Si2011 PDF
Si2011 PDF
Si2011 PDF
a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t
Article history: The steel industry is one of the most energy intensive industries, contributing greenhouse gas (GHG)
Received 29 December 2010 emissions. This research analyzes the feasibility of waste heat recovery and assesses energy efficiency at
Accepted 20 February 2011 a steel company, Gerdau Ameristeel in Selkirk, Manitoba. The process heating assessment and survey tool
(PHAST) determined that the overall efficiency in the reheat furnace is 60%. Flue gas losses are the biggest
Keywords: energy losses in the reheat furnace, accounting for 29.5% of the total energy losses during full production.
Energy efficiency
Heat losses from wall, hearth and roof are also significant, being 7,139,170 kJ/h during full production. To
Energy recovery
reduce energy inefficiencies, it is recommended that billets be preheated to 315 ◦ C in the reheat furnace.
GHG
PHAST
This requires 1.48 h to capture waste heat with a preheating section length of 1691.64 cm. The annual
Steel energy savings are estimated to be $215,086.12 requiring a 3.03 years payback period. This study was
the first to determine the required size of a preheating box and the rate of heat transfer through billets
in the preheating section.
© 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2904
2. Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2905
3. Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2906
3.1. Energy losses in the reheat furnace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2906
3.1.1. Energy losses during peak production rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2906
3.1.2. Energy losses during idling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2906
3.1.3. Energy losses during partial production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2907
3.2. Heat transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2907
4. Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2907
4.1. Energy efficiency improvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2907
4.1.1. Waste heat recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2907
4.1.2. Upgrading the charge end to improve energy efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2907
4.1.3. Control system to improve energy efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2907
4.1.4. Maximize furnace operation capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2907
5. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2908
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2908
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2908
1. Introduction
1364-0321/$ – see front matter © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.rser.2011.02.035
M. Si et al. / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 15 (2011) 2904–2908 2905
most developed countries (e.g., Global 20 top national economies) Finally, semi-finished products are transported to the rolling mill
which would create a green global recovery. Current energy and rolled into the finished products [18] (Fig. 1).
efficiency achievements are insufficient to stabilize atmospheric An analysis of the GAM operation found two areas that had high
concentrations of GHG that will prevent dangerous anthropogenic potential for energy efficiency namely: (1) recovering waste heat
interference with the climate system [4,5]. The International Energy to preheat billets; and (2) assessing energy efficiency in the reheat
Agency [6] reports that industry is half as energy efficient as it could furnace. Currently, the billet temperature drops from 1200 ◦ C to
be: “The energy intensity of most industrial processes is at least 50% ambient outdoor temperature, where the billets are stored after
higher than the theoretical minimum determined by the laws of ther- casting and then reheated to 1200 ◦ C again. This study looks at pre-
modynamics”. Industries are often not willing to implement energy heating billets to 315 ◦ C (600 F) using flue gas captured from the
efficiency due to: limited access to capital, its disruption of produc- reheat furnace.
tion, inappropriate technologies interfere with production and lack Energy efficiency was examined using the process heating and
of capacity in efficiency assessment [7,8]. assessment survey tool (PHAST). PHAST was developed by the U.S.
As the steel industry accounts for approximately 7% of global Department of Energy. Industries can survey heating equipment
anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gas equivalents [9], that consumes steam, electricity, or natural gas by this tool and
improving energy efficiency industry is particularly important. identify the energy losses and energy efficiency potential.
Steel production is estimated to emit 1500–1600 Mt CO2 per year, The process heating assessment and survey tool (PHAST)
including process related emissions and energy related emissions worked well to analyze energy efficiency of reheat furnace con-
[9]. In the iron and steel sector, there are many opportunities to sidering all the necessary factors including: (1) heat absorbed by
improve energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions, including cooling water; (2) heat transmission through wall, hearth and roof;
enhancing continuous production processes, waste energy recov- (3) heat radiation through opening areas (charge end and discharge
ery, and changing from primary to secondary production routes end); (4) heat losses by flue gas and atmosphere infiltration; (5)
[10,11]. Worrell et al. [12] provided a detailed report of poten- atmosphere losses by air leaking into furnace. The rate and amount
tial energy saving and CO2 reduction from steelmaking in the US, of heat losses in each category could be analyzed by inputting the
proposing 47 energy efficiency practices and technologies. De Beer following factors:
et al. [13] estimated that the global energy efficiency in the steel
sector would be improved by 29% by 2020 using existing technolo- • Water losses: water flow rate, temperature difference between
gies, such as smelt reduction and near net shape casting. Iron and
water in and out, etc.
