Rhein Westfalen Technical University RWTH (Aachen, Germany):

Babich A., Dr., Assist. Prof., Dept. of Ferrous Metallurgy (IEHK), E-mail: babich@iehk.rwth-aachen.de
Senk D., Dr. Eng., Prof., Dept. of Ferrous Metallurgy (IEHK)

Use of biomass can contribute to mitigation of the CO₂ emissions in the steel industry. An approach for sustainable use of biomass must consider diverse technological, economic, environmental and social aspects. This paper focuses primarily on biomass sources, resources, availability, processing steps and products as well as trading and costs. Afterwards three major options for the use of biomass in the steel industry are presented: injection, incorporation into the charging materials and reducing gas generation. Two technologies — an injection into the blast furnace and an introduction of self-reducing pellets and composites with embedded charcoal — are discussed in more detail. Biomass production and availability of its free resources differs significantly by world regions. Therefore it is hardly possible to find out a unique global solution and evaluation for biomass use. In Germany and in Europe, the wooden biomass production and use is balanced; it means that virtually no additional own resources are currently available. The share of energetic use of biomass (for heat and power generation) is steadily increasing. Strategy for long-term global sustainability of biomass should be based on its primary use as raw materials; waste and biomass residues can be used as energy sources and reducing agents. Raw biomass properties do not enable their high efficiency use in the steel industry. It is beneficial to use pyrolysed biomass such as charcoals or torrefied materials. Quality requirements on biomass products depend on their application. In the case of biomass import, costs and emissions of its transport have to be considered. The biomass processing on the export site is preferred; advanced industrial technologies have to be used.

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