Bhubaneswar: Tata Steel Meramandali commissioned its groundbreaking Coke Oven Gas (COG) Injection project at Blast Furnace 1.
The first-of-its-kind initiative in Indian steel industry is in line with Tata Steel’s Net-Zero commitment by 2045.
“This initiative of maximising the utilisation of process gases to reduce dependence on external fossil fuels reinforces Tata Steel’s leadership in sustainable manufacturing. We remain focused on demonstrating and scaling low carbon technologies, thereby accelerating our journey towards Net Zero by 2045,” said Subodh Pandey, Vice-President – Technology, R&D, NMB and Graphene, Tata Steel.
Sudhir Kumar Mehta, Vice-President – Operations, Tata Steel Meramandali, said: “This project is a good example of how our teams continuously look for ways to improve efficiency while reducing the environmental impact. By finding a productive use for coke oven gas within the blast furnace process, we are making our operations leaner and cleaner.”
COG, a hydrogen and hydrocarbon-rich byproduct gas, is generally used in an integrated steel plant for power generation, heating, or simply flared. With support from technology partner Paul Wurth-SMS and equipment supplier Kobelco, Tata Steel has successfully implemented the COG injection in the blast furnace through tuyeres, substituting fossil fuel as a reductant, thereby reducing the environmental impact.
Besides reducing fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, the COG injection will provide a unique opportunity to operate the blast furnace with a three-fuel system, enhancing operational flexibility and efficiency.