Sustainability analysis of the use of natural gas in the iron and steel industry

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2023, Vol.30 (2), p.4531-4554
• Main Authors: Ballı, Mücahid Fatih, Sel, Çağrı
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Blast furnace gas; Blast furnace practice; Climate change; Coke fired furnaces; Coke oven gas; Courthouses; Earth and Environmental Science; Economic analysis; Economic impact; Economics; Ecotoxicology; Electric power; Emissions; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental impact; Environmental science; Explosions; Furnaces; Gases; Global warming; Heating; Heating furnaces; Iron; Iron and steel industry; Iron and steel making; Iron constituents; Metallurgical analysis; Modernization; Natural Gas; Occupational health; Occupational safety; Project feasibility; Research Article; Steel; Steel industry; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22249-9

In this study, using natural gas instead of coke gas in the reheating furnace in a steelmaking company is investigated in terms of economic, social, and environmental impacts. A sample projection is prepared, and economic analyses are conducted in line with the production plan target for future planning periods of 144 months. The natural gas usage increases the production quantity by 914 tonnes and allows the company to produce 5,979,334 kWh of additional electric power from the metallurgical gases monthly. In the economic analysis, we use engineering economics techniques to examine the economic impacts of the modernization investment for reheating furnaces. Accordingly, a positive return for each month shows the feasibility of the renovation project. The self-paying time of the investment is calculated as a short period of 11 months. Besides, the social and environmental impacts are notable; the renovation project decreases occupational health and safety risks by using natural gas as a substitute fuel, preventing a potential explosion or poisoning risk in the production, storage, and distribution. The renovation project decreases the global warming potential of blast furnace gas constituents and carbon emissions by 0.84% per month.