Decarbonisation Options for Steel Production Heating and Reheating Furnaces

CHALLENGE

• Most heating and reheating furnaces in the steel industry are fired by gas containing a high proportion of hydrocarbons which produce CO₂ when burned. Commonly used gases include natural gas (methane), coke oven gas, blast furnace gas, BOS gas and propane.
• Changing from gas, coal or oil-fired heat sources to alternative fuels and electrical heating would result in a process that reduces in carbon intensity which is vital for the path to net zero.

The client wanted to assess various decarbonisation options in terms of their suitability, efficiency and applicability for heating and reheating processes.

PROJECT ACTIVITES

We supported the client through a full technical programme that reviewed and assessed the effectiveness of electric heating, hybrid heating and hydrogen heating technologies.

• Assessed the effectiveness of various identified decarbonisation options and evaluated the possibilities of switching to those technologies while also referencing the potential suppliers of those technologies.
• Provided a ready-made tool for assessing the efficacy and proof of concept of the new technologies as replacement for traditional fuels.

PROJECT OUTCOMES

• A detailed report was submitted to the client highlighting the available decarbonisation options, including:
• Improving the efficiency of gas fired furnaces
• Switching to hydrogen furnaces
• Diverting to electrically fired furnaces
• Various forms of electrical heating that are suitable for the applications were outlined, and the concept of hybrid reheating was explained.
• Details about the option of using hydrogen fuelled furnaces were outlined, with emphasis on the combustion properties, refractory and HSE considerations

RECOMMENDATIONS

The project successfully provided the following solutions to decarbonise the heating and reheating processes:

• Switching to electric heating, flameless oxyfuel combustion.
• Converting to hydrogen as a fuel in reheat furnaces