Recently, the inaugural meeting of the Global low-carbon Metallurgical Innovation Alliance and the 2021 Global low-carbon Metallurgical Innovation Forum, sponsored and hosted by Baowu, China, was held at the China Baowu Iron and Steel Expo Center, where entrepreneurs, experts and scholars from 15 countries gathered together to discuss ways to deal with low-carbon challenges and work together to create a green future. Chen Derong, secretary of the party committee and chairman of China Baowu, released a keynote speech entitled "China Baowu carbon neutralization Action Plan" (hereinafter referred to as "the plan") under the theme of "technological Innovation leading Iron and Steel low carbon Development". The plan shows China's Baowu's responsibility for low-carbon development in the iron and steel industry, while detailing China's Baowu's six major plans for carbon neutralization metallurgical technology and the current action process.

Global climate change has brought serious threats and severe challenges to the sustainable development of all mankind, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions has become a world consensus. In 2020, China is committed to reaching its carbon peak in 2030 and carbon neutralization in 2060. In 2021, the state issued the "opinions on the complete, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development concept and the carbon neutralization work" and the "carbon peak action plan before 2030", defining the timetable, roadmap and construction drawings.

In his written speech to the 26th World leaders Summit of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change on November 1, 2021, President Xi Jinping further called for the maintenance of multilateral consensus, mutual trust and cooperation. It is necessary to focus on pragmatic actions, accelerate green transformation, be driven by scientific and technological innovation, promote the transformation and upgrading of energy resources, industrial structure, and consumption structure, and explore new ways to coordinate development and protection.

The Industry responsibility of Baowu in China

Chen Derong said in his speech that China's Baowu, as the world's largest iron and steel company, is duty-bound to take the lead in achieving carbon neutralization. The industrial layout of Baowu in China is "one base of five yuan". "one base" refers to iron and steel, which is also a major source of carbon emissions in the iron and steel sector, which is the main industry.

"one base" refers to the main iron and steel industry, and carbon emissions mainly come from the iron and steel plate. The topic we are discussing today is also the carbon reduction strategy of iron and steel. In 2020, China's Baowu crude steel output reached 115 million tons, distributed in 17 iron and steel bases. Baowu steel manufacturing in China is basically based on a long process, with electric furnace steel accounting for only 6.5%. As the energy structure, product structure and carbon emission intensity of each steel base are quite different, it is impossible for China Baowu to realize the iron and steel transformation and development of the whole group in one or two ways. because the resources and environmental conditions of each base are very different, carbon emission reduction is a more serious challenge to Baowu than its peers. Baowu previously promised to reduce carbon emissions by 30 per cent to 1.3 tons of steel by 2035, based on 2020, and strive to be carbon neutral by 2050, a goal that will remain unchanged.

Six directions of future development

With regard to the future direction, Chen Derong pointed out that China's Baowu carbon neutralization metallurgical technology mainly includes six aspects: extreme energy efficiency, hydrogen-rich carbon recycling blast furnace, hydrogen-based shaft furnace, near-terminal manufacturing, recycling of metallurgical resources and carbon recovery and utilization.

With regard to the ultimate energy efficiency, it mainly refers to the improvement of energy efficiency in the whole process, which is also the priority of carbon reduction in the iron and steel industry. Aim at the innovation and application of waste heat and energy resources and improve interface energy efficiency, challenge the ultimate energy efficiency and achieve full collection. Data from the World Steel Association show that the energy consumption per ton of steel in the iron and steel industry has been reduced by 61% in the past 50 years, and the energy intensity still has the potential to decline by 15-20%. Under the premise of existing energy consumption, focus on technological breakthroughs of common problems in the field of iron and steel energy, deep recovery and utilization of medium and low temperature waste heat resources, give full play to the potential of waste pressure resources and by-product gas recovery and utilization, and tap the potential of waste heat surplus energy. promote the application and secondary development of the best applicable commercial technology, constantly remove the "looper" between iron and steel, steel casting and rolling processes, and achieve extreme energy efficiency. In the aspect of extreme energy efficiency, Baowu of China mainly focuses on making full use of sensible heat of metallurgical slag, increasing the turnover times of torpedo tankers between iron and steel, and realizing hot charging and hot delivery between casting and rolling. At present, Baosteel has realized the electric transportation of a single torpedo tanker, which has greatly increased the number of turnover.

