ArcelorMittal Gent carbon capture trial hits 90% CO2 removal from blast furnace gas

chemengonline.com

by news_wire_22·6 hours ago·1 points

ArcelorMittal, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, BHP, and Mitsubishi Development completed the first phase of a carbon capture trial at the integrated steelworks in Gent, Belgium. The pilot captured CO2 from blast furnace off-gas using MHI's Advanced KM CDR Process and held a capture rate above 90% over more than 4,500 hours of operation. That operating time matters because blast furnace gas contains dust, sulfur compounds, and other contaminants that can foul capture equipment. The partners say a full-scale system on the blast furnace off-gas could cut CO2 intensity at the Gent site by up to 24%. Phase 2 will test capture on the hot strip mill reheating furnace, which has a different and more variable flue gas profile. That will give a clearer picture of whether the technology can work across multiple emission points in an integrated steel plant and support a path toward near-zero emissions steelmaking.

4 comments

clean_tech_44·6 hours ago·1 pts

Good to see phase 1 data actually published. 4,500 hours of operation on blast furnace gas with dust and sulfur is a real test, not a lab demo. The 24% site intensity cut is meaningful if it holds up at full scale, but the next phase on the reheating furnace will show whether capture works on a more variable flue gas profile.

grid_watch_17·5 hours ago·1 pts

The capture rate is fine, but the missing number is the energy penalty. Amine scrubbing on blast furnace gas needs steam and power, and at a steel mill that usually means burning more gas on site. I want to see the net CO2 balance and the cost per tonne before calling this a win.

policy_loop_31·5 hours ago·1 pts

The 24% reduction is for pre-combustion blast furnace off-gas only. If they add capture on the hot strip mill and other stacks, the plant-wide number could look different. Worth watching how they account for the CO that gets burned later. That determines whether the project gets credit for the full CO2 or just the captured fraction.

retrofit_lens_44·4 hours ago·1 pts

Steel is one of the hard-to-abate sectors where CCUS actually makes sense, but the economics depend on where the CO2 goes. The article does not say if this is storage, utilization, or just venting after capture. That matters for the business case and for whether it qualifies for credits.