The ULCOS program (Ultra Low CO2 Steelmaking)kemco.or.kr/up_load/blog/ULCOS_Infodays_print.pdf ·...

1

The ULCOS program (Ultra Low CO2 Steelmaking)

Jean-Pierre BIRAT

Mister Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honor for me and for the ULCOS Consortium that I represent to be speaking in front of such a distinguished audience and to report to you what the ULCOS program has been doing and achieving, seven months into its young existence.

ULCOS, which means Ultra Low CO2 Steelmaking, is a large program careful set to face long term and complex challenges, that the Steel Industry is facing, alongside society as a whole.

2

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

22

Outline

one year ago…targets…programs, partners, scheduleadvancement of the program after 6 months of work• blast furnace, smelting reduction, natural gas-based steelmaking

routes, electrolysis of iron ore• CO2 capture and storage, use of biomass, intensive use of electricity• analysis and comparison of the various process routes

longer-term concepts for the Technological Platform…conclusions?

I propose to remind you of the targets, content, organization and schedule of the ULCOS program and to show you how we are starting to address the variety of technical, environmental, economic and societal issues that are at the core of this program.

We shall also project ourselves further into the future, beyond the present 5-year program.

3

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

33

One year ago…

10

Brussels - 12 March 2004

The challenge of Global Warming

Other reducing agents: Al dross, etc.

H2 by electrolysis of H2OElectricity

Carbon

Hydrogen Electrons

Coke

Coal

Natural Gas

Syngas

H2

Other Technology

Other Technology

ExistingTechnology

Decarbonatation

CO2capture & storage

New Technology

New Technology

New Technology

One year ago, in the first meeting devoted to the platform, I presented the "planet" pillar of the Steel Technology Platform, and spent some time explaining the strategy that we had framed to face the challenge of Global Warming and look for solution to adapt the Steel Industry to future post-Kyoto requirements.

The concept was simple: either stick to carbon as a fuel and a reducing agent and capture CO2 for storage, or decarbonate the steel industry in favor of hydrogen or electricity, or make more use of biomass.

The program then was still only a proposal. It has been proposed since for support to the Commission, accepted with RFCS and 6th Framework funding and has now been running for half a year.

4

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

44

Outline



Longer-term concepts for the Technological Platform…Conclusions?

We shall review its targets first.

5

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

55Source: Australian Weather Bureau

Challenges & targets…

M. Meinhausen, 2004

ULCOS has been designed to meet the CO2 challenge, which is both contemporary, as action should not be delayed, and long term, as it will require a collective, enduring and very ambitious agenda of technological change on a grand scale to succeed.

Beyond the uncertainties of predicting what will exactly happen in terms of Global Warming and Climate Change, it is clear that whatever happens will happen fast, much faster than previous climate changes that took place in the past. This will put heavy stresses both on human society and on biodiversity.

6

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

66


M. Meinhausen, 2004

The magnitude of the change that is required of the economic sectors is explained in these diagrams: in order to maintain the temperature increase at 2°C, it would be necessary to aim at a stabilized CO2concentration in the atmosphere of 400 ppm. This in turn would require a reduction in emissions of a large magnitude for the middle of this century and the effort would be all the more important as their implementation would be delayed longer. This is the "climate science" that lies at the background of today's factor 4 policies announced the council of Ministers in March of this year.

7

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

77


10000

230

6240

67

1

10

100

1000

10000

oil gas coal uranium U breeders

years of identified reserves

Non-renewable resources

Source: rapport NTE, French Government, 2-2004

Global Warming is not the only major challenge that lies ahead of us, though. The depletion of energy resources is also looming ahead and the threat looks real today even if if was erroneously announced many times in the past.

8

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

88

Targets…

Exhibit and demonstrate a few process routes that can reduce specific emissions of CO2 by at least 50%• ULCOS' work will put an exact figure on this target

We need a technology that meets post-Kyoto targets (factor 4 in 2050) and can be scaled up from 2012 onwards, to grab market share at a pace that is commensurate with the lives of European blast furnaces :• Step 1: process concept-building (present ULCOS program)• Step 2: large-scale demonstration• Step 3: large-scale experimentation of a first commercial plant• Step 4: deployment of the technology in Europe & in the world

To meet these challenges, the ULCOS program has set itself the targets of exhibiting and demonstrating a small number of new process routes that can reduce specific emissions of CO2 by at least 50%. The forthcoming work will put an exact figure on this target.

