Theoretical Minimum Energies to Produce Steel for Selected Conditions

Technical Report · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/769470· OSTI ID:769470

Fruehan, R J; Fortini, O; Paxton, H W; Brindle, R

The energy used to produce liquid steel in today's integrated and electric arc furnace (EAF) facilities is significantly higher than the theoretical minimum energy requirements. This study presents the absolute minimum energy required to produce steel from ore and mixtures of scrap and scrap alternatives. Additional cases in which the assumptions are changed to more closely approximate actual operating conditions are also analyzed. The results, summarized in Table E-1, should give insight into the theoretical and practical potentials for reducing steelmaking energy requirements. The energy values have also been converted to carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions in order to indicate the potential for reduction in emissions of this greenhouse gas (Table E-2). The study showed that increasing scrap melting has the largest impact on energy consumption. However, scrap should be viewed as having ''invested'' energy since at one time it was produced by reducing ore. Increasing scrap melting in the BOF mayor may not decrease energy if the ''invested'' energy in scrap is considered.

• Research Organization: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Energetics, Inc., Columbia, MD (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) (EE-20) (US)
• OSTI ID: 769470
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ARC FURNACES
CARBON DIOXIDE
ELECTRIC ARCS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
FABRICATION
FURNACES
GREENHOUSE GASES
MELTING
MIXTURES
SCRAP
STEELS