Phase 1 of the demonstration test for CO2 capture from blast furnace gas at ArcelorMittal’s Ghent steelworks has been completed. Cumulative operating time exceeded 4,500 hours, and a CO2 capture rate of 90% or more was achieved.
Phase 1 of the demonstration test for CO2 capture from blast furnace gas conducted by ArcelorMittal at its Ghent steelworks in Belgium has been completed, with cumulative operating time exceeding 4,500 hours. The target gas was blast furnace gas, demonstrating that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ CO2 capture technology can be applied even in an environment containing significant impurities. Blast furnace gas contains CO as well as CO2, but the CO remaining after capture is burned in other equipment and emitted as CO2.
The demonstration test achieved a CO2 capture rate of 90% or more. This has advanced the acquisition of equipment design and operating data with a view to commercial-scale application. The technology assessment indicated that applying capture from blast furnace gas at commercial scale could reduce CO2 emissions intensity at the Ghent steelworks by up to approximately 24%.
In Phase 2, testing will move to post-combustion gas emitted from reheating furnaces in the rolling mill, and the expansion of applications to multiple emission sources within the steelworks will be considered. Reheating furnaces use byproduct gas and natural gas as fuel and are regarded as one of the main emission sources in the steelmaking process.
The participating companies are ArcelorMittal, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, BHP and MDP. The testing will be conducted for technology assessment and consideration of implementation. Going forward, the parties aim to consider optimized designs for commercial-scale deployment and expand application to multiple emission sources.