Research on the coal saving and emission reduction potential of advanced technologies in China's iron and steel industry

Abstract

The coal-based energy consumption structure has led to high coal consumption and carbon emissions in China's iron and steel industry, and the task of coal saving and carbon reduction in the steel industry is difficult and urgent. The economic viability of various coal-saving and emission-reduction technologies, the extent of their coal-saving and emission-reduction potential, and the guidance on the adoption of advanced technologies are crucial issues that need to be addressed in the Chinese steel industry. This article employs the Energy-Production (E-P) analysis method and the Conservation Supply Curve (CSC) model incorporating coal consumption ratio coefficients to systematically analyze coal consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in the overall iron and steel industry and its sub-processes under different scenarios. It calculates the coal-saving emission reduction costs of 32 technologies, evaluates them comprehensively based on their coal-saving and emission-reduction potentials and cost-effectiveness, and categorizes them accordingly. According to the cost of coal saving and emission reduction as the demarcation point, a total of 19 technologies are cost-effective; according to the coal-saving emission reduction potential and cost division, 32 technologies are divided into 6 categories, among which 6 technologies such as sintering waste heat recovery technology can be used as key technologies for popularization and application. Seven technologies, such as efficient preheating technology of ladle, have high cost and low potential, which can be gradually eliminated or improved and upgraded. After the comprehensive promotion of the 32 technologies, the maximum coal saving potential is about 3.453 billion GJ, the CO2 emission reduction potential is 395 million tons, the total coal consumption of the steel industry can be reduced to about 13.904 billion GJ, and the carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced to 1.179 billion tons.