CO2 Minimization in Blast Furnace and Development of a CCS Scheme: A Novel Approach to CO2 Capture and Sequestration

There is a worldwide concern in the increase of emission of greenhouse gases such as: CO2, CH4, N2O, CFCs etc. in the atmosphere which have a potential for global warming and global climate change. CO2 is by far the largest contributor to the greenhouse effect among the various emitted gases. Carbon Capture and Storage or Sequestration (CCS) scheme is receiving considerable attention, as a vital tool for reducing the emerging rate of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. On a global basis, the various industrial sectors account for approximately 25% of the anthropogenic CO2 emission in which iron and steel sector contributes the most (30%). The conventional Blast furnace route is found to be more vulnerable to CO2 emissions. The present work examines the stages of a CCS scheme for an integrated iron and steel plant, commencing from the source identification of emitted CO2 (i.e. Blast Furnace system), modifying its operational conditions so as to minimize the CO2 emission rate from the system, and finally to capture with safe disposal or sequestration of CO2. A novel hybrid sequestration technique (oceanic as well as mineralogical) has been discussed in this work.

Soumavo Paul holds M.Tech in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. His Masters project was on Blast Furnace Modeling for CO2 Intensity Reduction and Development of a CCS Scheme for which he received Dr. A. K. Bose Gold Medal in 2012.He is currently serving an Indian Steel Company as Deputy Manager.