Title: Energy and exergy analyses of an integrated iron and steel making process

Authors: Qi Zhang; Jin Xu; Xiaoyu Zhao; Yujie Wang

Addresses: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Eco-Industry, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, Liaoning, China ' State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Eco-Industry, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, Liaoning, China ' State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Eco-Industry, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, Liaoning, China ' State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Eco-Industry, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, Liaoning, China

Abstract: The iron and steel industry faces challenges in energy saving and emission reduction. The energy efficiency of the iron and steel manufacturing process (ISMP) can be improved through comprehensive analysis and assessment. Thus, this study proposes a hybrid energy and exergy flow analysis model at the process and system levels. This model is established in a typical ISMP in China. Results indicate that the energy efficiencies of the sub-processes in the ISMP vary between 77.71% and 98.36%, whereas the two kinds of exergy efficiencies vary between 46.49% and 92.80%, and between 18.76% and 89.82%. These findings suggest that the sintering process must be improved significantly by technologies such as heat recovery and preheating mixture, and that the blast furnace iron making process incurs the maximum exergy loss. An integrated evaluation of the energy and exergy can be conducted to improve their efficiencies and consequently achieve energy conservation.

Keywords: ISMP; iron and steel manufacturing process; energy; exergy; energy conservation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2018.093190

International Journal of Exergy, 2018 Vol.26 No.4, pp.454 - 480

Received: 10 May 2017
Accepted: 09 Feb 2018
Published online: 13 Jul 2018 *

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