"Achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality is an extensive and profound economic and social systematic change, and a historic revolution in production, consumption, technology, economy and energy system. As the most important upstream industry in the industrial industry, it is also the largest carbon emission industry (accounting for about 16% of China's total carbon emissions), the steel industry should be arranged in advance to provide carbon emission space for other emerging industrial sectors. At present, the goal of carbon peaking in the steel industry is initially set as: achieving carbon peaking by 2025, and reducing carbon emissions by 30% from the peak by 2030." On May 14, Zuo Haibin, professor of Beijing University of Science and Technology and deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of New Technology for Iron and Steel Metallurgy, discussed the path of carbon emission reduction in the steel industry When receiving an exclusive interview with a reporter from China Metallurgy Daily, it was stressed that "China's steel industry is dominated by the long process production model. The blast furnace ironmaking technology has been quite mature through continuous development, and the potential of relying on existing technology to achieve further substantial energy conservation and emission reduction in the steel industry is very limited. Therefore, to achieve carbon peak by 2025, the only way is to break through the existing production model. From the current perspective, hydrogen metallurgy is recognized as a relatively ideal low-carbon metallurgical technology path.
In the interview, he introduced the main low-carbon metallurgical technology projects and research progress at home and abroad to reporters from China Metallurgical Daily, and provided suggestions on how China's steel industry and steel enterprises can take the path of carbon reduction.
Two mainstream low-carbon metallurgical technology paths in the world
"At present, the low-carbon metallurgical technology paths being explored worldwide are mainly divided into two categories. One category is aimed at long-term processes, mainly by injecting hydrogen rich reducing gas into blast furnaces to reduce carbon consumption and achieve carbon dioxide reduction. Currently, countries that are committed to studying this path mainly include China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, etc.; the other category is aimed at short-term processes, mainly involving processes such as MIDREX and HYL/Energiron (two types of gas-based vertical furnace direct reduction processes). Currently, countries that are studying this path mainly include Sweden, Austria, Germany, etc. At the same time, Germany and China are rare countries that consider both low-carbon metallurgical technology research simultaneously." Zuo Haibin introduced. The path and progress of low-carbon metallurgical technology in various countries are summarized in this way.
"The most famous low-carbon metallurgical project in Japan is the COURSE50 project (Japan Environmental Harmony Ironmaking Process Technology Development Project)," said Zuo Haibin. The project was launched in July 2008, with a focus on the development of hydrogen reduction based blast furnace gas separation and carbon dioxide recovery technology. The plan is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by 2030 and promote the widespread application of this technology by 2050. "On this basis, the Japan Iron and Steel Alliance also has an upgraded version - the long-term vision of 'challenging zero carbon steel' with the goal of 2100, which will carry out the super COURSE50 project using hydrogen as raw material.".
The hydrogen rich blast furnace ironmaking technology of Pohang Iron Works in South Korea aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10%. Pohang Iron Works of South Korea plans to develop carbon dioxide emission reduction ironmaking technology from 2018 to 2024. Trials will begin in 2025 through official civilian cooperation, with 2 blast furnaces put into trial operation by 2030 and 12 blast furnaces put into operation by 2040.
Overall, the low-carbon technology path of Asian countries represented by China, Japan, and South Korea is mainly based on the existing long-term production mode, with blast furnace hydrogen rich smelting as the main approach. At the same time, China, Japan, and South Korea are also representatives of the current large-scale blast furnaces, jointly contributing 28 out of 32 blast furnaces with a capacity of 5000 cubic meters or more in the world (9 in China, 11 in Japan, and 8 in South Korea).
"The low-carbon technology path of European countries represented by Sweden and Austria mainly focuses on green hydrogen direct reduction+electric furnace," said Zuo Haibin. The HYBRIT project in Sweden (pilot line for sponge iron production without fossil fuels) is a breakthrough ironmaking technology that uses hydrogen to replace coking coal, coke, or natural gas. The technology plan is to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study from 2018 to 2024, establish a pilot plant for testing, build a demonstration plant from 2025 to 2035, and then achieve commercial use. "If put into use, Sweden's greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 10%, and Finland will be reduced by 7%," he said. At present, the project is in the experimental stage and plans to achieve non fossil energy steelmaking by 2045.
In addition, Austria's H2FUTURE project (CO2 free industrial hydrogen trial plant) adopts the hydrogen direct reduction iron process, aiming to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in steel production by developing hydrogen instead of coke smelting technology, with a plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050.
"At present, Chinese steel companies such as Baowu, Hegang, and Baosteel have clearly released carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, and have designed low-carbon metallurgical technology roadmap. Most steel companies are still observing and choosing opportunities to determine low-carbon metallurgical paths that are suitable for themselves." Zuo Haibin told China Metallurgical Daily reporters.
He believes that steel companies should tailor their low-carbon metallurgical path to their own conditions, local resources, local economic structure, and other factors, as well as comprehensively consider technology costs, energy consumption, carbon emissions, and other aspects. "No matter which technological path is adopted, the combination of carbon dioxide capture, storage, and utilization (CCUS) technology for gas removal and recycling is indispensable," emphasized Zuo Haibin.