Demand for iron ore has been increasing with the increased production of iron and steel in developing countries such as India and China. However, the quality of iron ore has deteriorated over the years globally due to long-term mining. The low-grade iron requires beneficiation before agglomerating for use in the iron-making process. The iron ore interlocked with silica and alumina has to be liberated for efficient beneficiation.
1. Possibilities and Opportunities
1.1. Raw Materials
Demand for iron ore has been increasing with the increased production of iron and steel in developing countries such as India and China. However, the quality of iron ore has deteriorated over the years globally due to long-term mining. The low-grade iron requires beneficiation before agglomerating for use in the iron-making process. The iron ore interlocked with silica and alumina has to be liberated for efficient beneficiation
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2. Processes
2.1. Improvements in Existing Processes
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2 for injection is captured through CCS technology, which is explained in a later.
In the electric furnace route, although utilizing gas-based DRI is beneficial to the industry, the increased carbon and phosphorous contents limit the usage of it. Double slag practice can be envisaged for the induction furnace route to have better control over the phosphorus.
2.2. New Technologies/Processes
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[22]. Very few blast furnaces in the world tried using biomass. Stubble burning such as in Punjab and Haryana causes extreme air pollution every year. Instead, large amounts of biomass could be produced and potentially utilized by steel manufacturers. This possibility is yet to be explored for sustainable carbon footprint and its availability for the steel sector. The optimization of the biomass value chain and the efficient conversion technologies are of high importance for replacing fossil fuels in the near future.
2.3. Energy Efficiency in Indian Steel Industry
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[12]). Using electricity to substitute for fossil fuels in the provision of process heat in equipment outside the main process units, particularly in preheaters and boilers, is another option where electrification makes a change.
3. Energy and Environment Conservation
Environmental emissions of the steel industries primarily relate to the air and water pollution and solid wastes
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2 emissions should peak in the next years and then turn down toward carbon neutrality in the middle of the century or shortly after. That demands the right selections and epoch-making actions. The most essential ways to solve this dilemma are discussed in the following sections.
3.1. Carbon Sinks, Capture, and Storage
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- Development of IGCC (Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle) technology, which gasifies the coal and uses a combined cycle (combination of gas and steam turbines) to generate electricity;
- Indigenous development of capture and compression equipment for cost efficiency;
- Improved blending and beneficiation of coal;
- Membrane-based capturing.
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The hydrogen-based DRI route (alongside blending of electrolytic hydrogen into current blast furnaces and DRI units) and integration of CCUS in various production units shall account for substantial shares of emission reduction.
3.2. Prospects of Power Sector in India
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