| Title |
Thermal plasma-driven looping for metal scrap processing with hydrogen |
| ID_Doc |
15381 |
| Authors |
Sarafraz, MM; Christo, FC; Rolfe, B; Shabani, B; Tran, NN; Fulcheri, L; Escribá-Gelonch, M; Hessel, V |
| Title |
Thermal plasma-driven looping for metal scrap processing with hydrogen |
| Year |
2024 |
| Published |
|
| DOI |
10.1016/j.enconman.2023.117800 |
| Abstract |
In the present research, a novel process was proposed and assessed using an equilibrium thermochemical modelling study to evaluate the performance of a combined disruptive technology of thermal plasma and thermochemical looping to utilise hydrogen for iron reduction processing. The study was aimed at conducting a high-level power performance assessment of the process by integrating a built-in power block with a focus on a novel equilibrium thermal plasma technology for reducing iron scrap particles. The effect of thermal plasma operating parameters such as temperature (1000 degrees C < T < 1800 degrees C) and hydrogen-to-iron ratio in the feed stream to the thermal plasma reactor (0 < H-2/metal < 20) on the performance of the system was numerically investigated using Aspen coupled with Matlab. Also, the self-sustaining factor was evaluated coupled with a quantitative analysis of the sustainability and lifecycle of the process aiming at better understanding the impact of the proposed system on the environment. Results showed that the system is crucially sensitive to the ratio of H-2/metal such that the overall power demand of the reactor can change in a way that the dominant regime of the plasma can change from endothermic (partial reduction of iron) to exothermic (complete reduction, combustion of iron) once the hydrogen to metal ratio exceeds similar to 2.5. It was also identified that an increase in the temperature of the combustor decreased the power demand for the thermal plasma reactor. Similarly, with increasing the temperature, a ramp-up in the self-sustaining factor was observed reaching 0.8 showing that 80 % of the energy of the auxiliaries can be maintained using the built-in heat recovery and power block. The thermal efficiency of the system was also a strong function of the H-2/metal ratio reaching similar to 0.4 at the H-2/metal ratio of similar to 2.5 reflecting the fact that the proposed process efficiency is within the state-of-the-art power production systems. The sustainability assessments showed that the process offers a high circular economy capability of the process with above-the-average lifetime and Material Circularity Indicator values. |
| Author Keywords |
Iron particles; Thermal plasma; Energy production; Heat recovery; Arc thermal plasma |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) |
| EID |
WOS:001127786500001 |
| WoS Category |
Thermodynamics; Energy & Fuels; Mechanics |
| Research Area |
Thermodynamics; Energy & Fuels; Mechanics |
| PDF |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2023.117800
|