Effect of applying full oxygen blast furnace on the transformation of energy mix and reduction of CO2 emissions for an integral steel plant

This study introduces the full oxygen blast furnace (FOBF) as an alternative to the traditional blast furnace (TBF) process, aiming to achieve substantial reductions in CO2 emissions. A thermodynamic model was developed to calculate the theoretical minimum carbon consumption (TMCC) for FOBF, enabling further analysis. Three integrated steel production systems, each incorporating one to three FOBFs, were designed based on operational data from an integrated steel plant (ISP) currently utilizing three TBFs. Comparative assessments of energy consumption and CO2 emissions across these systems were conducted. Results indicate that while replacing TBF with FOBF effectively reduces energy consumption, shifts in the ISP's energy mix yield a more pronounced impact on CO2 emissions. Specifically, when all TBFs in the ISP are replaced by FOBFs, total energy consumption decreases by 8.0 %, while the proportion of clean coal decreases by 27.2 %, leading to a 59.3 % reduction in CO2 emissions. The study further explores potential indirect CO2 emissions reductions from ISPs, considering future expansions in renewable and nuclear energy applications. Finally, the influence of CO/CO2 separation capacity in the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system on FOBF operations are examined.