We need a technology that meets post-Kyoto targets, probably a factor 4 in 2050, and that can be scaled up from 2012 onwards to catch market share at a pace that is commensurate with the lives of European blast furnaces :

•Step 1: process concept-building (present ULCOS program)

•Step 2: large-scale demonstration

•Step 3: large-scale experimentation of a first commercial plant

•Step 4: deployment of the technology in Europe & in the world

9

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

99

Outline




ULCOS is organized in the following way…

10

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

1010

How to tackle the CO2 issue…

C-based steel production + CO2 Capture & Storage

Natural Gas-based steel production

Electrolysis steel production

Hydrogen-based steel production

Biomass-based steel production

The program looks initially at all the credible solutions for mitigating CO2emissions on the basis of the strategy outlined last year.

The first family of solution consists in keeping our carbon-based processes and capturing CO2 for storage, most likely geological storage initially. The blast furnace would be adapted to these new requirements, but other Smelting reduction concepts are also under review.

In the second set of solutions we use the opportunity of the large hydrogen content of natural gas and improve existing prereduction technologies to further increase their CO2 performance.

In a third set of solutions, we tap into hydrogen production, as it would be made available in an hydrogen society, to use it as the main reducing agent for reducing iron ore into steel.

We also look at a massive use of electricity in applying electrolysis to iron ore.

And, finally, we tap into the large potential of sustainable biomass, which generates carbon at the same rate that it is recovering CO2 from the atmosphere by photosynthesis, to make steel.

11

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

1111

ULCOS is a Consortium of 48 partners.

The Consortium is led by 8 core members representing the European Steel Industry and coordinated by ARCELOR.

Other members include more Steel partners, equipment manufacturers, energy sector representatives, small businesses, Research Institutes covering the broad set of scientific expertise needed to deal with the program and many European Universities.

Partners come from 14 of the 25 member Sates.

12

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

1212

ULCOS – experimental step

ULCOS

SP9-Scenarios, sustainability, innovation, training & dissemination

Project Management

ULCOS – 6FP

Technology development – 5 years

ULCOS – RFCSSP1 -New Blast Furnace

SP2-New Smelting Reduction

SP3-New NG Route to Steel

SP4-Hydrogen steel production

SP5-Electrolysis steel production

SP6-CO2 Capture & Storage for steelmaking

SP7-Biomass-based Steel production

SP8-New Advanced C-lean &C-based Route to Steel

SP10-New C-based Steel production

SP11-New adv. C-based Steel production.

SP13-New Electricity-based Steel Production

SP12-New Nat Gas-basedSteel Production

SP14-ULCOS-Process

for Steel Production

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

ULCOSULCOS


Project Management

ULCOS – 6FPULCOS – 6FP


ULCOS – RFCSULCOS – RFCSSP1 -New Blast Furnace








SP1 -New Blast Furnace








SP10-New C-based Steel productionSP10-New C-based Steel production







SP14-ULCOS-Process


SP14-ULCOS-Process


Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

44 M€budget

This is the structure of the ULCOS program.

It is organized in sub-projects.

From the broad set of themes taken into account at the beginning of the project, we are planning to prune out technologies in a stage-gate approach and end up, after 5 years, with a single proposal, which meets a complete set of criteria, encompassing all the dimensions of sustainability in terms of technological feasibility, profitability and integration in Society.

The project should last 5 years at this stage and deliver the blue print for one or two large pilot plants.

The total budget is 44 millions euros.

13

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

1313

Outline




We should now spend time looking at some of the advances already made since the beginning of this program.

14

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

1414

Advancement, Blast Furnace routeOre 1583 kgCoke 290 kg

Dust11 kg db

Exported gas936 m3 (STP)

L.C.V. 2922 MJ

1t hot metal259kg slag

Coal180 kg

C-Input401 kg

Top gas to hot stovesVol. 544 m3 (STP)L.C.V. 1700 MJ

1200°CHot stoves

Oxygen24 m3

RAFT2150 °C

Top gas Vol. 1480 m3 (STP) Temp. 150°CCO 22 % CO2 22 %H2 3 % N2 53 %

Ind. Red.67.3 %

Blast972 m3

Exported energy2922 MJ

Today's best benchmark

The Blast Furnace is the core process for making steel from iron ore today. It is the result of literally thousands of year of process development, with major ones having occurred in the second half of the 20th century, and, as such, it should not be disposed of too quickly.