In the aspect of hydrogen-rich carbon cycle blast furnace, Chen Derong believes that the blast furnace is a highly efficient reactor, which can provide the cleanest raw materials for steelmaking, and its efficiency and status can not be completely replaced by other processes. If the blast furnace can achieve carbon reduction and carbon neutralization, it can play a great role in iron and steel production in the future. The hydrogen-rich carbon cycle blast furnace technology explored by Baowu in Xinjiang Bayi Iron and Steel Plant takes the hydrogen-rich carbon cycle as the main technical means, makes maximum use of the chemical energy of carbon, and takes the direction of reducing the reductant ratio of the blast furnace. In addition, with the technical measures of green electric heating and green raw materials, it is possible to achieve substantial carbon reduction in the blast furnace process. With the development of oxygen production technology and the substantial reduction of oxygen production cost, if the blast furnace realizes full oxygen blast, then the blast furnace gas can be easily separated from CO gas. After the recovery and utilization of CO, the remaining high concentration CO and H 2O are reused in the blast furnace to reduce iron ore, which is called carbon cycle. With the gas cycle, the consumption of fossil energy in the blast furnace process can be effectively reduced. BF long process accounts for 94% of Baowu in China, so this technology Baowu is currently the focus of carbon cycle.

In addition to the blast furnace itself, Baowu in China has considered many aspects of technical feasibility around the blast furnace cycle. The first is green electric heating. In the past, metallurgical factories recycled blast furnace gas, coke oven gas and converter gas. The traditional idea is that the use of these gas for heating and power generation is efficient. With the development of low-carbon metallurgy, it is a very luxurious behavior to use gas as a source of heating energy. In the future, it is necessary to consider using electricity to heat gas for circulation. The second is microwave sintering pre-reduction technology, through microwave to achieve sintering lump ore. There is still high temperature waste heat after microwave sintering into sinter. It is assumed that through the reduction and endothermic effect of hydrogen and iron oxide, not only the cooling effect can be achieved, but also the pre-reduction of sinter can be realized, so as to improve the metallization rate of sinter and reduce the consumption of blast furnace reductant after sinter enters blast furnace, so as to achieve the purpose of carbon reduction. The third is to carry out electric heating in the whole process of ladle, tundish and billet heating of steel rolling to turn the gas heating furnace into a green electric heating furnace. Fourth, the new charging technology, including pre-reduced charge and carbon-iron composite charge, can make use of the catalysis of metal iron to improve the furnace body efficiency by adding these new charge together with conventional charge, so as to improve the charging condition of blast furnace and achieve the effect of reducing fuel consumption and CO emission.

In terms of hydrogen-based shaft furnace, Chen Derong believes that the use of clean energy to produce hydrogen and the development of hydrogen-based shaft furnace direct reduction ironmaking process is expected to achieve near-zero carbon emission iron and steel smelting process, which is a very important way to achieve carbon neutralization. After consultation with Guangdong Province, Baowu of China has accelerated the development of low-carbon metallurgical technology in accordance with the requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping. Baowu of China plans to use coke oven gas produced by blast furnace matching coke ovens in Zhanshan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., to form a very compact short-flow low-carbon metallurgical route. In the future, we will consider using the natural gas in the South China Sea, and even the green hydrogen of wind power and photovoltaic power generation in the South China Sea to realize the full hydrogen shaft furnace smelting and the extreme short process process.

At the same time, Chen Derong said that China's Baowu is also considering building a full-process zero-carbon plant for Green hydrogen. On the basis of hydrogen-rich carbon cycle blast furnace or hydrogen-based shaft furnace, light-electricity-hydrogen and wind-electricity-hydrogen green energy are matched to form a full cycle and closed process matching with iron and steel metallurgical process to build a green hydrogen full-process zero-carbon plant.

With regard to near-terminal manufacturing, compared with the traditional process, its process is shorter, the production process is more efficient, and the energy consumption and emission are lower. It is considered to be a major technological innovation in the development of modern iron and steel industry. Near-net shape manufacturing technologies include thin slab continuous casting and rolling, thin strip continuous casting and rolling, bar and wire rod continuous casting and rolling, etc. Baowu, China is currently promoting the direct rolling of the bar production line, and has developed the thin strip continuous casting and rolling technology. A brand-new and extremely short-flow zero-carbon thin strip casting plant is being planned in Xinjiang.

About the recycling of metallurgical resources. Chen Derong said that to make full use of iron and carbon solid waste, iron and steel recycling materials and organic biomass resources is the key path to achieve green and low-carbon development of iron and steel. First, make full use of iron, carbon and other valuable resources in the iron and carbon solid waste in the plant; second, maximize the use of iron and steel recycling materials; third, organic biomass resources are carbon-neutral materials. The steel recycling material represented by scrap steel is a representative energy-carrying, environmental protection and low-carbon raw material. The utilization of organic biomass can not only reduce the harm to the environment and society, but also effectively reduce the dependence of ironmaking on fossil energy.

