Process Modeling and Simulation of Biochar Usage in an Electric Arc Furnace as a Substitute for Fossil Coal

• Published in: Steel research international Vol. 88; no. 9
• Main Authors: Meier, Thomas, Hay, Thomas, Echterhof, Thomas, Pfeifer, Herbert, Rekersdrees, Tim, Schlinge, Ludger, Elsabagh, Sami, Schliephake, Henning
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.09.2017
• Subjects: Anthracite; biomass; Charging; Chemical composition; Chemical energy; Coal; Computer simulation; electric arc furnace; Electric arc furnaces; Energy consumption; Environmental impact; Gas composition; gas phase; Iron and steel making; Parameterization; Power efficiency; process modeling; process simulation; Renewable energy; Research projects; Simulation; Steel industry; Steel production; Volatile compounds
• ISSN: 1611-3683; 1869-344X
• DOI: 10.1002/srin.201600458

Increasing demands on the electric arc furnace (EAF) with regard to sustainability and energy efficiency are leading to various technological innovations. To reduce the carbon footprint of the steel production in EAFs, fossil coal can be substituted by biochar as investigated within the GreenEAF research projects. Palm kernel shells (PKS) are used for industrial long‐term trials and showed no negative impact on product quality or energy consumption and are technically feasible, but led to different reaction behavior. For further investigations on PKS usage in the EAF, the charging of biomass is implemented in a dynamic EAF process simulation model. As one of the biggest differences of PKS in comparison to fossil coal, the chemical energy of the higher volatile content is earlier available during the heat. The model considers the chemical composition of the type of coal and distinguishes between volatiles and fixed carbon. The simulation results and measurements of the averaged off‐gas composition are showing the increased reaction rate of PKS. The results are obtained with the same model parameterization as for anthracite charging. In the future, the model will be applicable to analyze various modes of operation with regard to optimized energy and resource efficiency. The usage of different carbon carriers in the EAF is modeled and simulated with a comprehensive dynamic EAF process simulation model. Therefore, the charge coal is divided into carbon and volatile contents with different reaction rates and the gas phase is further developed. On example of palm kernel shells, the different reaction behavior is reproduced by the simulation.