Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jinsu Kim, JunKyu Park, Young-Seek Yoon
Summary: Carbon emission is a significant problem in iron-making plants, and hydrogen utilization is a key strategy for reducing emissions. This study proposes a modified sulfur-iodine (SI) process for hydrogen production to be used as a reductant in blast furnaces (BF) during iron smelting. The modified process improves energy efficiency, profitability, and CO2 mitigation. Economic feasibility and potential for global warming mitigation are discussed. The study confirms the economic feasibility of the SI process and estimates the reduction in CO2 emissions.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Huangyu Yan, Guojie Zhang, Ying Wang, Jun Liu, Guoqiang Li, Yuqiong Zhao, Ying Xu, Yongkang Lv
Summary: In this study, a low-cost and efficient CO2 adsorbent was prepared using tetraethylenepentamine functionalized blast furnace slag. Various characterization analyses were performed, and the effects of structure, TEPA loading, and adsorption temperature on the material properties were investigated. The results showed that BFS10.5-50TEPA with more pores and high amine efficiency was an ideal adsorbent.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shenghua Wang, Athanasios A. Tountas, Wangbo Pan, Jianjiang Zhao, Le He, Wei Sun, Deren Yang, Geoffrey A. Ozin
Summary: The study proposes universal equations to describe net CO2 emissions from operating thermocatalysis and photothermal reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) and Sabatier processes. By using these reactions as archetype model systems, the factors determining the final amount of effluent CO2 can be determined, providing useful guidelines for the development of photothermal catalytic systems for CO2 reduction.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jeong-In Kim, Shusei Kubota, Shungo Natsui, Taiki Iwanaga, Yuji Miki, Hiroshi Nogami
Summary: The production of steel through the reduction of iron ores is increasing globally. An innovative reduction model based on 3D diffusion equation was developed to account for irregular particle shapes and 3D systems. The model was validated by reproducing experimental conditions and comparing the quantified effective diffusivity and chemical reaction rate constant using the shrinking core model.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Soufien Moula, Amor Ben Fraj, Thomas Wattez, Marwen Bouasker, Nizar Bel Hadj Ali
Summary: This study investigates the possibility of formulating low-carbon UHPC by replacing cement with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). The results show that reducing silica fume content allows for the production of UHPC with satisfactory mechanical properties. The incorporation of a certain percentage of GGBS accelerates the hydration process and improves compressive strength, while a high level of slag dilutes the mixture and decreases strength. Moreover, the use of superfine slag instead of silica fume results in high strength UHPC. The evaluation also indicates that the UHPC with superfine slag has a low carbon index but a higher cost.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Wenhe Wu, Rong Zhu, Guangsheng Wei, Kai Dong, Juanjuan Jiang, Bin Chen
Summary: Ironmaking and steelmaking industries are major sources of CO2 emissions, but using recycled CO2 gas in blast furnaces can help reduce emissions. The reaction of CO2 with carbon can produce CO gas, which further undergoes oxidation to CO2. However, this process may cool the furnace and impact its operation, requiring heat supplementation methods to offset the heat loss.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Changwan Gu, Jingjing Xie, Xiaoyu Li, Xu Gao, Pal ostebo Andersen
Summary: This paper constructs a comprehensive assessment model to evaluate the potential, economy, and spatial distribution of CCUS retrofits of blast furnaces in China's steel industry. The study shows that without extra incentives, the levelized cost of carbon dioxide varies greatly among the 111 steel plants considered. Carbon markets and government subsidies can contribute to the early deployment of CCUS projects.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhenxiao Xia, Zeyi Jiang, Xinru Zhang, Zhen Li, Yuanxiang Lu, Yewei He, Jialei Chen
Summary: This study examined the CO2 emission reduction potential of oxygen blast furnace (OBF) and oxygen blast furnace under hydrogen-enriched conditions (OBFh-ec) with CO2 capture and storage. Mathematical models were established to analyze the in-furnace status, energy consumption, and CO2 emission, and it was found that OBFh-ec reduced CO2 emissions by 38-44% when CO2 storage technology was used.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GREENHOUSE GAS CONTROL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Juliana M. da Silva, Jessica M. A. Freire, Carlos A. K. Taniguchi, Izaura C. N. Diogenes, Helena Becker, Elisane Longhinotti
Summary: This study proposes the use of steel residues as a material for phosphate adsorption/desorption, providing a promising solution to potential food production issues caused by phosphate rock shortage. The findings indicate that blast furnace sludge (BFS) is non-toxic, non-phytotoxic, and contains essential macronutrients and micronutrients. Desorption experiments show that a carbonate solution could efficiently release about 97% of loaded phosphate. Moreover, bioavailability assays demonstrate that the phosphate adsorbed onto BFS is readily available to the soil, making BFS a promising carrier for phosphate uptake by plants while preserving the environment. The significance of BFS lies in its effectiveness as a phosphate carrier without the need for pre-treatment, as well as its contribution to the valorization of steel industry waste in line with sustainable principles.
