What is the path of carbon emission reduction in my country's steel industry? ——Interview with Zuo Haibin, professor of University of Science and Technology Beijing and deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of New Technology of Iron and Steel Metallurgy
Trainee reporter Zhao Ping, reporter Luo Zhonghe, Misa
"Achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality is a broad and profound economic and social systemic change, and a historic revolution in production, consumption, technology, economy and energy systems. As the most important upstream industry in the industrial industry, At the same time, it is also the largest carbon emission industry (about 16% of China's total carbon emissions). The steel industry should be deployed in advance to provide carbon emission space for other emerging industrial sectors. At present, the steel industry's carbon peak target is initially set as: 2025 To achieve the peak of carbon before, 2030 carbon emissions will be reduced by 30% from the peak." On May 14, Zuo Haibin, a professor at the University of Science and Technology Beijing and deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of New Technology of Iron and Steel Metallurgy, accepted the issue of carbon emission reduction path in the steel industry. The reporter of "China Metallurgical News" emphasized this in an interview: "China's steel industry is dominated by long-process production models. The blast furnace ironmaking technology has become quite mature after continuous development. The potential for further substantial energy-saving and emission reduction in the steel industry by relying on existing technology is very high. Limited. Therefore, in order to achieve the peak of carbon by 2025, the only way to break through the existing production model. From the current point of view, 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 the reporter of China Metallurgical News, and made suggestions on how to take the road of carbon emission reduction in my country's steel industry and steel enterprises.
The world's two mainstream low-carbon metallurgical technology paths
“At present, the low-carbon metallurgical technology paths being explored worldwide are mainly divided into two categories. One is for long processes, mainly by injecting hydrogen-rich reducing gas into the blast furnace to reduce carbon consumption, thereby achieving carbon dioxide emission reduction. At present, the countries that are committed to studying this path are mainly China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, etc.; the other is for short processes, and the processes involved mainly include MIDREX, HYL/Energiron (two gas-based shaft furnace direct reduction processes), etc., Countries that are currently studying this path are mainly Sweden, Austria, Germany, etc. At the same time, Germany and China are rare countries where two low-carbon metallurgical technology researches take into account at the same time." Zuo Haibin is introducing the low-carbon metallurgical technology paths of various countries. The progress is summarized in this way.
"Japan's most famous low-carbon metallurgy project is the COURSE50 project (Japan's environmentally harmonious ironmaking process technology development project)." Zuo Haibin said. The project was launched in July 2008, focusing on the research and development of blast furnace gas separation and carbon dioxide recovery technology based on hydrogen reduction. It plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30% in 2030 and make this technology popular in 2050. "On this basis, the Japan Iron and Steel Alliance has an upgraded version-the long-term vision of'challenging zero carbon steel' with the goal of 2100, and will carry out the super COURSE50 project with hydrogen as the raw material." He introduced.
The hydrogen-rich blast furnace ironmaking technology of South Korea's POSCO aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10%. South Korea's POSCO plans to develop carbon dioxide emission reduction ironmaking technology from 2018 to 2024. It will start trials through government-civilian cooperation in 2025, and put two blast furnaces into trial operation by 2030 and 12 blast furnaces by 2040.
Generally speaking, the low-carbon technology path of Asian countries represented by China, Japan and South Korea is mainly based on the existing long-process production model, mainly based on blast furnace hydrogen-rich smelting. At the same time, China, Japan and South Korea are also representatives of the current large-scale blast furnaces, jointly contributing 28 of the world's 32 blast furnaces of 5000 cubic meters and above (9 in China, 11 in Japan, and 8 in South Korea).
"The low-carbon technology path of European countries represented by Sweden and Austria is mainly green hydrogen direct reduction + electric furnace." Zuo Haibin introduced. The Swedish HYBRIT project (a pilot plant for production of non-fossil-fuel sponge iron) is a breakthrough ironmaking technology that uses hydrogen to replace coking coal, coke or natural gas. The technology plans to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study from 2018 to 2024, and establish a pilot plant for testing, and build a demonstration plant from 2025 to 2035, and then realize commercial use. "If it is 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 it is planned to realize non-fossil energy steelmaking by 2045.
In addition, Austria’s H2FUTURE project (carbon dioxide-free industrial hydrogen trial production plant) uses hydrogen direct reduction iron technology, aiming to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the steel production process through research and development of hydrogen instead of coke smelting technology, and plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050 the amount.
The German low-carbon technology path takes into account both blast furnace hydrogen-rich smelting and direct reduction of green hydrogen. According to Zuo Haibin, in terms of long processes, the Carbon2Chem project (using steel-making tail gas to synthesize chemical products) initiated by the German ThyssenKrupp Group can convert waste gas into chemical product raw materials, and carbon dioxide will no longer be emitted into the air. On November 11, 2019, the German ThyssenKrupp Group conducted a hydrogen injection test at the Duisburg No. 9 blast furnace (with a daily production of 4,600 tons of molten iron). The first phase of the test has been successfully completed and good applications have been achieved. effect. The company plans to focus on the impact of hydrogen injection on the blast furnace smelting process during the second phase of the test. The scope of hydrogen injection will be expanded from the original one tuyere to all 28 tuyere in the No. 9 blast furnace. However, due to the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the second phase of the test plan was postponed to 2022. In August 2020, Germany Dillingen Steel and Germany Saar Steel invested 14 million euros in the blast furnace injection coke oven gas test. They have the ability to use hydrogen for blast furnace smelting within the scope of technology, and plan to reduce 40% by 2035. % Of carbon emissions. In terms of short processes, the most representative low-carbon smelting project in Germany is the SALCOS project (Salzgitter Green Hydrogen Project), which aims to produce steel through the use of green hydrogen and biomethane. The main principle is hydrogen production by wind power + direct reduction. .
my country's steel companies choose low-carbon metallurgical technology path demand tailored
"In terms of low-carbon metallurgy, although my country started late and is basically at the exploratory stage, it generally stands on the same starting line as foreign countries." Zuo Haibin believes.