steel industries were pioneers of energy recovery. In the 19th cen- • Wall, hearth and roof losses: outside area of furnace, thickness
tury, iron and steel industries developed and installed techniques
and thermal properties of refractories and insulation, surface
of waste energy recovery [14], which was widely implemented
temperature, etc.
around the world, producing significant economical and environ- • Opening losses: area of opening and by furnace inside tempera-
mental benefits. Energy efficiency in the steel industry continues to
ture.
be innovative. North Star Steel’s Wilton Iowa (which was acquired • Flue gas losses: flue gas temperature, combustion air temperature
by Gerdau Ameristeel) plant completed a number of heat recovery
and oxygen in flue gas.
projects in 2004 that included: (1) changing the reheat discharge • Atmosphere losses: temperature difference between in and out
skid base, which produced $122,950 energy saving per year, with a
atmosphere and atmosphere flow rate.
pay back period of 10 months; (2) modifying temperature combus-
tion air for the reheat furnace produced $278,369 annual energy
saving with a pay back period of 6.47 months [15]. A feasibility PHAST provides different scenarios of preliminary projections
study of preheating billets was also conducted [15], but the size of for energy efficiency projects. This study uses PHAST to consider
the preheating box and the rate of heat transfer in the preheating efficiency in a reheat furnace in the steel sector. In addition, this
box were not determined. study is the first to determine the size requirements of a preheating
This study evaluates the energy efficiency of several opera- box and the rate of heat transfer through billets in the preheating
tions at a Gerdau Ameristeel special sections steel making mill in box [15].
Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada. Gerdau Ameristeel is the second largest
mini-mill steel producer in North America, with an annual man-
2. Methods
ufacturing capacity of over ten million metric tons of crude steel
production in 2009 tons [16]. It is one of the largest consumers
One of the semi-finished billet products was used to analyze
of energy in Manitoba using natural gas and electricity. Gerdau
energy efficiency in the reheat furnace and the rate of heat trans-
Ameristeel Manitoba (GAM) is a scrap-based electric arc furnace
fer in the preheating box. Analysis of this billet shape should be
steel producer. In the first step of the GAM process scrap metal is
applicable to all products. The following steps were taken in this
melted into liquid steel in the electric arc furnace (EAF) at 1600 ◦ C,
study:
then the liquid steel is sent to the ladle furnace where steel is
homogenized, desulphurized and dephosphorized. The deoxidized,
clean molten steel is then delivered to the tundish where the liquid Step 1: Measured structural data for reheat furnace including its
steel supplies the continuous casting machine. The steel is casted dimensions, layer information, opening areas and wall informa-
directly into semi-finished shapes (slabs and billets). The semi- tion.
finished products are then stored at ambient outdoor temperature Step 2: Collected production data for the dates of April 9th
(2.7 ◦ C) [17] at the billet bay before being transported to a reheat 2010 (7:00–16:00), June 13th 2010 (20:15–23:50) and July 27th
furnace where they are heated to 1200 ◦ C. The temperature of bil- 2010 (2:30–7:00) including flue gas temperature, waste gas
lets in the preheating box needs to be spatially uniform in order temperature, furnace temperature, water temperature, discharge
to meet steel production requirement. As a sector initiative, steel temperature, inside temperature and opening cycle and time of
companies explore the feasibility of capturing the reheat furnace’s charge and discharge ends at full production (85 ton/h), partial
flue gas, averaging 815 ◦ C, to preheat billets from ambient to 315 ◦ C production (65 ton/h) and idling (0 ton/h). The temperatures for
(600 F). The reheat furnace is 2286 cm long and currently individ- different variables were read every 5 min and averaged over the
ual billets need to be reheated in the furnace for approximately 2 h. three days for this analysis.