There is indeed most probably a bright future for the Blast Furnace in the post-Kyoto world of Steel.

This slide shows the features of a state-of-the art Blast Furnace today. It can run with 401 kg of carbon per ton of hot metal, with 290 kg of coke and 180 kg of injection coal. Such a furnace runs on hot blast, i.e. heated air and generates excess energy in the form of CO rich gas which is "exported", meaning that it is sent downstream to heat up furnaces or fire an electrical power plant. This gas is the result of the chemical reactions occurring inside the furnace.

The net result is that the Blast furnace both produces hot metal and gasifies coal. Moreover, CO2 is mixed in the export gas with 50% of nitrogen, not a best-case scenario for further storage!

The small logo on the bottom-right of the slide shows the partner in charge of this subproject number 1.

15

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

1515

Advancement, Blast Furnace routeSinter, pellets

lump ore & coke

Dustcatcher

Exportedgas

Hot metaland slag

CO2removal

900°C

Partly reduced ore& biomass

Coal &cold oxygen

Biomass

CO2storage

CO2

Biomass or hydrogen rich gases

Regenerator

Oxygen

ULCOSTop-gas recycling

Being based on carbon as reducing agent and fuel, the Blast Furnace can only reduce its emissions if CO2 is captured and stored. This could be done rather quickly on existing furnaces. However, this would probably not be the optimum solution, just like in the power sector, pre-combustion technologies are more effective in reducing CO2 emission while maintaining a higher energy efficiency than post-combustion technologies. Likewise, in the Steel Industry, we can device an integrated and therefore more efficient process whereby hot metal production and CO2 capture are fully integrated. This is accomplished with the top-gas recycling concept.Recycling the CO-rich top gas means that we are forcing the furnace to exhaust the reducing power of the gas: only CO2 is allowed to get out of the system thru a CO2separation unit. In order to avoid the accumulation of nitrogen, air is replaced by pure oxygen to burn carbon, which is why the concept is also called nitrogen-free or oxygen Blast Furnace. It is aggregating various technologies, some of which have already been explored in the past but with different objectives, so that we already have a feel that our target can indeed be achieved.

There are many details of the technology to adjust in such a process, like where the gas is reinjected - probably at two different levels, present tuyeres and bottom of the shaft, how much gas volume at each level, at what temperature, etc.

16

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

1616

Advancement, Blast Furnace routeOre 1584 kgCoke 192 kg

VPSA

Dust11 kg db

Exported gas37 m3 (STP)

L.C.V. 250 MJ

1t hot metal260 kg slag

Coal180 kg

Tail gas Vol. 425 m3 (STP)CO2 391 m3 (STP)CO 27 m3 (STP)H2 3 m3 (STP)N2 4 m3 (STP)L.C.V. 370 MJ

C-Input304 kg

Product gas Vol. 782 m3 (STP)CO 69 %CO2 3 %H2 13 %N2 15 %

25°COxygen216 m3

Top gasVol. 1276 m3 (STP) Temp. 176°CCO 46 % CO2 36 %H2 8 % N2 10 %

Heater745 MJ

900°C

Vol. 652 m3 (STP)

Vol. 130 m3 (STP)

Ind. Red.93.9 %

RAFT2300 °C

Imported energy125 MJ

The picture here shows one such scenario, whereby the carbon consumption goes down to 304 kg/thm, while the amount of injection coal stays at 180 kg. We are presently refining the modeling calculations to plan for the experimental trials, at this stage scheduled on the LKAB Experimental Blast Furnace. We are also looked very seriously at the scale up of the technologies, as a real blast furnace is more complex than the small EBF.

Planning for the experiments is also very actively under way.

