Comparison of Blast Furnace Operation Modes in the World

Abstract

The blast furnace (BF) is the dominant metallic product supplier for crude steel production worldwide. This process has reached an extreme high technological standard with large efficiency and low reductant rates. Independently from the fact that the BF process has nearly achieved the theoretical minimum in energy consumption, it enables the operators a wide range of operation modes with a high flexibility. This varies depending on regional and other circumstances in manifold possibilities regarding ferrous burden structure, reductant rates like use and amount of auxiliary reductants and coke rates, productivity levels, oxygen addition volumes, and the durability of BF campaigns. A further important aspect is the requirement on the quality of ferrous burden materials and BF coke.