To start this demonstration project, NEDO, MOF/DEA (Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs), MOS (Ministry of Steel), and SAIL (Steel Authority of India Ltd.) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on April 28, 2012. In response to this agreement, MHI will install regenerative burners in the existing plate furnace at SAIL's Rourkela Steel Plant (Orissa) to verify the energy-saving effects of the furnace.
India's rapid economic development has led to a rapid increase in energy demand, and there is growing interest in introducing energy-saving technologies that have been put to practical use in developed countries as a means of addressing energy and environmental issues. India and Japan have held the Japan-India Energy Dialogue (since 2007) at the ministerial level and the Japan-India Public-Private Cooperation Meeting on Steel (since 2011) led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and discussions on energy conservation measures have been ongoing. The Regenerative Burner technology was developed in the 1990s by Japanese industrial furnace and burner manufacturers and furnace users with the support of the then Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). We have already applied this technology to various industrial furnaces in Japan, and we have delivered more than 2,100 sets of furnaces in Japan and overseas. We plan to promote this Japan-originated energy-saving technology in India, where crude steel production is expected to expand.
Over the next three years, MHI will complete the design, fabrication, and on-site construction for the modification of the existing furnace in collaboration with the Raulkera Works, the demonstration site, and measure the energy saving effects. As a result of this demonstration, the annual energy consumption will be reduced by 2.1 million liters of fuel oil equivalent during the annual production of 1 million tons of steel plates at the site, and 6,000 tons of CO2emission reductions. While measuring the effects of the project, we plan to use the Raulkera Steel Plant as a showroom to expand sales to the Indian steel industry. Through this project, we intend to contribute to building a good relationship between Japan and India, as well as to develop business to establish a firm position in the energy-saving market in the Indian steel industry over the medium to long term.
■Lee Generative Burner Operating Principle
This enables energy savings of about 30% compared to the fuel consumption of conventional furnaces, and about 10% compared to the exhaust heat recovery system using a recuperator (metal heat exchanger). NOx, a gas that causes global warming and is harmful to the human body, can be reduced by 50%.
Site Summary
SAIL Rourkela Steel Plant, Orissa
Crude steel production : 2.3 million tons (FY2013)
Hot-rolling: 1 plant
Plate: 2 plants (of which the demonstration project will be conducted in the heating furnace at the new plate plant)
Business Outline
The slab heating furnaces manufactured by other companies in operation at the new plate mill of the Raulkera Works recover heat by means of recuperators (air preheating equipment using metal heat exchangers). In order to further reduce energy consumption, the upper burners in the preheating zone, first heating zone, and second heating zone, which have high combustion load and high fuel consumption, will be converted to regenerative burners (24 burners in three zones in the upper zone will be removed and 12 pairs of regenerative burners will be installed). The conversion will improve the fuel consumption rate and CO2The purpose of this project is to demonstrate reductions in emissions.
Around the remodeled area
Miyoshi, Operations Division, Chugai Furnace Manufacturing Co.
TEL: 072-247-2509 2-4 Chikko-shinmachi, Nishi-ku, Sakai City, Osaka, 592-8331, Japan