SBIR Phase I: Emissions Assessment For A Natural-Gas Fired Furnace For Melting Iron

SBIR第一期项目的广泛影响是开发了一种新的无焦化工艺，在满足严格环境法规的同时熔化铁和废钢。正在研究的过程可能会将困难的污染控制模式转变为使用清洁燃料，如天然气。与燃烧焦炭的冲天炉相比，它有可能减少75%的温室气体排放。焦炭冲天炉继续覆盖着全球70%的铸件产量。通过利用现有的天然气管道网络，它打算让美国重新站在开发清洁金属铸造技术的前沿，并提供向新铸造厂扩张的机会。该提议的重点是一种专门设计的炉子，主要包括两个相互连接的炉室，具有两个不同的熔化和过热区。该设计旨在克服天然气燃烧的无焦冲天炉和回转炉的局限性，以及燃烧焦炭的平炉迅速缩小的局限性。该项目的主要目标是证明创新的熔炼炉可以按要求的速度熔化生铁，但污染排放比竞争技术低，并符合严格的环境法规。特别是，通过系统的试验，找到一系列有利的运行条件，降低二氧化碳、铅、二氧化硫、氮氧化物和颗粒物的排放量。炉渣对炉衬的破坏也将得到控制。

The broad impact of this SBIR Phase I project is in the development of a new cokeless process to melt iron and scrap steel while meeting stringent environmental regulations. The process being investigated will potentially shift the paradigm of difficult pollution control to the use of a clean fuel, such as natural gas. It has the potential to cut down 75% of the greenhouse gas emissions by comparison with coke fired cupolas that continue to cover 70% of the world production of castings. By leveraging the existing network of natural gas pipelines, it intends to put back the US at the forefront of developing clean technologies for metal casting and provide opportunities to expand to new foundries.The proposal focuses on a specially designed furnace that primarily incorporates two interconnected chambers with two different zones of melting and superheating. This design is aimed at overcoming the limitations of natural gas fired cokeless cupolas and rotary furnaces,and rapidly dwindling coke-fired open hearth furnaces. The key objective of this project is to demonstrate that the innovative furnace can melt pig iron at the required rate, but with lower pollution emissions than competitive technologies, and in compliance with stringent environmental regulations. In particular emissions of CO2, lead, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulates will be lowered by finding a range of favorable operating conditions through systematic experimentation. Slag damage to furnace lining will also be managed.