Pulverized coal injection method: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:39, 13 April 2024

Latest revision as of 15:36, 24 July 2024

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==Background==

[[Iron]] is a metal that has fundamentally affected the way of life of human beings ever since the [[Iron Age]]. It is relatively abundant and can easily be extracted and modified due to its useful material properties, all of which result in low prices. After the [[industrialIndustrial revolutionRevolution]] (18-19th century), iron became a core material of industrial markets, its importance reflected in the phrase “iron is nation”; its production was directly regarded as an indication of national power. Especially after [[World War II]], governments vigorously supported the growth of an iron industrial market, which significantly contributed to the development of a global economy. Iron is extracted from its ore and [[smelting|smelted]] in a metallurgical furnace called a "[[Blast Furnace|blast furnace]]".

The blast furnace method is expected to survive into the 22nd century because of its efficient rate of iron production at competitive costs compared with other iron-making methods. Blast furnaces keep on improving with adaptations arising from new technologies driven by rising global demand, yet the main chemical process remains the same. But process improvement cannot solve many of the problems associated with blast furnaces. The rate of iron production is highly influenced by fluctuations in the world economy, and improving the operational efficiency of the process is of major concern. However, the biggest drawback of blast furnace operation is the inevitable [[carbon dioxide]] production from iron reduction processes, which is considered one of the major contributors in [[global warming]]. Accordingly, the Pulverized Coal Injection (PCI) method is becoming an internationally popular method for improving blast furnace operation.