Biomass Reducing Powder with Coal-Like Conveyability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing biomass-derived reducing agents face challenges with low density and poor conveyability, limiting their use as a substitute for coal in blast furnaces due to issues with clogging and low volumetric calorific value.
Innovation Solution
A process involving compaction of biomass at ≥150 MPa, followed by pyrolysis at ≥280 °C and grinding into powder, enhances the biomass's sphericity and energy density, allowing it to be conveyed like pulverized hard coal without system disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If biomass is used as reducing agent without compaction, then it is renewable and can replace coal, but it has low density and low volumetric calorific value
Solution Approach 1:
The biomass is compacted before pyrolysis and combustion. This preliminary compaction at high pressure (≥150 MPa) increases the bulk density from typically 100-200 kg/m³ to ≥450 kg/m³, thereby increasing the volumetric calorific value and enabling efficient handling and combustion in existing blast furnace systems.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If biomass is used as reducing agent, then it can reduce CO2 emissions, but it causes clogging in conveying systems
Solution Approach 1:
The biomass undergoes compaction and pyrolysis before being used as reducing agent. This preliminary treatment transforms the biomass into a dense, spherical powder with improved flowability and reduced moisture content, preventing clogging in pneumatic conveying systems while maintaining the CO2 reduction benefit.
Solution Approach 2:
The compaction process changes physical parameters of biomass including bulk density, particle shape (sphericity), and moisture content. These parameter changes improve conveyability and prevent clogging while the subsequent pyrolysis further modifies chemical composition to enhance combustion properties.
3Volume of stationary object
If biomass is compacted at high pressure, then volumetric energy density increases, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compaction process uses extreme pressure (≥150 MPa) to fundamentally change the physical state and density of biomass. This single parameter change achieves the desired volumetric energy density increase without requiring complex multi-step processing, followed by standard pyrolysis and grinding operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting biomass powder exhibits comparable gravimetric and volumetric energy density to coal, enabling reliable replacement in steel production processes without additional system modifications.
Implementation Method 1
b) Pyrolyzing the compacted biomass at a pyrolysis temperature ≥ 280 °C
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a reducing agent in powder form, the use thereof and a method for producing said reducing agent from biomass preferably provided as a starting substance. The method for producing this reducing agent comprises the following steps in the following order: compressing the biomass at a pressure ≥ 150 MPa, pyrolysing the compressed biomass at a pyrolysis temperature ≥ 280°C and comminuting the pyrolysed biomass into powder. The obtained powder grains of the reducing agent have a sphericity S50,3, measured by means of dynamic image analysis in accordance with ISO 13322-2:2021, of > 0.7, preferably > 0.8.