scholarly journals Energy Intensity of Steel Manufactured Utilising EAF Technology as a Function of Investments Made: The Case of the Steel Industry in Poland

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 5152
Author(s):  
Bożena Gajdzik ◽  
Włodzimierz Sroka ◽  
Jolita Vveinhardt

The production of steel in the world is dominated by two types of technologies: BF + BOF (the blast furnace and basic oxygen furnace, also known as integrated steel plants) and EAF (the electric arc furnace). The BF + BOF process uses a lot of natural resources (iron ore is a feedstock for steel production) and fossil fuels. As a result, these steel mills have a significantly negative impact on the environment. In turn, EAF technology is characterised by very low direct emissions and very high indirect emissions. The raw material for steel production is steel scrap, the processing of which is highly energy-consuming. This paper analyses the energy intensity of steel production in Poland as a function of investments made in the steel industry in the years 2000–2019. Statistical data on steel production in the EAF process in Poland (which represents an approximately 50% share of the steel produced, as the rest is produced utilising the BF + BOF process) was used. Slight fluctuations are caused by the periodic switching of technology for economic or technical reasons. The hypothesis stating that there is a relationship between the volume of steel production utilising the EAF process and the energy consumption of the process, which is influenced by investments, was formulated. Econometric modelling was used as the research method and three models were constructed: (1) a two-factor power model; (2) a linear two-factor model; and (3) a linear one-factor model. Our findings show that the correlation is negative, that is, along with the increase in technological investments in electric steel plants in Poland, a decrease in the energy consumption of steel produced in electric furnaces was noted during the analysed period.

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (21) ◽  
pp. 7395
Author(s):  
Francesco Facchini ◽  
Giorgio Mossa ◽  
Giovanni Mummolo ◽  
Micaela Vitti

The steelmaking processes are considered extremely energy-intensive and carbon-dependent processes. In 2018, it was estimated that the emissions from global steel production represented 7–9% of direct emissions generated by fossil fuels. It was estimated that a specific emissions value of 1.8 tCO2 per ton of steel was produced due to the carbon-dependent nature of the traditional blast furnace and basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) route. Therefore, it is necessary to find an alternative solution to the BF-BOF route for steel production to counteract this negative trend, resulting in being sustainable from an environmental and economic point of view. To this concern, the objective of this work consists of developing a total cost function to assess the economic convenience of steelmaking processes considering the variability of specific market conditions (i.e., iron ore price, scraps price, energy cost, etc.). To this purpose, a direct reduction (DR) process fueled with natural gas (NG) to feed an electric arc furnace (EAF) using recycled steel scrap was considered. The approach introduced is totally new; it enables practitioners, managers, and experts to conduct a preliminary economic assessment of innovative steelmaking solutions under market uncertainty. A numerical simulation has been conducted to evaluate the profitability of the investment considering the economic and environmental costs. It emerged that the investment is profitable in any case from an economic perspective. On the contrary, considering the environmental costs, the profitability of the investment is not guaranteed under certain circumstances.


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 291-306
Author(s):  
Yanni Xuan ◽  
Qiang Yue

AbstractEconomic development has contributed to the rapid expansion of China's steel industry during the past two decades, which has resulted in numerous problems including increased energy consumption and excessive environmental pollution. This study examines changes in crude steel production, steel scrap consumption, energy consumption, CO2emissions and steel stocks per capita from 2000 to 2014. Scenario analysis based on QGT equation is provided to accurately assess China's steel demand. Under three different scenarios, the peak of steel production and the variation trend of energy consumption, CO2emissions, steel stocks per capita and steel scrap are analyzed from 2010 to 2030. Based on Chinese situation, the most reasonable variation trend of China's steel production is proposed, which will increase from 626.7 Mt in 2010 to approximately 914 Mt in 2020, then gradually decrease to about 870 Mt in 2030. Steel stocks per capita will increase from 3.8 t/cap in 2010 to 8.09 t/cap in 2020 (the inferior limit of completing industrialization), then reach 11.46 t/cap in 2030 and stabilize. The peaks of energy consumption and CO2emissions in steel industry are expected to reach 505.37 Mtce and 1444.1 Mt in 2020, respectively. The scrap ratio is expected to reach 0.36 by 2030, when steel scrap resources will be relatively sufficient. This paper can provide corresponding theoretical basis for the government to make decision-making of macro-control.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Sovian Aritonang ◽  
Jupriyanto Jupriyanto ◽  
Riyadi Juhana