17

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

1717

Advancement, Smelting Reduction route

Smelting Reduction is a broad family of process concepts that use carbon for reduction and smeltingThe Blast Furnace is a successful SR process requiring additional preparation of ore (pelletization, sintering) and coal (pyrolysis in cokemaking)

However, SR processes are usually supposed to work with minimum coal and ore preparationSR has been extensively researched in the 70's and 80's, but the strong progress of the BF has smothered industrial development, except for the COREX processThe CO2 challenge is posing the problem in a new and different way and SR has the potential to bring original & efficient solutions

Smelting Reduction (SR), studied in subproject 2, comprises a broad family of process concepts that use carbon for reduction and smelting.

The Blast Furnace is thus a successful SR process that requires additional preparation of ore (pelletization, sintering) and coal (pyrolysis in cokemaking).

However, true SR processes are supposed to work with minimum coal and ore preparation.

SR has been extensively researched in the 70's and 80's, but the strong progress of the BF has smothered their industrial development, except for the COREX process.

The CO2 challenge is posing the problem in a new and different way and SR has the potential to bring about original & efficient solutions.

18

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

1818

Advancement, Smelting Reduction route

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Advanced combustion techniques

Melting withcarbon-lean sources

Partial reduction with biomass or H2

Smelting reduction

Modern blast furnace

Introduction stages: each stage 10 to 15 years

CO

2 em

issi

on p

er to

nne

hot r

olle

d.

Improve efficiency Replace fossil carbon

Sequestration

‘learning curve’

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Advanced combustion techniques

Melting withcarbon-lean sources

Partial reduction with biomass or H2

Smelting reduction

Modern blast furnace

Introduction stages: each stage 10 to 15 years

CO

2 em

issi

on p

er to

nne

hot r

olle

d.

Improve efficiency Replace fossil carbon

Sequestration

‘learning curve’

Stages of development

This is what the diagram shows: improved efficiency, replacement of fossil carbon and CO2 capture and storage hold the potential of a factor-2 and even 4 decrease in emissions.

19

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

1919

Smelting Reduction route

Iron ore reduction Iron ore melting

RHF

MHF

Shaft

Fluid bed Cyclone

Bath smelterPlasmaElectric

The CO2 focus eliminates a number of SR solutions, but a large number of concepts are still potentially attractive. They are centered around 3 main ideas, processwise: top gas recycling to exhaust its reduction potential, with oxygen-rich operation, improved post-combustion and heat transfer to exhaust the heat content of the gas and use of non-carbon energy, either for reduction (H2 smelting reduction) or for melting (EAF). CO2capture and storage would also complement the picture.

In terms of process engineering, reduction can be performed in an hearth furnace, rotary or multi-hearth or in a fluidized bed. Smelting can take place in a cyclone reactor, in a converter bath, in a shaft furnace or in an Electric Arc Furnace.

20

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

2020

Smelting Reduction route

Iron ore reduction Iron ore melting

RHF

MHF

Shaft

Fluid bed Cyclone

Bath smelterPlasmaElectric

Bath smelter

Plasma

The various workpackages are shown here, along with the partnersworking on them.

21

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

2121

Char

Coal pyrolysis

Coal

Slag region

Post-combustion

Freeboard

inzuigen

zuurstof

kolenCO , CO2H2 , H2O

inzuigen

zuurstof

kolenCO , CO2H2 , H2O

Experimental work at laboratory level and on small simulators is going on, along with extensive process modeling. The purpose is to assess the level of CO2-leanness that can be achieved as well as make it possible to compare these processes, which are working on very different physical principles.

Some of the technologies under investigation are flashing across the screen:

• twin screw reactor to partially pyrolyze coal and produce active char,

• radically improved post-combustion efficiency achieved by re-designing oxygen and coal injection lances,

• use of plasma to inject hydrogen into a smelting reactor

• or the MHF concept.

22

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

2222

Natural Gas-based routes

Natural Gas is a low-C, H-rich fuel and reducing agent, which reduces CO2 emissions in BAT's by 50% already compared to the BFNatural Gas fields are numerous in Northern Europe and the Steel Industry offers a broad potential to themMainstream technology (prereduction) can be greatly improved to decrease CO2 way below present levelLike in the case of the other steelmaking routes, economics will be a key-factor in assessing its true potential

Natural Gas, studied in subproject 3, is a low-C, H-rich fuel and reducing agent, which already reduces CO2 emissions with today's best technologies by 50% already compared to the BF.

