In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, India's Tata Steel Limited has commissioned a coke oven gas injection project at the blast furnace in its Meramandali mill in the eastern state of Odisha, a company statement said on Friday, September 11.
“This initiative is to maximize utilization of gases to reduce dependence on external fossil fuels. We remain focused on demonstrating and scaling low-carbon technologies, thereby accelerating our journey towards net zero by 2045,” the statement said.
In an integrated steel plant, coke oven gas - a hydrogen- and hydrocarbon-rich by-product gas - is typically used for power generation, heating or simply flared.
With support from technology partner Paul Wurth-SMS and equipment supplier Kobelco, Tata Steel has successfully implemented the coke oven gas injection in the blast furnace, substituting fossil fuel as a reductant, thereby reducing the environmental impact, the company said.
Apart from reducing fossil fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, it also provides a unique opportunity to operate the blast furnace with a three-fuel system, enhancing operational flexibility and efficiency, it said.
