Bio-Carbon for Blast Furnace Ironmaking

June 2012

CCRA Bio-Carbon Working Meeting

Toronto

Blast Furnace Ironmaking

• Reduction of iron ore to metallic iron

• Melting of metallic iron (Hot Metal)

CO

C + O2 Hot Metal

Fe + CO2 Iron Ore

heat

Atm

Coke

Bio-Carbon for Ironmaking

Role of Coke in Blast Furnace

Source of Reducing Gas

Source of Heat

Burden Support

Gas Distribution

Hot and cold strength of particular coke determines

its suitability for blast furnace ironmaking

Coke Properties

Cold Strength Tumbling Tests Stability

Hardness

Hot Strength Reacting with CO2 at high temperature followed by impact test

Coke reactivity index (CRI)

Coke strength after reaction (CSR)

Pilot Scale Bio-Coke Making Tests

Coke : Carbonization of coal blend

Bio-coke: Carbonization of coal blend partially substituted by charcoal

Cold Strength of Bio-Coke

Cold Strength of Bio-Coke

Cold strength of bio-coke can be maintained by using fine charcoal

Hot Strength of Bio-Coke

Fine charcoal has a much stronger negative impact on CSR and

CRI than coarse charcoal

Bio-Carbon for cokemaking

Low in Ca: To maintain hot strength

Low in Na and K: To avoid alkaline accumulation

Low in P: To facilitate steelmaking

Bio-Carbon for Ironmaking

Auxiliary Fuel Injection

Coke

Auxiliary

Fuel

• To reduce coke

consumption on per tonne of

hot metal production basis

• Pulverized coal, Oil, Natural

Gas

• Substitute fossil carbon

injectant by bio-carbon

Fuel for Injection

• High combustibility: To ensure rapid gasification

• High in C and Low in O: To maximize coke

replacement and maintain furnace heat balance

• Low in Na and K: To avoid alkaline accumulation

• Low in P: To facilitate steelmaking

Bio-Ironmaking Pathway

Raw Biomass Demand

Questions

Sustainable raw biomass supply capable to meet the demand by steel industry?

Bio-char production capacity?

Process for removing unwanted minerals in bio-char?

Chemical composition of “cleaned” bio-char suitability for bio-cokemaking or direct injection?