JOURNAL OF MATERIAL CYCLES AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
O. Burciaga-Diaz, I. E. Betancourt-Castillo, M. E. Montes-Escobedo, J. I. Escalante-Garcia
Summary: The research focused on the mechanical properties and characterization of reaction products in one-part blast furnace slag (BFS) binders. The study examined the effects of 4, 6, and 8% CaO-Na2CO3 blend activation on the BFS binders. The results showed that curing at 20 degrees Celsius promoted the reactions, leading to improved compressive strength and consolidated micro-structures with low porosity.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yongkang Cui, Wei Su, Yi Xing, Liangyuan Hao, Yujia Sun, Yingxin Cai
Summary: The CO2 separation performance in blast furnace gas (BFG) with different component ratios was studied using zeolites modified by alkaline cations. Lowering the BFG pressure from 200 to 100 kPa increased the static selectivity from 6 to 15. It was found that high adsorption selectivity of CO2/CO could be obtained in cases with low CO2 concentration and high CO concentration. LiX zeolites showed excellent CO2 recovery and purity in practical VPSA simulation, making them recommended for use in medium oxygen blast furnaces.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chenchen Lan, Yuejun Hao, Jiannan Shao, Shuhui Zhang, Ran Liu, Qing Lyu
Summary: The paper summarizes the impact of hydrogen-rich smelting on the ironmaking process in blast furnaces and proposes further research directions, providing important references for the green transformation of iron and steel enterprises.
Article
Thermodynamics
Shan Ren, Tahani Aldahri, Weizao Liu, Bin Liang
Summary: The study proposed an indirect CO2 mineral sequestration method using blast furnace slag as feedstock. Continuous experiments revealed several problematic situations, but these were successfully resolved by adding an inert component into the feedstock for returning charge operation. The harsher reaction conditions in the continuous experiments were attributed to scale-up effects compared to batch experiments.
Article
Polymer Science
Jan Fort, Martin Mildner, Martin Keppert, Vojtech Pommer, Robert Cerny
Summary: The rationalization of material flows and utilization of waste raw materials for alternative binders have gained attention in recent decades. This study focuses on the valorization of waste materials through geopolymerization to design high-performance materials as an alternative to high-performance concrete. The results highlight the potential of using end-of-life bricks mixed with reactive precursors to achieve compressive strength values over 60 MPa, with the low-amorphous brick powder dominating the mixture. Environmental analysis shows CO2 emission savings, but the embodied energy analysis reveals the significant impact of using alkaline activators.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jinsu Kim, MyungSuk Son, JunKyu Park, Jeeeun Kim
Summary: This study discusses two strategies for using a rotary hearth furnace (RHF) from the perspectives of techno-economics and CO2 reduction. The integration of RHF with a blast furnace (BF) was found to be more beneficial in terms of lower unit production cost and carbon emissions compared to integration with an electric arc furnace (EAF).
FUEL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hannu Suopajarvi, Antti Kemppainen, Juho Haapakangas, Timo Fabritius
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2017)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Gabriela S. Lorite, Joao M. Rocha, Noora Miilumaki, Paula Saavalainen, Tuula Selkala, Gabriel Morales-Cid, M. P. Goncalves, Eva Pongracz, Cristina M. R. Rocha, Geza Toth
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering
Matti Sakaranaho, Anne Heikkila, Hannu Suopajarvi, Mika Paatalo, Timo Fabritius
STEEL RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2018)
Article
Ecology
Pablo Pinero, Ignacio Cazcarro, Inaki Arto, Ilmo Maenpaa, Artti Juutinen, Eva Pongracz
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2018)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Elena Fedorova, Eva Pongracz
Article
Energy & Fuels
Aki Koskela, Hannu Suopajarvi, Olli Mattila, Juha Uusitalo, Timo Fabritius
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yueqiang Xu, Petri Ahokangas, Jean-Nicolas Louis, Eva Pongracz
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Jari Huttunen, Matti Parssinen, Tomi Heikkila, Olli Salmela, Jukka Manner, Eva Pongracz
Summary: Growing energy consumption is a global problem. The ICT industry plays a critical role in enabling energy savings, but it also needs to address its own power consumption. This article fills the information gap by providing data on the energy consumption of base transceiver stations for different generations of mobile networks.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Victor Pavlov, Neil A. James, Elizabeth A. Masden, Victor Cesar Martins de Aguiar, Lars Robert Hole, Henrikki Liimatainen, Eva Pongracz
Summary: The sea areas around the Orkney archipelago in Scotland and the Svalbard archipelago in Norway are both important for maritime activities. However, future projections show that Svalbard may become more significant due to the Trans-Arctic route. It is crucial to address oil spill risks in order to protect the sensitive environmental resources, including bird communities, in both areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jenni Yla-Mella, Riitta L. Keiski, Eva Pongracz