Natural Gas fields are numerous in Northern Europe and the SteelIndustry may offer a large potential to it and vice versa.

Mainstream technology (prereduction) can be greatly improved to decrease CO2 emissions, way below their present level.

Like in the case of the other steelmaking routes, economics will be a key-factor in assessing the true potential of this natural gas-based route.

23

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

2323


Naturalgas CO2

DRI/HBI

LRI

EAF

BF

AMF

BOFDR

CO2 capture & storage

DRI, HBI &LRI (Low Reduced Iron)

LRI in BF

LRI in AMFAdvanced Melting Furnace

Hot-chargingin EAF (preheating)

BOF meltingwith preheatingof DRI & hot air

This diagram summarizes the concepts under investigation in thissubproject.

A direct reduction unit produces sponge iron from iron ore, at the left of the diagram, and depending on its features, this iron can be optimally melted in one of the reactors shown at the right.

The first CO2 mitigation measure consists in capturing and storing CO2 at the prereduction stage.

Iron can be produced as traditional DRI or HBI, but also as LRI, or Low Reduced Iron, which makes use of the PR unit only during the first initial stage of the prereduction reaction, when the kinetics is fast.

The LRI can be fully reduced and melted in a blast furnace, or in a optimized cupola-like shaft furnace, which is called an Advanced Melting Furnace.

DRI or HBI can be melted in an EAF, but with the innovation of preheating it with the latent heat of the fumes and thus saving energy, or in a BOF converter, where the energy balance can be greatly enhanced by using hot air for post-combustion.

All of this sets the agenda for a greatly improved, more CO2-lean natural-gas-based steelmaking.

24

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

2424


To date, all workpackage are on track and on time.

LRI tests are under way.

Reference runs on the EBF for DRI have already been performed.

The design of DRI preheating is under way at MEFOS as well as concept of the AMF, actually a cupola kind of design.

The BOF with heated air for improved post-combustion is being modeled.

25

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

2525

Hydrogen steelmaking

a small project, in terms of budget because technologies under consideration are adapted from existing ones, but an important issue, in a long-term perspective related to the H2 society concept.1 million tons (Mt) of steel would required 70,000 Nm3/hr of hydrogen. For 100Mt of Steel in Europe, this is the same order of magnitude as what the transportation industry would need for H2 FC cars!Hydrogen would have to be CO2-lean (NG reforming or coal gasification with CO2 C&S, electrolysis of water)H2 would be used in a prereducing unit and the DRI produced melted in an EAF. other uses are also possible, under the control of the other process subprojects.

The hydrogen subproject 4 is small in terms of budget - because the technologies under consideration are adapted from existing ones, but is indeed a very important geopolitical issue for Europe, in a long-term perspective related to the concept of the H2 society.

An important figure should be stressed here. 1 million tons (Mt) of steel would required 70,000 Nm3/hr of hydrogen, which means that for producing 100Mt of Steel in Europe, the order of magnitude of the hydrogen it would need is the same as what the transportation industry would need to power H2 FC cars!

Of course, hydrogen would have to be produced in a CO2-lean way, which means either NG reforming or coal gasification with CO2 C&S or electrolysis of water. The H2 would be used in a prereducing unit , not very different from the ones used with natural gas, and the DRI produced would be melted in an EAF.

Of course again, other uses of hydrogen are also possible under the control of the other process subprojects.

26

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

2626

Hydrogen steelmaking

The hydrogen needed for prereduction of iron ore does not call for a very high level of purity and therefore can be produced by simpler and cheaper processes than "normal" production, as shown here.

Prereduction can be carried out for example in a series of fluid reactors, like the Finmet process shown here.

The operation has to be adapted to the conditions of reduction by hydrogen, a stronger reducing agent than CO but which requires an energy input to drive the endothermic reaction.

Moreover, because no carbon is present, which is a tremendous opportunity for making ultra-low carbon and low sulfur steels, some original solution to avoid sticking of the iron has to be developed while working at a high-enough temperature to access a sufficiently fast kinetics.

