Economic and environmental analyses of biomass torrefaction for injection as pulverized material in blast furnaces.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Biomass was the first material used as a fuel by humanity, being replaced by fossil
fuels after the industrial revolution. With the growing of environment discursions and
the effects of CO2
emissions, biomass has been gaining strength as a potential alterna-
tive to fossil fuels, especially for steelmaking, which is responsible for about 5 to 10%
of all CO2
emitted. It is known that biomass, compared to fossil fossils, has a higher
volatile content, high moisture and lower calorific value. On the other hand, it has a
higher hydrogen content and lower sulfur content (important for the steel industry), in
addition it is considered neutral in CO2
emissions. Torrefaction, heating biomass at a
temperature between 200-280°C in an oxygen free atmosphere, is an interesting treat-
ment to adapt biomasses for use in the steelmaking processes, mainly in the pulverized
material injection into the blast furnace. PCI is an extremely important process for the
production of iron in the blast furnace, due to its ability to reduce coke consumption
and optimize the operation of the reactor. This article comes with the purpose of pre-
senting a bibliographic review about PCI technique, torrefaction process, biomasses
and its applicability in the steel industry. In addition, an economic and environmental
analysis of the possible use of biomass in steelmaking processes will be presented.
Results shows that the use of torrefied biomass in the injection process is interesting,
generating savings of 10 dollars and reduction of 264kg in CO2
emissions per ton of
hot metal, with a replacement of 50% of the coal used by biomass.
Description
Keywords
Iron production, Steelmaking
Citation
CAMPOS, A. M. A. et al. Economic and environmental analyses of biomass torrefaction for injection as pulverized material in blast furnaces. REM - International Engineering Journal, Ouro Preto, v. 74, p. 471-482, out./dez. 2021. Disponível em: <https://www.scielo.br/j/remi/a/pzp7kjsGs3bfrP6RTMMkqXp/>. Acesso em: 29 abr. 2022.