Our Polaris membrane can remove CO2 from the multiple vent sources at steel plants.
Opportunity
About 30% of the world’s steel is made from recycled scrap using electric arc furnaces. The remaining 70% is made by reducing iron ore in a blast furnace (BF) and then converting the iron to steel in a basic oxygen furnace (BOF). The bulk of the industry’s CO2 emissions come from these furnaces. On average, about 1.8 tonnes CO2 are emitted for each tonne of steel produced.
Membrane Solution
Blast furnace off-gas is the major source of CO2 emissions in a steel plant. Because the gas contains high levels of CO2 and CO, when burnt with air, the combustion exhaust gas produced contains 25−30% CO2. A simplified flow diagram of a two step−two stage membrane system that can be used to capture CO2 from high concentration feed gas such as that produced by combustion of blast furnace off-gas is shown above.
Benefits
- No use of chemicals, so no chemical handing or emissions issues
- Modular membrane units are scalable, compact, and easily configurable for retrofit applications
- Simple and passive operation
- Low maintenance and operator requirements
- No steam use; minimal/low cooling water requirements/use
System Performance
- System size: 1 tonne CO2/day and up.
- CO2capture rate up to 90%, most economical ~50-60% capture rate.
- Produces high purity liquid CO2
Application Options
- Fossil fueled industrial plants: cement, steel, waste-to-energy, refinery
- Coal fired power plants
- Natural gas fired boilers and turbines: NGCC, OTSG, CHP plants
- Biogas sources: digesters, fermenters, and landfills
