Integrating a Top-Gas Recycling and CO<sub>2</sub> Electrolysis Process for H<sub>2</sub>-Rich Gas Injection and Reduce CO<sub>2</sub> Emissions from an Ironmaking Blast Furnace

oleh: Yichao Hu, Yinxuan Qiu, Jian Chen, Liangyuan Hao, Thomas Edward Rufford, Victor Rudolph, Geoff Wang

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2022-03-01

Deskripsi

Introducing CO<sub>2</sub> electrochemical conversion technology to the iron-making blast furnace not only reduces CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, but also produces H<sub>2</sub> as a byproduct that can be used as an auxiliary reductant to further decrease carbon consumption and emissions. With adequate H<sub>2</sub> supply to the blast furnace, the injection of H<sub>2</sub> is limited because of the disadvantageous thermodynamic characteristics of the H<sub>2</sub> reduction reaction in the blast furnace. This paper presents thermodynamic analysis of H<sub>2</sub> behaviour at different stages with the thermal requirement consideration of an iron-making blast furnace. The effect of injecting CO<sub>2</sub> lean top gas and CO<sub>2</sub> conversion products H<sub>2</sub>–CO gas through the raceway and/or shaft tuyeres are investigated under different operating conditions. H<sub>2</sub> utilisation efficiency and corresponding injection volume are studied by considering different reduction stages. The relationship between H<sub>2</sub> injection and coke rate is established. Injecting 7.9–10.9 m<sup>3</sup>/tHM of H<sub>2</sub> saved 1 kg/tHM coke rate, depending on injection position. Compared with the traditional blast furnace, injecting 80 m<sup>3</sup>/tHM of H<sub>2</sub> with a medium oxygen enrichment rate (9%) and integrating CO<sub>2</sub> capture and conversion reduces CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from 534 to 278 m<sup>3</sup>/tHM. However, increasing the hydrogen injection amount causes this iron-making process to consume more energy than a traditional blast furnace does.