Optimization of Energy Consumption in Integrated Blast Furnace and BOF Steelmaking Process

Energy is one of the main cost components in steelmaking operations. For steel industry, there is big pressure of lowering energy consumption and reducing CO2 emission by energy saving. Decreasing coke rate in blast furnace and increasing amount of liquid steel production per ton of hot metal in basic oxygen furnace (BOF) are the main parameters decreasing energy consumption in an integrated iron and steel plant. In this study, coke consumption and liquid steel production have been predicted through computer simulation of blast furnace and BOF processes. The second law of thermodynamics is very powerful tool in energy optimization of systems. To examine how efficiently energy is consumed in the blast furnace and BOF processes, the following efficiencies have been defined by using second law of thermodynamics: exergetic coke consumption efficiency for blast furnace process and exergetic steel production efficiency for BOF process. Effects of different parameters have been investigated on the energy consumption.