2906 M. Si et al. / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 15 (2011) 2904–2908
Fig. 1. Production process of an electric arc furnace (EAF) steel making operation, adapted from Gerdau Ameristeel [18].
Step 3: Calculated energy efficiency and energy losses into PHAST Table 1
Differences of production parameters among full operation, partial operation, and
the full production, partial production and idling data.
idling.
Step 4: Determined heat transfer by the lumped capacitance
method to determine billet heating time (from ambient to 315 ◦ C) Full operation Idling Partial operation
in the preheating box. Feed rate (kg/h) 77110.70 0 58967.0
Furnace inside temperature (◦ C) 1276.11 1196.67 1278.89
Wall surface temperature (◦ C) 232.78 141.11 232.78
The heating time is calculated by Eq. (1):
Roof and hearth temperature (◦ C) 245 185.55 245
T(t) − Ta
hA Combustion air temperature (◦ C) 396.11 321.11 401.11
s
= = exp − t (1) Flue gas temperature (◦ C) 799.44 463.89 813.33
i Ti − Ta Vc
where T(t) : reached temperature, 315 ◦ C (600 F); Ta : surrounding
temperature, 815 ◦ C (1500 F); Ti : body temperature, 2.7 ◦ C (36 F); the largest area of heat loss in the reheat furnace. Flue gas losses
: density, 7800 kg/m3 ; c: heat capacity of steel, 440/JK; t: the heat accounted for 30% of energy lost amounting to 26,436,368 kJ/h
time (s). (Table 2 and Fig. 2). Hearth and roof losses were the biggest energy
Biot number is used to validate the approach of the lumped loss in the net heat distribution, accounting for 9.5% of energy lost or
capacitance method. The Biot number is calculated by Eq. (2) 6,000,814 kJ/h. Water is used for cooling products at the discharge
end in the reheat furnace. The temperature of water is measured
hLc
Bi = (2) by a temperature gauge, the water losses only accounted for 0.2%
k in the net heat distribution. The amount of atmosphere losses was
where Bi : Biot number; V: volume, 0.2 m (0.64 ft., width) × 0.2 m 1,376,892 kJ/h. GAM does not have any fixture, basket or tray for
(0.64 ft., height) × 7.01 m (23 ft., length); As : area exposed to hot materials handling, so there are no material handling losses in the
air, 0.2 m (0.64 ft.) × 0.2 m (0.64 ft.) × 2 + 3 × 0.2 m (0.64 ft.) × 7.01 m reheat furnace.
(23 ft.); LC : characteristic length = V/A; h: convection coefficient,
20 W/m2 K; k: thermal conductivity, 43 W/m K. 3.1.2. Energy losses during idling
Approximately 30% of the time the production line was idle with
3. Results the flue gas temperatures dropping to 426.67 ◦ C, which reduces flue
gas losses by 95%, compared to losses at full production. However,
The reheat furnace is 22.86 m (75 ft.) long, 1.22 m (4 ft.) high and the reheat furnace was not shut down maintaining temperatures
6.40 m (21 ft.) wide. The charge end has a curtain with a fixed open- of 1196 ◦ C. Heat transmission from hearth and roof was the largest
ing area of 1.86 m2 . The discharge end has a variable opening area energy loss at 3,657,238 kJ/h (Fig. 2). The atmosphere losses during
of 3.34 m2 . Billets are dropped out of the furnace every 10 s from idling account for 22.1%, which was 20% higher than the losses in
the discharge end door. The main differences among full operation,
partial operation and idling are furnace temperature, wall temper-
Table 2
ature, roof and hearth temperature, combustion air temperature Gross heat distribution in the reheat furnace during 85 ton/h at MRM.
and flue gas temperature. See Table 1.
