KOBELCO Group's CO2 Reduction Solution: Innovative technology to reduce CO2 emissions from blast furnace operations successfully verified

CO2 reduction cost using this technology is calculated as follows: CO 2reduction cost using this technology is calculated as follows:   where (a) is (the quantity of HBI charged × HBI unit price), (b) is (the quantity of iron ore reduced × iron ore unit price), and (c) is (the quantity of reductant reduced × reductant unit price). Note: The value of (c) equals (the quantity of coke reduced × coke unit price) + (the quantity of pulverized coal reduced × pulverized coal unit price)...

CO₂ reduction cost using this technology is calculated as follows:

 

where (a) is (the quantity of HBI charged × HBI unit price), (b) is (the quantity of iron ore reduced × iron ore unit price), and (c) is (the quantity of reductant reduced × reductant unit price).

Note: The value of (c) equals (the quantity of coke reduced × coke unit price) + (the quantity of pulverized coal reduced × pulverized coal unit price). The quantity of CO₂ reduced (d) equals (the quantity of reductant reduced × CO₂ emission factor).
Typical raw material unit prices are: HBI > coke > iron ore > pulverized coal.

The key technologies utilized for this achievement are:

(1) Technologies of Midrex for HBI manufacturing in the engineering business

(2) Blast furnace operation technology in the iron and steel business

 (e.g. advanced pellet production technology, HBI charging technology for blast furnaces, and blast furnace operation technology utilizing AI)

All of these technologies are developed by the KOBELCO Group as generic solution technologies applicable to various blast furnaces.

We will keep improving this CO₂ reduction solution technology while further reducing CO₂ emissions and achieving lower costs for CO₂ reduction. Beyond our own efforts to reduce emissions from our facilities, we will strive to contribute to the acceleration of CO₂ reduction through introducing this solution to blast furnaces around the world.

In addition, we believe that the success of the demonstration test on an actual blast furnace has made a significant step forward in providing low CO₂ steel products to customers. As moving forward with our environmental efforts on the scale of the whole supply chain, we will establish production and sales systems and define the terms and conditions for sales so that we can provide customers with low CO₂ steel products that offer new added value.

The mission of the KOBELCO Group is to develop and establish technologies that can reduce CO₂ emissions as quickly as possible and at the lowest possible cost in order to proceed with the initiatives to create a green society toward the goal of achieving carbon neutrality in 2050 as declared by the Japanese government.

The KOBELCO Group has always strived to and will continue to provide solutions to the needs of society by making the best use of the talents of our employees and our technologies with a view to realizing a world in which people, now and in the future, can fulfill their hopes and dreams while enjoying safe, secure, and prosperous lives.  

*1) Midrex Technologies, Inc. is a Kobe Steel's wholly owned subsidiary in the U.S.

*2) Reducing agent rate (RAR) = coke rate (determined by the quantity of coke used in blast furnace) + pulverized coal rate (determined by the quantity of pulverized coal injected into blast furnace). Coke is carbon fuel made from coal.

*3) Hot briquetted iron (HBI) is direct reduced iron (DRI) in a briquetted form. Since hot DRI is not suitable for long-distance transportation, it is pressed into a compact solid (briquette) upon being discharged from the reduction furnace.

*4) The MIDREX^® Process is the leading direct reduced iron (DRI) making process, which produces approximately 80% of the world's direct reduced iron with natural gas (approximately 60% of the world's direct reduced iron at large). The MIDREX^® Process uses natural gas as the reductant and pellets made of iron ore as the source of iron to make DRI through the reduction process in the shaft furnace. In comparison to the blast furnace method, the MIDREX^® Process can reduce CO₂ emissions by 20 to 40%. There are over 90 MIDREX modules worldwide.

*5) The results are compared with fiscal 2013, which is the base year of the CO₂ reduction targets set by the government and the KOBELCO Group.

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