Efficient use of resources in steel plant through process integration (Reffiplant) : final report

The overall aim of the project is to improve efficiency of resources (materials, water, energy) in integrated steelmaking plants both by minimising them at source and by finding integrated solutions for recycling, reuse, treatment of waste water, slag, sludge and dust. To achieve this aim, the following objectives are pursued: To undertake detailed investigations, at total site and individual process levels, to provide the required information for developing novel Process Integration (PI) solutions for resource efficiency; To investigate solutions for improved water efficiency at source and available PI options for water systems, evaluate the impacts on energy minimisation and CO2 footprint, and quantify saving potentials; To investigate solutions for improving material efficiency at source through reuse, recycling, and/or treatment of slag, dust and sludge, in order to identify PI options for a more flexible steel making system through low cost and higher utilisation of secondary raw materials; To develop a set of new design frameworks for generating alternative process solutions that will lead to the implementation of PI measures and practical decision-support tools which exploit multi-objective optimization techniques for evaluating the feasibility of different solutions; To assess the engineering, practical aspects and resource efficiency improvements associated with the implementation of the proposed PI solutions by undertaking on-site experimental activities at pilot scale and identifying the constraints for different EU sites. The project aims to show how to exploit PI methods and techniques together with multi-criteria optimisation to identify overall solutions minimising the steelmaking ecological footprint.