27

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

2727

Electrolysis of Iron Ore

electrolysis for Fe was never seriously investigated in the past, because the price of electricity was too high compared to Cunder a carbon constraint, the price structure of energies may be completely changed in the long termthis is an electricity intensive route (4,5 MWh/t or 16.2 GJ/t)iron theoritically easier to reduce by electrolysis than aluminumor magnesium; the process efficient, energywisethe work underway consists in demonstrating the feasibility at laboratory scale and proposing scale-up solutions for mass-production

The electrolysis of iron ore, subproject 5, was never investigated in depth in the past, because the price of electricity was too high compared to the price of carbon and no application could be easily foreseen for this technology.

Under a carbon constraint, however, the price structure of energies may be completely changed in the long term, with the price of carbon going up and that of carbon-free energy staying level.

Electrolysis is an electricity-intensive route (4.5 MWh/t), but not necessarily an hopelessly energy-intensive one (16.2 GJ/t), if the process is properly optimized.

Moreover, iron is theoretically easier to reduce by electrolysis than aluminum or magnesium, because it is less electronegative, which should help in identifying electrolytes and materials for anodes and cathodes.

The work underway consists in demonstrating the feasibility of the concept first at the laboratory scale and in proposing scale-up solutions for future mass-production.

28

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

2828

Electrolysis of Iron Ore

0

500

1000

1500

2000

Tem

pera

ture

of e

lect

roly

te (°

C)

Aqueous alkaline electrowinning:Irsid’s process

Molten salt electrolysis: analogy with aluminum and titanium (Cambridge process)

Pyroelectrolysis: conditions of steel making + electrolysis

0

50

100

150

200

708090100110120130140

-200 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

curr

ent (

mA

) oxygen (ppm)

time (s)

∆V = 1.5 V

Aqueous acid electroforming: Elofoil, Zn, Cu, Ni electrowinning

There is a whole range of ways of trying to perform the electrolysis of iron ore, from low-temperature to high-temperature solutions.

Low-temperature electrolysis carries out the reduction of iron ions in water solutions obtained by leaching of ores, either in acids or bases.The acid path has been investigated in the past with iron scrap as the iron unit and developed by CRM in Belgium to the point where iron foil could be produced continuously (Elofoil process). The alkaline path was explored by IRSID in the 1970's. Lab experiments have already been set up and small samples of iron produced in Belgium and France.

As the electrolyte, middle-temperature electrolysis uses molten salts, similar to those that the aluminum or the magnesium industries make use of. Samples of iron have also been produced in Norway and in the United Kingdom.

The transposition of the full-light metal electrolysis concept consists in using molten slags as electrolyte and thus of operating at liquid steel temperature. An experimental set up has been built at Arcelor Research and iron effectively reduced as the oxygen production shown in the graph testifies.

29

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

2929

CO2 Capture & Storage (CCS)

Optimization of existing technologies: MEA, PSA & VPSA, cryogenics, membranes to treat "steel mill" flue gas with storage or EOR as a targetEvaluation of the potential of new technologies (lime, clathrates, slag)Estimation of storage capacity and proximity to sources (steel mills)

Sinter strand

Coke plant

Power plant

BF top gas CO, CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2 CO2

CO2 CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2CO2

23%

25%

10%

10%

10%

BOF

stoves

CO2 capture & storage is studied in subproject 6, not to compete with the lively research work carried out in other European programs, but to adapt existing technologies to the particular case of the Steel Mill.

Indeed, an integrated Steel Mill generated CO2 at many smokestack, from the coke oven to the power plant going thru the blast furnace and its hot stoves and various other steelmaking and reheating furnaces.

The subproject is investigating where to capture, what technology to use among existing ones - amine washing, PSA or cryogenics, and where and how the gas can be stored. A few peculiar new concepts, which would fit nicely in the Steel Mill context, lime adsorption, clathrate capture, or mineral capture, are also investigated in an exploratory way.

30

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

3030

Biomass steelmaking

Biomass, if sustainably produced, is the most CO2-lean substitute for fossil carbon.

Subproject 7 studies both dedicated biomass, grown in plantations to produce charcoal from eucalyptus trees, and agricultural waste that cannot be used as foodstuff. The charcoal route would make use of small blast furnaces, as is already done in Brazil, but we are looking at how to use this charcoal in the larger blast furnaces that we operate in the European Steel Industry.

