Severe corrosive environment which is thermal decomposition of sulfuric acid exists in the IS process. To achieve an industrialization of massive hydrogen production system, one of the key factors is the development of structural materials for the severe corrosive environment. A hybrid material with the corrosion-resistance and the ductility had been made by a silicon powder plasma spraying and laser treatment. To confirm the applicability of the hybrid material as the structural material, corrosion tests of the hybrid materials had been performed in 95 mass% and 47 mass% boiling sulfuric acid. The corrosion resistance of specimen in the condition of 95 mass% boiling sulfuric acid had been excellent. This was attributed to the formation of SiO2 on the surface. To confirm the production characteristics as a container using the hybrid material, the container which has a welded part, a chamfer, a curved surface had been experimentally made. A configuration of the container had been 150mm inside diameter, 120mm in height and 6mm in thickness. The substrate of the container made of Hastelloy C276® superalloy had included TIG weld part. To improve the corrosion resistance of the container, pre-oxidation was performed at 800°C for 100 hours in air. There was no detachment of the plasma spraying and laser treated layer on the base metal and the welded part. The pre-oxidized container using hybrid technique was prepared for the corrosion test in boiling sulfuric acid to evaluate the characteristics of the container.

Process heat from a high-temperature nuclear reactor can be used to drive a set of chemical reactions, with the net result of splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. For example, process heat at temperatures in the range 850°C to 950°C can drive the sulfur-iodine (SI) thermochemical process to produce hydrogen with high efficiency. Electricity can also be used to split water, using conventional, low-temperature electrolysis (LTE). An example of a hybrid process is high-temperature electrolysis (HTE), in which process heat is used to generate steam, which is then supplied to an electrolyzer to generate hydrogen. In this paper we investigate the coupling of the Modular Helium Reactor (MHR) to the SI process and HTE. These concepts are referred to as the H2-MHR. Optimization of the MHR core design to produce higher coolant outlet temperatures is also discussed.

The increased use of intermittent renewable power in the United States is forcing utilities to manage increasingly complex supply and demand interactions. This paper evaluates biomass pathways for hydrogen production and how they can be integrated with renewable resources to improve the efficiency, reliability, dispatchability, and cost of other renewable technologies. Two hybrid concepts were analyzed that involve co-production of gaseous hydrogen and electric power from thermochemical biorefineries. Both of the concepts analyzed share the basic idea of combining intermittent wind-generated electricity with a biomass gasification plant. The systems were studied in detail for process feasibility and economic performance. The best performing system was estimated to produce hydrogen at a cost of $1.67/kg. The proposed hybrid systems seek to either fill energy shortfalls by supplying hydrogen to a peaking natural gas turbine or to absorb excess renewable power during low-demand hours. Direct leveling of intermittent renewable electricity production is accomplished with either an indirectly heated biomass gasifier, or a directly heated biomass gasifier. The indirect gasification concepts studied were found to be cost competitive in cases where value is placed on controlling carbon emissions. A carbon tax in the range of $26–40 per metric ton of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emission makes the systems studied cost competitive with steam methane reforming (SMR) to produce hydrogen. However, some additional value must be placed on energy peaking or sinking for these plants to be economically viable. The direct gasification concept studied replaces the air separation unit (ASU) with an electrolyzer bank and is unlikely to be cost competitive in the near future. High electrolyzer costs and wind power requirements make the hybridization difficult to justify economically without downsizing the system. Based on a direct replacement of the ASU with electrolyzers, hydrogen can be produced for $0.27 premium per kilogram. Additionally, if a non-renewable, grid-mix electricity is used, the hybrid system is found to be a net CO2e emitter.

For many years, oil derivatives, natural coal, and natural gas were used and still are, as primary energy supply due to their calorific potential, and their great availability on the planet. However, the utilization of these feedstocks causes greenhouse effects and helped in global warming, creating a general concern about this issue, and leading to the creation of urgent measures to overcome these problems. Hence, guidelines and public policies were granted to guarantee the reduction of emissions and increase the portion of renewable sources in the energy system production, namely the use of biofuels produced from waste biomass such as straw, stover, husks, and shells. Thermochemical processes can convert biomass sources into energy and/or fuels with a high heating value through high-temperature treatments. It comprises combustion, pyrolysis and gasification, which can be employed together or separated, depending on the need. The product of gasification is Synthesis Gas, comprehended mainly by hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide, which can be used posteriorly to produce electric energy. In this process, many parameters as temperature, pressure, gasifying agent, biomass composition, gasifier configuration, etc, influence the final composition of the gas. A challenge to show the feasibility of Syngas production is trying to know the conversion yields and its composition to evaluate the efficiency of the process. Simulating Software helps in this task, bringing real processes closer to virtual ones. Through UniSim Design software, this work main objective is the creation and implementation of a hybrid model (Kinetic and Equilibrium approaches) able to predict the lignocellulosic biomass gasification products for Downdraft and Updraft gasifiers, using different sources such as olive and corn agricultural wastes, and grape bagasse residue from wine culture.

The rise of Electrical Vehicles (EVs) is unstoppable and EVs will become a key part of the mainstream automotive market. According to recent post-COVID-19 scenarios based on IHS data, EVs will surge up to 14% of global passenger car sales in 2027 and go up to 57% in 2040. The electrification of future mobility concepts is going along with new requirements also for the brake system. EVs with regenerative braking applications utilize the traditional friction brakes in fewer circumstances due to recuperation: therefore the risk of superficial corrosion increases. In case of an emergency brake situation the basic requirement is that the braking surface will be free of corrosion to have maximum brake power. Thus, the corrosion-free condition on the braking surface is a safety requirement at any time. The state of the art solution consists of paintings or “coatings”, such as ultraviolet (UV)-hardening paint, Zn or Zn/Al paints, which can perform well in new conditions (e.g. up to 120 hours in standard UNI ISO 9227 salt fog chamber). But these solutions will be easily abraded within approximately 20 standard-condition braking applications. The corrosion-free condition during the lifetime of the disc is not achieved yet in the current state of the art; rust or corrosion can seriously downgrade the braking performances. This paper is describing an innovative 2-step process to improve the corrosion and wear resistance of standard cast iron brake discs. In the first step, the amount of undesired graphite lamellae will be reduced from the surface with customized parameters, according to the individual types of grey cast iron material of the substrate. This pre-process is followed by a thermochemical diffusion process including controlled oxidation of the substrate resulting in high corrosion protection of the rotors. The authors will produce proof of corrosion resistance up to 300 hours in salt conditions according to UNI ISO 9277. In addition, bench tests and vehicle endurance tests have been performed in cooperation with Tier 1 and OEMs and have shown increased wear resistance even with non-electric cars and with standard ECE brake pads. The novel surface solution could be also applied to non-functional areas of the brake disc like cooling channels, bell and swan neck in order to substitute the current paintings. In summary, the new 2-step heat treatment process is a price competitive solution for corrosion protection of functional and non-functional areas of iron casted brake discs over the entire lifetime, especially on EVs with strong recuperation. But this solution also works for hybrid and conventional cars in preferably on the rear axis with low-abrasive brake pads (e.g. NAO pads). Finally, even when the vehicle fleet goes all-electric, dust emission from brakes and tyres will still pollute the environment. Addressing this topic, the authors will provide an outlook of the ongoing activities to reduce brake dust emissions with innovative surface solutions.