Cherepovets Iron and Steel Works (CherMK), one of the largest integrated steel plants in the world (part of the Severstal Russian Steel division), will increase electricity generation by utilizing industrial gases.
CherMK consumes 5, 9 billion kWh of electricity per year, of which 78% is generated independently. The company's task within the strategic priority "Leadership in costs" is to increase the share of its own generation in the total consumption to 95% by 2025. It is planned to ensure the operation of new sources of generation through the utilization of secondary energy resources - coke oven, blast furnace and converter gases, which are formed during the production process.
According to Severstal CEO Alexander Shevelev, this task has already been implemented at CherMK for blast furnace and coke oven gases. At the moment, Severstal is choosing a technical solution for utilizing converter gas energy as a fuel for power generation.
“In the current situation, when CherMK provides 78% of its own electricity demand, the share of secondary fuel used for its production is 27, nine%. As a result of the implementation of our program, we plan to increase the utilization of secondary gases for electricity production by 33.9%. At the same time, one of the most important effects will be environmental: reduction of pollutant emissions to 12,000 tons per year, and CO2 - to more than 200,000 tons. Utilization of converter gas will reduce the purchase of natural gas for CherMK by 200 million m3 per year, which also complies with our principles of responsible attitude to issues of ecology and energy saving. Thus, the project to increase electricity generation through the use of secondary resources is in line with three of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, which we committed to adhere to by joining the Organization's Global Compact, namely “affordable and clean energy”, “responsible consumption and production” , “Combating climate change,” commented Alexander Shevelev.
In addition, in accordance with the UN sustainable development goals, the company maintains an optimal balance between the ratio of scrap metal and pig iron in the steel produced. Scrap is the main component in steelmaking in electric steel furnaces. The share of secondary raw materials in one 125-ton smelt significantly exceeds the share of cast iron and amounts to 70%. For example, in 2018, about 900 thousand tons of scrap metal was used in the production of electric steel at CherMK.
Projects for gas utilization are being implemented at the resource assets of Severstal. For example, Vorkutaugol uses coal mine methane for boiler rooms - greenhouse gas. From coal seams, methane is transferred to the surface with the help of vacuum pumping stations, where it is used as fuel for boiler mines "Vorkutinskaya", "Komsomolskaya", "Zapolyarnaya" and "Vorgashorskaya".
"Project for degassing and utilization of coal mine methane Vorkutaugol is unique for Russia. In 2018, mine boiler companies in aggregate utilized 73% of the total volume of degassed methane, which is 77.5 million cubic meters of gas, "added Alexander Shevelev.
Another example of recyclable resources is implemented at Olkon JSC ... Here, instead of electricity, they start using waste oils to heat large industrial premises.