He introduced that my country’s steel industry currently mainly adopts the “walking on two legs” approach in reducing carbon emissions.
In terms of long processes, China Baowu has established the world's largest 400 cubic meter oxygen blast furnace industrial test base in Bayi Iron and Steel, and plans to build the blast furnace into the world's first low-carbon metallurgical research platform in the future. As one of the core experts participating in the Baowu Hydrogen-rich Carbon Cycle Blast Furnace test project in China, Zuo Haibin introduced the project to a reporter from China Metallurgical News. The project has now completed the first phase of the task, achieving the 35% oxygen-enriched smelting target, reaching the oxygen-enriched limit of the traditional blast furnace; the second phase of the project is currently under construction, and the goal is to use carbon dioxide removal technology to open up the gas cycle and achieve 50% % Ultra-high oxygen-enriched smelting test; the third phase plans to complete the oxygen-rich smelting test and carry out the hydrogen-rich metallurgical industry test. The ultimate goal is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30%.
In terms of short process, the world's first 1.2 million tons of hydrogen metallurgical project in cooperation with Italy Tenova-HBIS Xuangang Hydrogen Energy Development and Utilization Project Demonstration Project started construction on May 10 this year. The project makes full use of the advantages of the national-level renewable energy demonstration zone in Zhangjiakou, Hebei, to create a scalable and replicable zero-carbon hydrogen production and an innovative development model that complements the development of the hydrogen energy industry. The annual carbon reduction is expected to reach 60%. The hydrogen-based smelting reduction method high-purity cast pig iron project of Jianlong Group Inner Mongolia Saisipu Technology Co., Ltd. was successfully tapped on April 13 this year and successfully completed the transformation. On December 20, 2020, Shanxi Zhongjin Taihang Mining's 300,000-ton/year hydrogen-based reduced iron project began a hot test. The test work of the Jiugang Hongxing Coal-based Hydrogen Metallurgy Pilot Plant is currently progressing smoothly. In addition, Rizhao Iron and Steel, Zhanjiang Iron and Steel, etc. are also actively deploying hydrogen metallurgical projects.
"At present, China's Baowu, Hegang, Baotou Steel and other steel companies have clearly issued carbon peak and carbon neutral targets, and have designed a low-carbon metallurgical technology road map (pictured). Most steel companies are still waiting to see and choosing opportunities Determine the low-carbon metallurgical path that suits you." Zuo Haibin told a reporter from China Metallurgical News.
He believes that when steel companies choose a low-carbon metallurgical path, they must be tailored, not only considering factors such as their own conditions, local resources, and local economic structure, but also comprehensively considering technical costs, energy consumption, and carbon emissions. "No matter which technology path is adopted, the combination of carbon dioxide removal and recycling of coal gas combined with CCUS (carbon dioxide capture, storage, and utilization) technology is inevitable." Zuo Haibin emphasized.
At present, my country’s steel industry has mature preliminary emission reduction technologies, many options, and low costs. Although some steel companies still have at least 5% to 10% potential for energy conservation and emission reduction, in general, traditional energy conservation and emission reduction The platoon is almost close to the barrier. Therefore, in order to further reduce emissions, more thorough decarbonization technologies, such as CCUS technology and hydrogen smelting technology, must be adopted. At present, the development and application of these technologies are facing many difficulties, such as the high cost of infrastructure construction; if the hydrogen smelting technology uses carbon-based raw materials to produce hydrogen, it cannot significantly reduce carbon emissions, and if it uses electrolyzed water to produce hydrogen, it depends on Zero-carbon electricity; technology for separation, storage and utilization of carbon dioxide is costly and immature, etc.
Zuo Haibin said that my country’s steel industry will face huge challenges in achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality. He believes that, based on carbon emission reduction, China's market area and demand differences, the technology path of direct reduction + electric furnace will develop rapidly in the future, but the specific proportion should be dynamically determined according to market conditions. As my country's iron and steel industry accounts for nearly 90% of long-term processes, the future low-carbon technology path will be based on the existing long-term processes, and blast furnace hydrogen-rich smelting will surely become the focus of technological research in my country's iron and steel industry in the future.
At the same time, Zuo Haibin looked forward to the future layout of Chinese steel mills. He believes that in order to achieve carbon emission reduction in the steel industry, large-scale steel complexes based on the long blast furnace-converter process (carbon dioxide emissions per ton of steel: 1.8 tons to 2 tons) and plate production will be deployed in coastal areas; to produce long products for construction The main all-scrap short-process steel enterprises (0.4 tons to 0.6 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per ton of steel) will be deployed around the city to achieve a harmonious symbiosis with the city by consuming social waste such as scrap steel, waste electricity, and urban reclaimed water. In addition, hydrogen-rich/green hydrogen direct reduced iron can be used as a supplement to the shortage of scrap steel sources, and can also be used as metallized charge for blast furnaces, thereby reducing carbon emissions from blast furnaces.
Editor: Yang Kai Source: China Steel News Network
Post time: Jul-05-2021