In terms of CO recycling and utilization, Chen Derong believes that no matter what technology is adopted, the iron and steel industry will still consume carbon, because if carbon and hydrogen can be scientifically combined, both thermodynamics and kinetics will be very beneficial to the metallurgical process. If we consider that carbon can be recycled, through recycling and then adding corresponding energy to achieve carbon, CO, CO recycling and product utilization, this will be a more feasible carbon neutralization path in the metallurgical industry.

Chen Derong said that the technology combinations of these six aspects constitute China's Baowu carbon neutralization metallurgical technology roadmap. In addition, in the sharing, it also demonstrated the emission reduction potential and deployment schedule of China's Baowu major technologies. It is hoped that a number of technologies can be combined organically in the future to achieve carbon neutralization of iron and steel.

Talking about China Baowu's exploration in low-carbon metallurgy, Chen Derong said that China Baowu started relevant research as early as 2015, starting with the coupling of metallurgical coal and chemical industry, trying to turn the gas produced by metallurgical process into products to reduce CO emissions, and then to the innovation of COREX, and then to the current full development, basically, the agreement with Paris is Synchronize.

The Green Action of Baowu, China

The first part is green manufacturing. Not only the hydrogen-rich carbon cycle test blast furnace of Bayi Iron and Steel has achieved 50% oxygen enrichment rate. The goal is to achieve the full oxygen blast of 430 cubic meters of blast furnace after it is put back into production next year. In the construction of a million-ton hydrogen-based shaft furnace-electric furnace short process zero-carbon plant in Zhanjiang Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., combined with the application of ultra-low carbon technology in the whole production line, green products with zero carbon emissions and ultra-low energy consumption can be produced. In the green steel short process demonstration project in Bazhou, Xinjiang, green electricity is generated by the photovoltaic power plant to carry out full scrap steel smelting and thin strip continuous casting and rolling. At present, the factory has completed its planning and is ready to start construction next year.

The second part is green products. Now the iron and steel products themselves are green, but facing the future, we should strengthen our work. By carrying out green product design and manufacturing process innovation, iron and steel can provide society with products with higher strength, longer life and better efficiency. on the one hand, it can reduce the use of iron and steel materials, on the other hand, it can replace high-carbon materials. in order to support the society to achieve low-carbon transformation. The technical direction of Baowu green products in the future will focus on three aspects: high strength, high corrosion resistance and high efficiency. The first is high strength, under the premise of extending toughness, products with high strength as outstanding features can be lightweight, and then reduce the production and use of materials, so as to achieve the effect of double energy saving and carbon reduction in the production and use of materials, and reduce the energy consumption of social transportation. The second is high corrosion resistance, which can improve the service life of iron and steel products, achieve reduced use of materials and less maintenance or maintenance-free, reduce costs and achieve carbon reduction at the same time. Finally, high efficiency, the development of products with higher electromagnetic performance and higher heat resistance temperature, and products characterized by high energy efficiency can significantly improve energy conversion efficiency, promote the transformation of social energy structure, and achieve energy saving and carbon reduction.

The third part is the green industry, first of all, we should develop the green energy industry. The traditional steel mills with their own power plants can be highly competitive in cost, and it is also very important for steel mills to have their own green power plants under the premise of the application of green energy in the future. Wind power, photovoltaic and coastal nuclear power will all be matched with Baowu's iron and steel base in the future. At the same time, we should use green financial means and financial leverage to promote the development of green industry and promote the development of carbon neutralization cause. The green low-carbon metallurgy innovation fund established by Baowu will be further expanded in the future, and the 50 billion-scale carbon neutralization fund will help promote the development of low-carbon metallurgy in Baowu itself and the iron and steel industry. At the same time, we should pay attention to the development of other green industries, including green resources industry, green new material industry, green intelligent service industry and so on.

China Baowu implements the new development concept, speeds up technological innovation, and unswervingly takes the high-quality development path of ecological priority, green and low carbon. Take green manufacturing, green products and green industry as the core path, take the lead in low-carbon transformation, practice green development, and assume the responsibility of the owner of the biosphere chain, set an example for upstream and downstream partners, lead and promote the whole new ecological greening of iron and steel, and make new contributions to the better life of mankind.