<p>The number of iron sand reserves is mostly spread in the coastal waters of Indonesia, from the coast of Sumatra, the southern of Java to Bali, the beaches of Sulawesi, beaches in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), and the northern coast of Papua. Total reserves for ore are 173,810,612 tons and metal as much as 25,412,652.62 tons. But its utilization was not optimal because PT. Krakatau Steel, and PT. Krakatau Posco has produced steel plates only 24,000 to 36,000 tons per year. While the need for steel plates for the shipping industry each year requires 900,000 tons per year. With the need for raw material for steel plates in the form of iron sponges with Fe ≥ 60%, PT. Krakatau Steel is still imported from abroad. The proof is PT. Krakatau Steel before and during the year 2000 still imported Iron Ore Pellets from the countries of Sweden, Chille and Brazil for 3,500,000 tons per year. This condition is the cause of the national steel industry unable to compete with the foreign steel industry because imported raw materials are subject to import duties. This is an opportunity to build a steel raw material company because all this time the steel raw material industry in Indonesia has only two companies. This condition encourages the manufacture of iron sponges, with the process of making iron sponges with technology adapted to installed production capacity. This study analysed the manufacture of iron sponges using Cipatujah iron sand, as raw material for the manufacture of iron sponges, with the results obtained in the form of iron sponges with the highest levels of Fe ≥60.44%. This can be used for the purposes of raw materials for steel making PT. Krakatau Steel (PT. KS), because so far PT. KS claims that Fe &lt;60% local sponge iron products. This can encourage the independence of steel raw materials, which impacts on the independence of the defence industry. But the government must also protect and prioritize steel raw materials for national production for national steel production. With the national government steel industry, the consortium of vendors supplying raw material (iron sponge) to maintain the quality and supply of continuous sponge iron.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: iron sand, iron pellet, iron sponge</p>


2013 ◽  
Vol 807-809 ◽  
pp. 927-935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Chang ◽  
Hai Lin Mu ◽  
Hua Nan Li

Manufacturing industry is developing fast in China, leading to a large amount of energy consumption and CO2 emission. This paper presents a decomposition analysis of energy-related CO2 emission in manufacturing industry in China for the period of 2001-2011. The complete decomposition method developed by Sun is used to analyze the effect of four factors: CO2 intensity, energy intensity, structure change and economy development. The results show that economy development has the largest positive effect and energy intensity has the most negative impact on CO2 emission of Chinas manufacture industry. While the structure change of manufacturing industrial decreases its CO2 emission to a certain extent and the CO2 intensity increases its CO2 emission slightly, but both of them have large potentials in CO2 reduction.


Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 402
Author(s):  
Marcus Kirschen ◽  
Thomas Hay ◽  
Thomas Echterhof

Steelmaking based on direct reduced iron (DRI, and its compacted derivative hot briquetted iron, HBI) is an anticipated important global alternative to current steel production based on FeOx reduction in blast furnaces due to its lower specific CO2 emission. The majority of DRI is melted and refined in the electric arc furnace with different process conditions compared to the melting of steel scrap due to its raw material composition being rather different. We provide data and analysis of slag composition of DRI charges vs. steel scrap charges for 16 industrial electric arc furnaces (EAFs). Suggestions for optimized slag operation and resulting process improvements of DRI melting in the EAF are given. A dynamic mass and energy model of the DRI melting in the EAF is introduced to illustrate the implications of the adapted slag operation on the EAF process with DRI charges.


Metals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kun He ◽  
Li Wang ◽  
Xiaoyan Li

China produced 49.2% of the world’s total steel production in 2017. From 1990 to 2017, the world’s total steel production increased by 850 Mt, of which 87% came from China. After 30 years of rapid expansion, China’s steel industry is not expected to increase its production in the medium and long term. In fact, the industry is currently in the stage of industrial restructuring, and great changes will arise in production structure and technical level to solve pressing issues, such as overcapacity, high energy intensity (EI), and carbon emission. These changes will directly affect the global energy consumption and carbon emissions. Thus, a review of China’s steel industry is necessary to introduce its current situation and development plan. Therefore, this paper presents an overview of the Chinese steel industry, and factors involved include steel production, production structure, energy consumption, technical level, EI, carbon emission, scrap consumption, etc. In addition, four determinants are analyzed to explain the EI gap between China and the world’s advanced level. In addition, comparison of steel industries between China and the world, development plans for energy savings, and emission reduction are also included in this paper to give readers a clear understanding of China’s steel industry.


Metals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1471
Author(s):  
Katarina Lundkvist ◽  
Sara Rosendahl ◽  
Fredrik Nyman ◽  
Kristofer Bölke ◽  
Lennart Gustavsson ◽  
...  

