Green LD (BOF) Steelmaking—Reduced CO<sub>2</sub> Emissions via Increased Scrap Rate

The basic oxygen furnace (BOF) is the dominating primary steelmaking process. It is an autothermal process where hot metal and scrap are used as charging materials. The decarbonization and transformation of integrated BOF steelmaking will be the most important challenge in the coming years. Steel sc...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bernhard Voraberger, Gerald Wimmer, Uxia Dieguez Salgado, Erich Wimmer, Krzysztof Pastucha, Alexander Fleischanderl
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-03-01
Series:Metals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/12/3/466
Description
Summary:The basic oxygen furnace (BOF) is the dominating primary steelmaking process. It is an autothermal process where hot metal and scrap are used as charging materials. The decarbonization and transformation of integrated BOF steelmaking will be the most important challenge in the coming years. Steel scrap is a charge material without new CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, whose availability is expected to grow significantly and will play a key role in this decarbonization process. Several solutions have been developed by Primetals Technologies to provide additional energy for processing higher scrap rates in integrated BOF steelmaking. Such solutions include simple upgrade packages installed on existing converters such as process models for heat optimization, post-combustion, and scrap preheating lances. For higher scrap rates from 30% to 50%, a combination blowing converter and JET converter is required to provide sufficient mixing during scrap melting and the highest heat transfer from the increased post-combustion. Hybrid EAF–BOF operation and limitations regarding scrap quality also need to be considered for the transformation of steelmaking. Scrap sorting and processing can be a solution to reduce residual levels in crude steel for high scrap rates. Based on reference plant data, the CO<sub>2</sub> reduction potential of the presented solution versus the effort and complexity of implementation is compared.
ISSN:2075-4701