Novel adaptation for existing blast furnaces could reduce steelmaking emissions by 90%

Credit: Scanrail Birmingham researchers have devised a -closed loop- carbon recycling system that could radically reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the steelmaking industry Researchers from the University of Birmingham have designed a novel adaptation for existing iron and steel furnaces that could reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from the steelmaking industry by nearly 90%. This radical reduction is achieved through a 'closed loop' carbon recycling system, which could replace 90% of the coke typically used in current blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace systems and produces oxygen as a biproduct. Devised by Professor Yulong Ding and Dr Harriet Kildahl from the University of Birmingham's School of Chemical Engineering , the system is detailed in a paper published in the Journal of Cleaner Production , which shows that if implemented in the UK alone, it could deliver cost savings of £1.28 billion in 5 years while reducing overall UK emissions by 2. Professor Ding said: "Current proposals for decarbonising the steel sector rely on phasing out existing plants and introducing electric arc furnaces powered by renewable electricity. However, an electric arc furnace plant can cost over £1 billion to build, which makes this switch economically unfeasible in the time remaining to meet the Paris Climate Agreement. The system we are proposing can be retrofitted to existing plants, which reduces the risk of stranded assets, and both the reduction in CO₂, and the cost savings, are seen immediately." Most of the world's steel is produced via blast furnaces which produce iron from iron ore and basic oxygen furnaces which turn that iron into steel.