Integrating novel technology in production systems for the upgrading and further use of residual materials is a potential way of improving the resource efficiency. Assessing technology integration prospects, by performing system analysis, assists in the forecasting of effects and opportunities for different concepts. Based on pilot trials results, using Linde’s OXYFINES technique for upgrading zinc containing blast furnace sludge, a system analysis was performed on the prospects of integrating an OXYFINES concept in an iron and steel production route. The calculations were made based on one option for a full-scale OXYFINES concept for indicating the effects on the blast furnace zinc load, raw material consumption, energy use and carbon dioxide emissions from using the OXYFINES sinter product as a raw material in blast furnace ironmaking or in the basic oxygen furnace steelmaking. The summarised system analysis results showed that the most advantageous metallurgical, environmental, and economic potential was realised in the calculations of using the sinter in the basic oxygen furnace. However, the sinter was found as well suitable for use in the blast furnace when considering mainly the metallurgical and the economic effects.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhinav Bhaskar ◽  
Mohsen Assadi ◽  
Homam Nikpey Somehsaraei

Production of iron and steel releases seven percent of the global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Incremental changes in present primary steel production technologies would not be sufficient to meet the emission reduction targets. Replacing coke, used in the blast furnaces as a reducing agent, with hydrogen produced from water electrolysis has the potential to reduce emissions from iron and steel production substantially. Mass and energy flow model based on an open-source software (Python) has been developed in this work to explore the feasibility of using hydrogen direct reduction of iron ore (HDRI) coupled with electric arc furnace (EAF) for carbon-free steel production. Modeling results show that HDRI-EAF technology could reduce specific emissions from steel production in the EU by more than 35 % , at present grid emission levels (295 kgCO2/MWh). The energy consumption for 1 ton of liquid steel (tls) production through the HDRI-EAF route was found to be 3.72 MWh, which is slightly more than the 3.48 MWh required for steel production through the blast furnace (BF) basic oxygen furnace route (BOF). Pellet making and steel finishing processes have not been considered. Sensitivity analysis revealed that electrolyzer efficiency is the most important factor affecting the system energy consumption, while the grid emission factor is strongly correlated with the overall system emissions.


Author(s):  
Arijit Mukherjee ◽  
Soumendra Nath Basu ◽  
Sayan Paul

The steel industry being highly energy intensive in nature is one the major consumers of energy. The iron and steel industry is the largest energy consuming manufacturing sector in the world. It is therefore that the question of fuel or energy has been of the highest importance in steel making, and one can boldly claim that all other conditions remaining constant, saving or wasting of fuel can make the difference between a profit or a loss of a steel plant. Energy conservation in steel plants is very crucial to ensure the competitiveness of the steel producing industries and to minimise environmental impacts. India's leading iron and steel companies, scored averages at best in Centre for Science and environment green rating test. The Indian iron and steel sector's energy consumption of 6.6 GCal per tonne, is 50 per cent higher than the global best practice. The integrated steel plants in India have the opportunities to strengthen their operations and minimise energy losses and wastages to reduce specific energy consumption by 5-6%. To reduce the gaps between India and developed countries we have to follow the technological advancement and implementation of innovative strategies at every stage of the operation of steel plants. The specific energy consumption in the Indian steel industry is high compared to that in advanced countries. Data for four integrated steel plants in India have been analysed. World crude steel production reached 1.621 million tones (Mt) in 2015. To meet the needs of our growing population, steel use is projected to increase by 1.5 times that of present level by 2050.


Author(s):  
Tamara Bajc ◽  
◽  
Milan Gojak

Almost 50% of final energy consumption in Europe and worldwide is addressed to thermal energy, which is significantly higher than energy needs for electricity for lighting and electrical appliances and for traffic. Building sector takes a significant share (about 40 %) in total primary energy consumption. Limited amounts of fossil fuels, their negative impact on environment, high and unstable prices and import dependency of fuels caused intensive growth and usage of solar thermal energy in the world. Solar heating and cooling are the most important solar sector worldwide, where installed solar system power is about 500 GWth and it is higher than PV system power and also the power of solar thermal plants. Today, according to the total installed collector capacity, China dominates on first place, then Europe, while United States comes right after, according to the SHC Agency data for 2016. With a district solar thermal plant in municipality Pančevo, Republic of Serbia also has its place at a world solar thermal map. This paper presents a review of different sizes, number, installed power and types of solar collectors and other characteristics of built solar thermal systems worldwide. Potential for possible usage of solar thermal system was identified and technological and other challenges and perspectives for future growth in the field of solar thermal energy were discussed.


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