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Air Products, Danieli Corus Bring BF Plus to Steelmaking Industry

05/04/2010 - Air Products and Danieli Corus have integrated their technologies to develop the Blast Furnace Plus (BF Plus), a patent-pending technology that reportedly can reduce blast-furnace operating costs while raising the calorific content of the furnace's top gas.

Air Products and Danieli Corus have integrated their technologies to develop the Blast Furnace Plus (BF Plus), a patent-pending technology that reportedly can reduce blast-furnace operating costs while raising the calorific content of the furnace's top gas.
 
The higher calorific value top gas can be used in combined cycle energy power generation to help maximize energy recovery. The companies say the technology can produce cost savings of $20 per tonne of hot metal or more and increase hot metal productivity, while optimizing power generation through integration with the blast furnace and decreasing carbon dioxide emissions.
 
"BF Plus has the potential to benefit steel producers globally,” said Joe Terrible, Senior Business Development Manager at Air Products. “The technology offers a way to increase the value of the top gas, and then take that gas and use it to create electrical power and steam. These two energy products, made from what was generally regarded as a waste, can then be used at the steel producer's site to cut down on energy costs, or even provided to the grid in the case of the electrical energy…At the same time, the use of this blast furnace gas to make energy products cuts down on overall emissions when consideration is given to the displacement of power from other fossil-fueled sources."
 
"The future of integrated steel plants will be influenced by a continuous drive to reduce capital and operational expenditures,” said Peter Zonneveld, Managing Director at Danieli Corus. “These costs will be more significantly affected by raw materials and energy prices and the effects of environmental legislation. We are therefore always exploring, investigating, and developing improvements to the design and operations of blast furnace ironmaking. Combining ironmaking and modern power generation provides significant advantages as the blast furnace is effectively a large and highly efficient coal gasifier. This technology can be implemented in existing facilities as well as new greenfield facilities."
 
Under the product offering, Air Products would build, own, and operate the oxygen and power generation equipment, minimizing the steelmakers' capital outlay.
  
Air Products serves customers in industrial, energy, technology, and healthcare markets worldwide with a portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services. Founded in 1940, the company has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2009, the company had revenues of $8.3 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 18,900 employees around the globe.
 
Danieli Corus uses proven technology from Corus' state-of-the-art integrated mills in The Netherlands and U.K., as well as from its licensors and other worldwide sources to bring reliability and economic benefits for ore preparation, coke making, blast furnace iron making, and BOF operations. It offers engineering and contracting services as well as consultancy in all areas of iron making and steelmaking and at all levels of development.