Summary: This study focuses on the lifespan of consumer electronics and suggests distinguishing between end-of-use and end-of-life stages. It explores the concept of waste using the PSSP language and reviews the impact of storage behavior on the waste hierarchy. The study finds that short usage time, perceived residual value, and concerns of personal information security are key factors influencing the storing of old phones.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Victor Pavlov, Victor Cesar Martins de Aguiar, Lars Robert Hole, Eva Pongracz
Summary: With the increasing exploration and exploitation activity in the Arctic Ocean, maritime traffic in the Barents Sea has become more intense. Due to the sparse population and lack of oil spill response infrastructure in the extensive Barents Sea shoreline, it is important to study the possibility of offshore accidents and hazards to the local environment and resources. This research focused on conducting simulations of oil spills in a specific geographical location along popular maritime routes. The simulations provided insights into oil pollution trajectories and discussed the potential impacts on local marine ecosystems, applicable oil spill response tools, and favorable shipping seasons.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Aida Hosseinian, Jenni Yla-Melia, Eva Pongracz
Summary: Circular economy is seen as a sustainable alternative to the linear economy, with Finland aiming to be a global pioneer in this field by increasing research in sustainable materials management. However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies on the general status of circular economy research and applied projects, highlighting the need for better understanding and acceleration of the transition towards circular economy.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Elena Fedorova, Kirsi Aaltonen, Eva Pongracz
Article
Economics
Pablo Pinero, Martin Bruckner, Hanspeter Wieland, Eva Pongracz, Stefan Giljum
ECONOMIC SYSTEMS RESEARCH
(2019)
Article
Environmental Studies
Jean-Nicolas Louise, Eva Pongracz
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REVIEW
(2017)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shitong Fang, Houfan Du, Tao Yan, Keyu Chen, Zhiyuan Li, Xiaoqing Ma, Zhihui Lai, Shengxi Zhou
Summary: This paper proposes a new type of nonlinear VIV energy harvester (ANVEH) that compensates for the decrease in peak energy output at low wind speeds by introducing an auxiliary structure. Theoretical and experimental results show that ANVEH performs better than traditional nonlinear VIV energy harvesters under various system parameter variations.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wei Jiang, Shuo Zhang, Teng Wang, Yufei Zhang, Aimin Sha, Jingjing Xiao, Dongdong Yuan
Summary: A standardized method was developed to evaluate the availability of solar energy resources in road areas, which combined the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Geographic Information System (GIS). By analyzing critical factors and using a multi-indicator evaluation method, the method accurately evaluated the utilization of solar energy resources and guided the optimal location selection for road photovoltaic (PV) projects. The results provided guidance for the application of road PV projects and site selection for route corridors worldwide, promoting the integration of transportation and energy.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Chang Liu, Jacob A. Wrubel, Elliot Padgett, Guido Bender
Summary: The study investigates the effects of coating defects on the performance of the anode porous transport layer (PTL) in water electrolyzers. The results show that an increasing fraction of uncoated regions on the PTL leads to decreased cell performance, with continuous uncoated regions having a more severe impact compared to multiple thin uncoated strips.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marcos Tostado-Veliz, Xiaolong Jin, Rohit Bhakar, Francisco Jurado
Summary: In this paper, a coordinated charging price mechanism for clusters of parking lots is proposed. The research shows that enabling vehicle-to-grid characteristics can bring significant economic benefits for users and the cluster coordinator, and vehicle-to-grid impacts noticeably on the risk-averse character of the uncertainty-aware strategies. The developed pricing mechanism can reduce the cost for users, avoiding to directly translate the energy cost to charging points.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Duan Kang
Summary: Building an energy superpower is a key strategy for China and a long-term goal for other countries. This study proposes an evaluation system and index for measuring energy superpower, and finds that China has significantly improved its ranking over the past 21 years, surpassing other countries.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Fucheng Deng, Yifei Wang, Xiaosen Li, Gang Li, Yi Wang, Bin Huang
Summary: This study investigated the synergistic blockage mechanism of sand and hydrate in gravel filling layer and the evolution of permeability in the layer. Experimental models and modified permeability models were established to analyze the effects of sand particles and hydrate formation on permeability. The study provided valuable insights for the safe and efficient exploitation of hydrate reservoirs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hao Wang, Xiwen Chen, Natan Vital, Edward Duffy, Abolfazl Razi
