scholarly journals Replacing Fossil Carbon in the Production of Ferroalloys with a Focus on Bio-Based Carbon: A Review

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1286
Author(s):  
Marcus Sommerfeld ◽  
Bernd Friedrich
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Reducing Agents ◽  
General Description ◽  
Arc Furnace ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Fossil Carbon ◽  
Arc Furnaces ◽  
Submerged Arc Furnace ◽  
Submerged Arc

The production of ferroalloys and alloys like ferronickel, ferrochromium, ferromanganese, silicomanganese, ferrosilicon and silicon is commonly carried out in submerged arc furnaces. Submerged arc furnaces are also used to upgrade ilmenite by producing pig iron and a titania-rich slag. Metal containing resources are smelted in this furnace type using fossil carbon as a reducing agent, which is responsible for a large amount of direct CO2 emissions in those processes. Instead, renewable bio-based carbon could be a viable direct replacement of fossil carbon currently investigated by research institutions and companies to lower the CO2 footprint of produced alloys. A second option could be the usage of hydrogen. However, hydrogen has the disadvantages that current production facilities relying on solid reducing agents need to be adjusted. Furthermore, hydrogen reduction of ignoble metals like chromium, manganese and silicon is only possible at very low H2O/H2 partial pressure ratios. The present article is a comprehensive review of the research carried out regarding the utilization of bio-based carbon for the processing of the mentioned products. Starting with the potential impact of the ferroalloy industry on greenhouse gas emissions, followed by a general description of bio-based reducing agents and unit operations covered by this review, each following chapter presents current research carried out to produce each metal. Most studies focused on pre-reduction or solid-state reduction except the silicon industry, which instead had a strong focus on smelting up to an industrial-scale and the design of bio-based carbon for submerged arc furnace processes. Those results might be transferable to other submerged arc furnace processes as well and could help to accelerate research to produce other metals. Deviations between the amount of research and scale of tests for the same unit operation but different metal resources were identified and closer cooperation could be helpful to transfer knowledge from one area to another. Life cycle assessment to produce ferronickel and silicon already revealed the potential of bio-based reducing agents in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, but was not carried out for other metals until now.

scholarly journals A Study on Applying Biomass Fraction for GHG Emission Estimation of Sewage Sludge Incinerator in Korea: A Case Study

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seongmin Kang ◽  
Seungjin Kim ◽  
Jeongwoo Lee ◽  
Youngjae Jeon ◽  
Ki-Hyun Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Fossil Carbon ◽  
Sludge Incineration ◽  
Entire Amount

According to the IPCC guidelines, CO2 emissions from biomass should be excluded from the entire amount of CO2 emissions when calculating CO2 emissions and should be separately reported due to the “carbon neutrality.” Sewage sludge is one of the representative biomass fuels. And it is mixed with fossil fuels in terms of greenhouse gas reduction or is used as fuel to replace fossil fuels by itself. According to the results of this study, biomass contents of both the sewage sludge and the sewage sludge incineration exhaust gases did not amount to 100%. At present, in many countries(South Korea, Japan, and Germany), when calculating greenhouse gas emissions from sewage sludge incinerator, all CO2 emissions from sewage sludge are judged to be biomass and only those greenhouse gas emissions that correspond to Non-CO2 gases are calculated as greenhouse gas emissions. However, since, according our results, the content of sewage sludge is not 100% biomass, if CO2 emissions are excluded according to the existing greenhouse gas emission calculation method, the amount of emissions may be underestimated. Therefore, to accurately calculate greenhouse gas emissions from sewage sludge incinerator, CO2 emissions should be calculated in consideration of the fossil carbon contents of sewage sludge.

Low-Carbon Russia: Prospects after the Crisis

2009 ◽  
pp. 107-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Bashmakov
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Potential Energy ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Modeling Tools ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Scenario Approach

On the eve of the worldwide negotiations of a new climate agreement in December 2009 in Copenhagen it is important to clearly understand what Russia can do to mitigate energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in the medium (until 2020) and in the long term (until 2050). The paper investigates this issue using modeling tools and scenario approach. It concludes that transition to the "Low-Carbon Russia" scenarios must be accomplished in 2020—2030 or sooner, not only to mitigate emissions, but to block potential energy shortages and its costliness which can hinder economic growth.

Ecological specificities of the interaction between animal breeding and climate changes, caused by greenhouse gas emissions

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 62-72
Author(s):  
O. Zhukorsky ◽  
O. Nykyforuk ◽  
N. Boltyk
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Animal Breeding ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Emissions Inventory ◽  
Theoretical Substantiation ◽  
Global Problems

Aim. Proper development of animal breeding in the conditions of current global problems and the decrease of anthropogenic burden on environment due to greenhouse gas emissions, caused by animal breeding activity, require the study of interaction processes between animal breeding and external climatic conditions. Methods. The theoretical substantiation of the problem was performed based on scientifi c literature, statistical informa- tion of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the data of the National greenhouse gas emissions inventory in Ukraine. Theoretically possible emissions of greenhouse gases into atmosphere due to animal breeding in Ukraine and specifi c farms are calculated by the international methods using the statistical infor- mation about animal breeding in Ukraine and the economic-technological information of the activity of the investigated farms. Results. The interaction between the animal breeding production and weather-and-climate conditions of environment was analyzed. Possible vectors of activity for the industry, which promote global warming and negative processes, related to it, were determined. The main factors, affecting the formation of greenhouse gases from the activity of enterprises, aimed at animal breeding production, were characterized. Literature data, statistical data and calculations were used to analyze the role of animal breeding in the green- house gas emissions in global and national framework as well as at the level of specifi c farms with the consid- eration of individual specifi cities of these farms. Conclusions. Current global problems require clear balance between constant development of sustainable animal breeding and the decrease of the carbon footprint due to the activity of animal breeding.

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