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Air Liquide Supports New Development in ULCOS Sustainable Steelmaking Project

04/09/2008 - Air Liquide has developed, built, and tested a pilot plant at the Metallurgical Research Institute site that enables CO2 to be separated from blast furnace gases, with residual gases recovered for use in other processes.

Steel production processes typically generate significant quantities of CO2 worldwide. In support of growing environmental awareness, leading world steel producers are participating in research programs aimed at reducing CO2 emissions by as much as 50% by the year 2050.
 
In Luleå, in Sweden, Air Liquide has developed, built, and tested a pilot plant now in place at the MEFOS site (Metallurgical Research Institute) site. The pilot plant enables CO2 to be separated from blast furnace gases, with residual gases recovered for use in other processes.
 
This work is being carried out within the context of the European Ultra Low CO2 Steelmaking (ULCOS) project, coordinated by ArcelorMittal and involving leading European steel producers. Air Liquide technology, combined with a recycling blast furnace, helps to reduce carbon consumption in the blast furnace, which results in lower CO2 emissions. Air Liquide technology is also employed to obtain the necessary pure CO2 to be stored underground.
 
Tests that have been conducted to date have demonstrated the feasibility of the process and confirmed the blast furnace’s improved energy efficiency. The second phase of ULCOS will include an industrial-scale demonstration from 2010.
 
“Air Liquide is constantly innovating to enable its customers to improve the efficiency of their processes and reduce their polluting emissions,” commented François Darchis, Senior Vice President in charge of R&D, Advanced Technologies, and Engineering. “Today, the Group spends 60% of its Research and Development budget on projects contributing to preserving life and the environment. Tomorrow, half of the Group's growth will come from applications linked to the environment.” Darchis is also a member of Air Liquide’s Executive Committee.
  
With more than 40,000 employees in 72 countries, Air Liquide is a world leader in industrial and medical gases and related services. The Group offers innovative solutions based on constantly enhanced technologies and produces air gases (oxygen, nitrogen, argon, rare gases…) and many other gases including hydrogen.
With 920 employees of 25 different nationalities, in 8 main R&D centers in Europe, the United States and Asia, Air Liquide’s Research & Development effort is networked to promote development of high-level expertise. Its teams develop future products and services, focused around three axes of innovation: for a healthier life, in a communicative world, for a sustainable environment. Air Liquide’s Research & Development network relies on 100 industrial partnerships and 120 collaborations with Universities or Research Centers.
 
Air Liquide is committed to sustainable development and helps to protect life. Founded in 1902, Air Liquide has successfully developed a long-term relationship with its shareholders built on trust and transparency and guided by the principles of corporate governance. Since the publication of its first consolidated financial statements in 1971, Air Liquide has posted strong and steady earnings growth. Sales in 2007 totaled 11,801 million euros, with sales outside France accounting for almost 80%.