Summary: This study proposes a HVAC energy optimization model based on deep reinforcement learning algorithm. It achieves 37% energy savings and ensures thermal comfort for open office buildings. The model has a low complexity, uses a few controllable factors, and has a short training time with good generalizability.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Moyue Cong, Yongzhuo Gao, Weidong Wang, Long He, Xiwang Mao, Yi Long, Wei Dong
Summary: This study introduces a multi-strategy ultra-wideband energy harvesting device that achieves high power output without the need for external power input. By utilizing asymmetry, stagger array, magnetic coupling, and nonlinearity strategies, the device maintains a stable output voltage and high power density output at non-resonant frequencies. Temperature and humidity monitoring are performed using Bluetooth sensors to adaptively assess the device.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Tianshu Dong, Xiudong Duan, Yuanyuan Huang, Danji Huang, Yingdong Luo, Ziyu Liu, Xiaomeng Ai, Jiakun Fang, Chaolong Song
Summary: Electrochemical water splitting is crucial for hydrogen production, and improving the hydrogen separation rate from the electrode is essential for enhancing water electrolyzer performance. However, issues such as air bubble adhesion to the electrode plate hinder the process. Therefore, a methodology to investigate the two-phase flow within the electrolyzer is in high demand. This study proposes using a microfluidic system as a simulator for the electrolyzer and optimizing the two-phase flow by manipulating the micro-structure of the flow.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shuo Han, Yifan Yuan, Mengjiao He, Ziwen Zhao, Beibei Xu, Diyi Chen, Jakub Jurasz
Summary: Giving full play to the flexibility of hydropower and integrating more variable renewable energy is of great significance for accelerating the transformation of China's power energy system. This study proposes a novel day-ahead scheduling model that considers the flexibility limited by irregular vibration zones (VZs) and the probability of flexibility shortage in a hydropower-variable renewable energy hybrid generation system. The model is applied to a real hydropower station and effectively improves the flexibility supply capacity of hydropower, especially during heavy load demand in flood season.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zhen Wang, Kangqi Fan, Shizhong Zhao, Shuxin Wu, Xuan Zhang, Kangjia Zhai, Zhiqi Li, Hua He
Summary: This study developed a high-performance rotary energy harvester (AI-REH) inspired by archery, which efficiently accumulates and releases ultralow-frequency vibration energy. By utilizing a magnetic coupling strategy and an accumulator spring, the AI-REH achieves significantly accelerated rotor speeds and enhanced electric outputs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yi Yang, Qianyi Xing, Kang Wang, Caihong Li, Jianzhou Wang, Xiaojia Huang
Summary: In this study, a novel hybrid Quantile Regression (QR) model is proposed for Probabilistic Load Forecasting (PLF). The model integrates causal dilated convolution, residual connection, and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) for multi-scale feature extraction. In addition, a Combined Probabilistic Load Forecasting System (CPLFS) is proposed to overcome the inherent flaws of relying on a single model. Simulation results show that the hybrid QR outperforms traditional models and CPLFS exceeds the best benchmarks in terms of prediction accuracy and stability.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wen-Jiang Zou, Young-Bae Kim, Seunghun Jung
Summary: This paper proposes a dynamic prediction model for capacity fade in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The model accurately predicts changes in electrolyte volume and capacity fade, enhancing the competitiveness of VRFBs in energy storage applications.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yuechao Ma, Shengtie Wang, Guangchen Liu, Guizhen Tian, Jianwei Zhang, Ruiming Liu
Summary: This paper focuses on the balance of state of charge (SOC) among multiple battery energy storage units (MBESUs) and bus voltage balance in an islanded bipolar DC microgrid. A SOC automatic balancing strategy is proposed considering the energy flow relationship and utilizing the adaptive virtual resistance algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy in achieving SOC balancing and decreasing bus voltage unbalance.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Raad Z. Homod, Basil Sh. Munahi, Hayder Ibrahim Mohammed, Musatafa Abbas Abbood Albadr, Aissa Abderrahmane, Jasim M. Mahdi, Mohamed Bechir Ben Hamida, Bilal Naji Alhasnawi, A. S. Albahri, Hussein Togun, Umar F. Alqsair, Zaher Mundher Yaseen
Summary: In this study, the control problem of the multiple-boiler system (MBS) is formulated as a dynamic Markov decision process and a deep clustering reinforcement learning approach is applied to obtain the optimal control policy. The proposed strategy, based on bang-bang action, shows superior response and achieves more than 32% energy saving compared to conventional fixed parameter controllers under dynamic indoor/outdoor actual conditions.
