CONVERSION OF BLAST FURNACE GASES INTO METHANOL AND ACETIC ACID

Abstract

Industries are responsible for around 1/3rd of energy uses globally and approximately 41% of whole energy related Carbon dioxide emission. In spite of gradually increase in efficiency of energy consumption, as a whole Increasing industrial product has been leading the Carbon dioxide emissions, which is specially directed to the steel industry. Off gas emitted in an ordinary steel mill come largely from three stream: Blast furnace gases, blast oxygen furnace gases and coke oven gases. Emissions of blast furnace gases are the more important in volume than others and figures almost 70% of the total emission of Carbon dioxide. Blast furnace gases have majorly consisted of 40-60% nitrogen, 20-28% carbon-monoxide, 17-25% carbon dioxide, 2-6% hydrogen, which is specifically consumed for heating and power generation preferably after mixing with blast oxygen furnace gas, natural gas or coke oven gas to increase its heating value [1]. In fact, World Steel Association has told that for every tonne of crude steel cast 1.8 tonnes of Carbon dioxide is being emitted [2]. The formation of a proposed industrial scale Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) method to manufacture Methanol followed by acetic acid from Blast furnace gas is presented in this work as given in Figure 1. The worldwide MeOH market is estimated to produce revenues of US$ 131 billion by 2026 [3]. MeOH is a significant constituent with applications ranging from transportation charge to storage of energy [4], and it is primarily employed as raw material for the manufacture of chemicals such as olefins, DME, HCHO, and acetic acid (𝐶𝐶𝐻𝐻3𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐻𝐻). The CCU method has the advantage of using 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶2 as a raw material, potentially lowering net 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶2 emissions.