Agricultural waste would probably need to be transformed into bio-fuel or bio-gas before going into the Steel Industry.

The subproject investigates the complex issue of physical carbon balances in a full ecosystem, estimates the availability of land for growing energy-crops and studies the logistical issues related to bringing this fuel to the Steel Mill.

The preliminary answers that we are collecting now paint a rather surprising picture in terms of the positive potential of this route.

31

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

3131

Electricity-intensive steelmaking

Fuel gas Injection

Valve, tightness(presse étoupe)

torch

Fuel gas Injection

Valve, tightness(presse étoupe)

torch

A

M

B

A1

M1

B1

R1S1T1

R2S2T2

X1X2

Y1Y2

Shaft gas 1.5 MW, 900 °C,

3,800 Nm3/h

Tuyere gas 15 MW, 3500 °C,

6,300 Nm3/h

The last technical subproject investigates the intensive use of carbon-lean electricity to substitute for fossil carbon.

The concept is developed for the case of the top-gas recycling Blast Furnace, where external energy input is needed, which can be provided as electricity or oxygen (and some carbon).

At tuyere level, high temperature and high energy would have to be transmitted to the injected gas. This can be accomplished by using plasma torches, of a much larger dimension (15 MW) than the ones that were used in industrial blast furnaces in the 1980s. Developing these torches in the context of a blast furnace is under way.with the design shown here and by using some new high-power electronic supplies shown there.

At shaft level, where the energy input is less, either smaller torches or induction-heated tubes can be used to heat up the gas.

32

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

3232

Flow-sheeting of various routesComparison of CO2 emissions and energy mapsLCA analysisEvaluation of local impactsSustainability indicatorsCost comparisonScenarios for middle (2015) & long term (2030)

Process route evaluation

The evaluation and comparison of these various routes and technologies is a complex task to which a specific subproject, number 9, is dedicated.

Its ambition is to evaluate the routes from a technical, economic, environmental and societal standpoint and to do it in the long-term perspective of the post-Kyoto period, with two time horizons, 2015 and 2030. This calls for a variety of tools from flow-sheeting of the various routes, calculation of CO2 emissions and of energy needs, LCA analysis, evaluation of local impacts, estimation of sustainability indicators and cost evaluations.

Models are being set up and developed to assess these matters onconceptual new steelmaking routes. Roughly 2/3 of the tools have already been developed!

33

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

3333

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Baseli

ne B

F

BFbis : m

inimum

sequ

estra

tion

BFter : m

axim

um se

ques

tratio

n

BF gas r

ecyc

ling &

O2 in

jectio

n

BF gas r

ecyc

ling &

plasm

a

CCF - Corus

Tecnore

d Pilot

Tecnore

d optim

ised

Hismelt

RHF + EAF

Corex B

ench

mark

Corex &

top g

az re

cyclin

g

Corex &

Midrex

& Con

arc

Jupit

er co

al

Jupit

er pla

sma

Baseli

ne E

AF

Baseli

ne D

RI + EAF

EAF H2 D

RI (elec

trical

heati

ng)

EAF H2 D

RI (natur

al gas

heati

ng)

Ore slu

rry elec

trolys

is & E

AF

Electro

foil

Molten

bath el

ectro

lysis

Biomas

ss

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Baseline Blast Furnace

50% of Baseline BF

CO2 emissions (kg/t liquid steel) Energy GJ/tls

90 g CO2/kWH

Process route evaluation

We have not got the answers yet of course, but I would like to share the results of a preliminary study, carried out prior to the start of the ULCOS program and summarized in this diagram.

It shows on the bar graph, left-hand side axis, the CO2 emissions of most of the route under investigation in this program, as well as the energy needs on on the solid line, right-hand side axis. While energy is hard to bring down much below the very efficient benchmark blast furnace of today, CO2 emissions could indeed potentially be cut by a factor of 2 or more by some of technologies that we are investigating.

34

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

3434

Outline




We may have a few minutes left to look further into the future and to share with you some of the concepts under discussion today, as a follow-up of the present ULCOS program and which would fit into the Steel Technology Platform and meet its ambition.

