Demonstration project at ArcelorMittal Belgium highlights the potential of CO₂ capture for energy-intensive industries
ArcelorMittal Gent, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, BHP and Mitsubishi Development Partners announced that a CO₂ capture demonstration project had been successfully completed. During the test campaign, more than 90 per cent of the CO₂ from blast furnace gas was captured. The next phase of the project will test the technology on an additional emission stream within the steelworks.
The project gathered operational and technical data that can be used to assess the feasibility of future industrial-scale application.
Results offer prospects for energy-intensive industries
The project focuses on making steel production more sustainable, but also provides insights that may be relevant to other energy-intensive sectors where emissions cannot easily be avoided through electrification.
Practical experience regarding capture efficiency, operational reliability, energy consumption and potential integration into existing installations may also be relevant to other energy-intensive production processes.
Analyses based on the trial results show that applying the technology on a full-scale basis could reduce the CO₂ intensity of the Ghent site by up to 24 per cent.
Pilot project in detail
During the first test phase, the technology was evaluated under industrial conditions over more than 4,500 operating hours. The results confirm that a high capture efficiency is technically feasible within a complex industrial process such as steel production.
The test was carried out on blast furnace gas, a complex gas stream containing dust, sulphur compounds and other contaminants. As a result, the project provides valuable practical experience for applications in demanding industrial processes.
From demonstration to potential upscaling
The pilot plant represents an important step in the further development of the technology. In phase 2, the technology will be tested on the gases from the heating furnace of the hot rolling mill, a significant additional source of emissions within the integrated steelworks.
For large-scale application, other enabling factors – in addition to the technology itself – will also play a key role, such as suitable infrastructure, a favourable investment climate and a clear market context. Demonstration projects such as this one help to better understand what steps are needed to deploy such solutions on a larger scale.
Smart Delta Resources-region
This project illustrates how companies in the North Sea Port region are gaining practical experience with new technologies that can contribute to the industrial transition. Demonstration projects such as this are important for gaining a better understanding of the technical performance, economic feasibility and preconditions for potential upscaling.
The insights gained can contribute to future assessments concerning industrial transition, infrastructure and the potential application of CO₂ capture on a larger scale.
Project key data
- Location: ArcelorMittal Ghent
- Partners: ArcelorMittal Ghent, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, BHP, Mitsubishi Development Partners
- Technology: CO₂ capture from blast furnace gas
- Demonstration phase result: >90% CO₂ capture
- Test duration: 4,500+ operational hours
- Potential impact if fully implemented: up to 24% reduction in CO₂ intensity at the Ghent site
- Objective: operational and technical validation of CO₂ capture in steel production
- Next step: testing on the reheating furnace of the hot rolling mill and further evaluation of upscaling possibilities
Press release ArcelorMittal Belgium: Pilot Project on CO2 Capture at ArcelorMittal in Ghent
