Experts debate technologies to neutralize carbon emissions in steel production

In its 4th edition, EMECR, an international gathering on sustainability in the steel industry, will take place for the first time in Brazil, during ABM WEEK

Under pressure from all sides to reduce its carbon emissions, the steel industry has no longer focused its technological innovation investments solely on productivity improvements, but rather also given priority to sustainable processes and products.

The 4th EMECR – International Conference on Energy and Material Efficiency and CO2 Reduction in the Steel Industry 2022 will bring together leading industry and academia experts to discuss technological solutions developed with an aim of increasing efficiency in production processes, reducing the expenditure of energy and natural resources, and neutralizing CO2 emissions.

“No challenge facing our generation today compares to climate change. And the steel industry accounts for around 8% of the world's CO2 emissions,” José Noldin, chairman of the conference, says.

The event has been organized since 2011 by the International Society of Steel Institutes, of which ABM – Brazilian Metallurgy, Materials and Mining Association is a member. Previous editions were held in Germany, England, and Japan.

This year, EMECR will take place for the first time in Brazil during the 6th edition of ABM WEEK, from June 7 to 9.
Noldin explains that the industrial steelmaking process has been evolving for 200 years and gone through significant optimization. As a result, “opportunities to increase efficiency are scarce and a change in concepts is required.”

“Here, new CO2 capture technologies stand out, including the use of hydrogen as a reducing agent and biomass,” he mentions.

Topics such as carbon offset projects, the future of blast furnaces, circular economy, and the advancement of emerging technologies, including those related to Industry 4.0, should be a highlight in the Conference debates.

“Industry 4.0-related technologies have been of fundamental importance to achieving excellence in equipment design, steel plant operations, and the use of differentiated raw materials,” Noldin points out.

The intensive use of sensors in steel plants has allowed simulations to be carried out and manufacturing processes to be controlled in a way that was inconceivable until recently. 

Brazil is among the developers of innovative technologies

However, new sustainable technologies are not necessarily related to Industry 4.0. Tecnored, a pig iron production process that does not require the use of metallurgical coal, will be a highlight at the event, as its inventor, Marcos Contrucci, will be one of the honorees of this edition.

The Tecnored process is the outcome of his work as a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro since the 1960s and was developed by Contrucci and his team for more than 30 years until it came true in 2022 upon the construction of the first merchant pig iron plant by Vale in Marabá, state of Pará, in which the technology will be used.

The process is based on the self-reduction principle. While the iron ore agglomerates in a blast furnaces are reduced by CO gas, iron ore in the Tecnored furnace is reduced inside self-reducing briquettes composed of fine iron oxide particles and a carbon-based reducer.

“The Tecnored process enables the production of the same kind of iron and slag as those produced in blast furnaces, but without using coke. Instead, any biomass can be used unrestrictedly, such as garbage, sewage sludge, sugarcane bagasse, bamboo, grass, and others. Great opportunities are there,” Contrucci explains.

This technology eliminates stages of the conventional process characterized by high emissions, allows the use of raw materials that are currently deemed “almost waste,” and opens up great possibilities for the use of biomass, Noldin emphasizes.

During EMECR, Contrucci will deliver a lecture on his latest research, which suggests applying the Tecnored process principles to blast furnaces – or, as he defines it, “converting blast furnace to self-reduction smelting mode.”

One of the people who are familiar with and got excited about the development of Tecnored, Pinakin Chaubal, Group CTO at ArcelorMittal, , will also be honored at the Conference.

At the forefront of all technological processes involved in the operations of a company that is a world leader in the industry, Chaubal has been one of the “greatest minds behind the constant rejuvenation of the portfolio of steel products” available to the world market, Noldin points out.
“

Notwithstanding the threat posed by other materials, steel remains a competitive material. Certain steel solutions that are used nowadays weren't even invented ten years ago. This stems from the work of people like Chaubal,” Noldin adds.
Pinakin Chaubal will deliver a lecture on challenges and opportunities in decarbonizing steel production.

“The EMECR Conference will shed light on process efficiency and decarbonization in the steel industry, topics that are top priorities today and are at the heart of global sustainability challenges, creating an opportunity to share ideas with experts from around the world,” Chaubal points out.

According to Chaubal, it will be an honor to be “acknowledged along with my friend Marcos Contrucci, who we all recognize as a true visionary who develops highly innovative technologies” for the industry’s sustainability.

EMECR will also feature a lecture by Ricardo Carvalho Nascimento, CEO of Aço Verde Brasil, about the first carbon neutral steel plant in the country. Julia Attwood, head of Sustainable Materials at Bloomberg Nef, will talk about modeling the costs of the green transition in steel. Finally, Steve Potter, director of Metals at Vale, will discuss approaches to identifying the lowest cost and most reliable paths for decarbonizing steel production.
In addition, submitted technical papers will be presented by participants in the event.

A 4th EMECR – International Conference on Energy and Material Efficiency and CO2 Reduction in the Steel Industry 2022 is hosted by ArcelorMittal and the 6th ABM WEEK is hosted by Gerdau and is sponsored by the following companies: Açokorte, Alkegen, Amepa GmbH, Aperam, Atomat Services, AutoForm, BM Group/Polytec, BRC, CBMM, Clariant, Danieli, Dassault Systèmes, DME Engenharia, Eirich, Enacom, Engineering, Evonik, Fosbel, GSI, Harsco, Hatch/CISDI, Ibar, Imerys, IMS Messsysteme GmbH, Isra Vision Parsytec, John Cockerill Industry, Kuttner, Metso Outotec, Nalco Water/Ecolab, Nouryon, Primetals Technologies, PSI Metals, Reframax , RHI Magnesita, Saint-Gobain, SMS Group Paul Wurth/ Vetta, Spraying Systems, Suez, SunCoke, Tecnosulfur, Ternium, Timken, TopSolid, TRB, Unimetal, Usiminas, Vale, Vamtec, Vesuvius, Villares Metals, Wallonia.be (ADI – Industrial Services, John Cockerill Hydrogen, BorderSystem, Datanet International, Synthetis e PEPITe), White Martins, e Yellow Solution. Special support: CNPq. Institutional support: Abal, Abendi, Abifa, AIST, AIST Mena, Alacero, CBCA, Ibram, Icz, Instituto Aço Brasil, CIMM, Ind4.0.

Texto: Eduardo Campos Lima