35

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

3535

Longer term programs…

ULCOS


Project Management

ULCOS – 6FP


ULCOS – RFCSSP1 -New Blast Furnace








SP10-New C-based Steel production




SP14-ULCOS-Process


Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

ULCOSULCOS


Project Management

ULCOS – 6FPULCOS – 6FP


ULCOS – RFCSULCOS – RFCSSP1 -New Blast Furnace








SP1 -New Blast Furnace








SP10-New C-based Steel productionSP10-New C-based Steel production







SP14-ULCOS-Process


SP14-ULCOS-Process


Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Scenarios, sustainablity, formation & dissemination

Project Management

Final projects

ULCOS – 7FP

Scale-up and demonstration – 5 years

ULCOS


Project Management

Final projects

ULCOS – 7FP



Project Management


Project Management

Final projects

ULCOS – 7FP


ULCOS

Full-size industrial first ULCOS production plant

Technology deployment

The first one deals with the follow-up of the present ULCOS program.

In 2009, we should be ready to launch into a large-scale demonstration of the ULCOS technologies. The purpose would be to scale up one or two or our selected process routes, build pilot plants and run them in campaigns of several months in order to verify their robustness and confirm their operating data. This would still qualify as development and we have tentatively mentioned the 7th Framework program in connection with this new step, that we call ULCOS-2. It could also take the form of a JTI.

This should lead to the first demonstration plant, a full commercial venture, and then to the deployment of the technology.

The timescale is such that we would be in a position to meet the post-Kyoto targets in Europe and outside of Europe, if all goes well in this long-term process, at the time-scale of a generation, and if we are a bit lucky…

36

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

3636

New Energy…

ULCOS SteelmillIntegration of energy, H2 & Steel production

Conventional Integrated Steelmill

Everything that we have said until now is focused on re-inventing the core technologies of steel production within a timeframe that fits the tight post-Kyoto schedule.

Other industrial sectors are also working with this long-term in mind and the technologies that they will themselves develop will also come of age at the same time horizon. This will probably be true of the energy sector.

The ULCOS concept leaves us, the Steel Industry, with an energy deficit compared to our present integrated mills, as our strategy is focused on CO2 mitigation. In our present concept, we will be importing energy from carbon-lean sources.

But this is straying away from the Steel traditional role of being energy self-sufficient. We should probably, therefore, think in terms of further integrating the new technologies on which the energy sector will depend in the future and our own.

This is food for thought for the future ULCOS Steel Industry, but probably something that ought to be explored now.

There are indeed many interesting paths to follow to integrate 4th

generation high-temperature nuclear reactors with high temperature chemistry and metallurgy, to produce hydrogen and steel at the same time as electricity. The same is true of solar energy and probably of other more advanced concepts.

This is material for very forward looking projects that would continue and build upon what we are doing today.

37

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

3737

Outline




It is time now to conclude birefly.

38

22 A

pril

2005

Brux

elle

s, S

teel

Tec

hnol

ogy

Plat

form

Inf

oday

s

3838

Conclusions?

ULCOS, the initial subject of this talk, is moving on briskly. The 48 organizations are bustling with activity filled with the pleasure of starting up a new long term and ambitious program.Some difficult deadlines are waiting for us, when we shall have to weed out the less promising concepts that we presently investigating in favor of a more limited set of realistic ones.We need the talent of the participants and a bit of luck to meet all of our targets in 2009. But if we do, as we ought to, we have a roadmap for stepping into post-Kyoto future and meeting the other challenges that are looming ahead.

ULCOS, the initial subject of this talk, is moving on briskly. The 48 organizations are bustling with activity, filled with the pleasure of starting up a new long-term and ambitious program.

Some difficult deadlines are waiting for us, when we shall have to weed out the less promising concepts that we are presently investigating in favor of a more limited set of fully realistic ones.

We also need the talent of the project participants and a bit of luck to meet all of our targets in 2009.

But if we do, as we ought to, we have a roadmap for stepping into the post-Kyoto future and for meeting the other challenges that are looming ahead.

The ULCOS program (Ultra Low CO2 Steelmaking)kemco.or.kr/up_load/blog/ULCOS_Infodays_print.pdf ·...

Documents

Transcript of The ULCOS program (Ultra Low CO2 Steelmaking)kemco.or.kr/up_load/blog/ULCOS_Infodays_print.pdf ·...