Economics of energy transport and storage via metallized iron ore

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Trans. Am. Assoc. Cost Eng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5081517

Davis, Jr, W L

Technical considerations have been presented on the application of direct reduction to produce metallized iron ore. This material contains energy in a compact solid form that can be stored for unlimited periods of time and safely transported. Therefore, its production is a technically feasible supplement to LNG and other forms of energy. Economic considerations were then discussed with emphasis on the unusual aspects that would be required for a complete process and cost engineering analysis. In conclusion, it is interesting to note that the United States in practice today is doing exactly opposite to the concept proposed in this paper. This occurs as a result of large exports of steel scrap which is a material similar to metallized iron ore in that both are used for the same purpose in steelmaking furnaces and may be substituted for each other. With respect to steel scrap the energy required for its conversion into an ingot ton of steel is about 6.33 million kJ (6 million Btu). In the absence of scrap (or metallized iron ore) when iron ore is processed through the blast furnace route, about 19 million kJ (18 million Btu) are required for the same purpose. Therefore, approximately 12.66 million kJ (12 million Btu) are exported with every ton of steel scrap. The equivalent amount of energy exported is roughly 25 million barrels of oil or 150 billion cubic feet of natural gas as a consequence of exporting approximately 12 million tons per year of scrap.

• Research Organization: HICAP Engineering and Development Corp., Salt Lake City, UT
• OSTI ID: 5081517
• Report Number(s): CONF-780710-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Trans. Am. Assoc. Cost Eng.; (United States)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320303* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes
ALLOYS
BLAST FURNACES
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY STORAGE
FURNACES
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
IRON ORES
METALS
ORES
PRODUCTION
SCRAP
SCRAP METALS
SOLID WASTES
STEELS
STORAGE
TRANSPORT
WASTES