CO2 Minimization in Blast Furnace and Development of a CCS Scheme

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.