(EECR-64)Biofuel Ironmaking Strategy from a Canadian Perspective: Short-Term Potential and Long-Term Outlook

摘要

The Canadian iron and steel industrythrough the Canadian Carbonization ResearchAssociation has explored the potential of usingrenewable bio-carbon to mitigate the environmentalimpact of its manufacturing processes. In this paper,research progress accomplished in the preparation andanticipation for industrial implementation and utilizationof bio-carbon in the area of iron and steelmaking isdiscussed.In the short term, bio-carbon can be used forsubstituting pulverized coal injection (PCI) and forpartially replacing coal during cokemaking. Theseapproaches, not requiring major modification of theexisting processes, can be implemented in the nearfuture. Model calculations have shown thatreplacement of PCI with charcoal injection can reducethe GHG emission in Canadian blast furnaces from13.7 to 10.5 Mt/year, or 23.5%. Experimental work hasalso demonstrated that charcoal is a suitable fuel fordirect injection. In bio-cokemaking, pilot-scale cokeoven trials have indicated that coal replacement by finecharcoal (< 0.5 mm) up to 5% in a coal blend does notaffect the cold strength (stability and hardness) of theresultant coke.In the long term, a bio-ironmaking process based solelyon bio-carbon will be developed. To prepare for thislong-term initiative, analysis from a carbon life cycleperspective was performed. It was concluded thatsuccessful implementation of bio-ironmaking couldreduce GHG emission associated with ironmaking by96% from 12.1 Mt/yr to 0.48 Mt/yr. The challenges andobstacles for industrial implementation of bioironmakingwere also identified.