Area of heat consumption kJ/h
3.1. Energy losses in the reheat furnace Net load weight 54,155,711
Flue gas losses 26,436,368
Other losses (roof and hearth) 6,000,814
3.1.1. Energy losses during peak production rate Atmosphere losses 1,376,892
Full production occurred approximately 50% of the time. The Wall losses 1,138,356
overall efficiency of the reheat furnace was 60.4% at full production Opening losses 396,768
rate. Although the reheat furnace has a recouperator for improv- Water losses 109,898
Fixture losses 0
ing the combustion air temperature, the flue gas losses are still
M. Si et al. / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 15 (2011) 2904–2908 2907
Fig. 2. Energy losses in the reheat furnace at GAM during 85 ton/h and idling production.
full production. The percentage of opening losses during idling was length of the preheating box depends on the preheating tempera-
increased as well to 5.5% in the net heat distribution in contrast to ture and flue gas temperature. The larger the difference between
0.6% during peak production. the preheating temperature and the flue gas temperature, the
shorter preheating time is required. The waste heat from the reheat
3.1.3. Energy losses during partial production furnace can either go through a heat exchange system or be charged
Approximately 20% of the time the production line was at partial into billets directly. Waste heat directly contacting the billets will
production. The overall efficiency in the reheat furnace decreased minimize the preheating time and reduce the heat losses in the
to 57.5% during partial production. The energy intensity increased exchange system.
by 5%, compared with the energy intensity in the peak production.
Flue gas temperature, combustion air temperature and atmosphere 4.1.2. Upgrading the charge end to improve energy efficiency
air temperature were slightly higher than the temperatures in the The charge end in the reheat furnace is a 100% fixed opening
peak production, which resulted in the reduction of flue gas losses area. This opening area leaks cold air into the furnace, which must
by 18% and the increase in atmosphere losses by 0.2%. be heated before exiting through the flue system, wasting energy.
The opening losses caused a 396,768 kJ/h energy loss, accounting
3.2. Heat transfer for 14.5% and 2.1% energy loss during full production and idling,
respectively. The discharge end has a door from which billets are
As the Biot number of the billet is 0.03 (<0.1), the lump capaci- dropped out of the furnace every ten seconds, so this opening cycle
tance method can be used in the heat transfer calculation. The lump is variable. Upgrading the charge end to a variable opening end
capacitance method predicts that preheating billets from ambi- similar to the discharge end is proposed. PHAST estimates that this
ent temperature to 315 ◦ C needs 1.48 h with 815 ◦ C flue gas. In upgrade would reduce 83% of losses. The upgrading project will
order to keep the same velocity (19.05 cm/min) in the reheat fur- have $46,463 energy saving per year with a payback period of 4.2
nace, the preheating section was calculated as requiring a length of years.
1691.64 cm.
4.1.3. Control system to improve energy efficiency
4. Discussion In the reheating process, furnace pressure and temperature con-
trol have significant effects on energy efficiency improvement.
4.1. Energy efficiency improvement Empirical research stated that keeping furnace temperature and
pressure at an optimal level will increase the combustion efficiency
This analysis of energy efficiency found four areas that improve- and reduce flue gas losses [19–22]. The negative pressure inside
ments could be made. a reheat furnace can cause ambient air to enter into the reheat
furnace, which needs extra energy to heat the leakage air to flue
4.1.1. Waste heat recovery gas temperature. In this study, the atmosphere losses accounted
Waste heat from the reheat furnace can be reused for preheat- for 2.2% with 1,376,892 kJ/h during peak production. When oper-
ing billets, incoming water, etc., for which energy efficiencies can ation is at partial production, the atmospheric pressure is slightly
be calculated by PHAST. The heat required (kJ/h) in the reheat fur- increased by 0.2%. Furnace pressure controller can keep a positive
nace will be reduced by 23.6% and the energy intensity (kJ/kg) will pressure in the furnace chamber to reduce atmosphere losses.
be reduced by 278.12 kJ/kg. Preheating billets to 315 ◦ C will save
$215,086.12 annually. Based on a $500,000 initial cost, $50,000 of 4.1.4. Maximize furnace operation capacity
annual maintenance cost and $6.48/GJ, a payback period of 3.03 Keeping furnace operation at its peak capacity can maximize
years was calculated by cumulative cash flow. In addition, the energy used per unit of production. By contrast, idle and partial
2908 M. Si et al. / Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 15 (2011) 2904–2908
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