Aluminum and steel industry power solutions
The manufacture of iron, steel, aluminum, and other intermediate metal goods requires greater amounts of energy, which increase the metals industry costs and impact on the environment.
Helping to meet industry challenges
To meet these challenges, the high volume of coke, blast furnace, and converter gases created in metals production and processing can be captured and used to efficiently fuel power generation for the industry. Using these gases to power turbines in power plants instead of discarding them as waste can help the industry save money and reduce harmful industrial CO2 emissions.
GE Vernova’s portfolio includes heavy-duty and aeroderivative gas turbine packages that can run on these alternative gases, as well as power conversion and productivity solutions created to help the metals industry operate more efficiently and cleanly.
The ability to handle a range of process gases
GE Vernova’s portfolio includes technologies that can capture, clean, and process gases produced during metals processing to power its turbines.
- Coke oven gas is a byproduct of coal carbonization, or heating coal at a high temperature in the absence of air. This is used by the steel industry to convert iron ore. Coke oven gas is a combustible hydrogen and hydrocarbon gas mix that can be cleaned and used as a fuel source to generate energy.
- Blast furnace gas (BFG) is a byproduct gas released when iron is converted with coke in a blast furnace. This BFG fuel—a combination of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and a small amount of hydrogen—has a low combustion value on its own, but it can be combined with coke oven gas or natural gas to sustain combustion.
- Converter gas is a byproduct gas produced in the steel production process when iron ore is refined to liquid steel by refining it with oxygen or air, reducing its carbon levels, and providing adequate process heat or by extracting oxygen from the iron and then processing it with an additional heat supply, often electrical melting. It is primarily made up of carbon monoxide, as well as carbon dioxide and nitrogen plus small amounts of hydrogen and methane.
The ability to handle a range of process gases
GE Vernova’s portfolio includes technologies that can capture, clean, and process gases produced during metals processing to power its turbines.
- Coke oven gas is a byproduct of coal carbonization, or heating coal at a high temperature in the absence of air. This is used by the steel industry to convert iron ore. Coke oven gas is a combustible hydrogen and hydrocarbon gas mix that can be cleaned and used as a fuel source to generate energy.
- Blast furnace gas (BFG) is a byproduct gas released when iron is converted with coke in a blast furnace. This BFG fuel—a combination of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and a small amount of hydrogen—has a low combustion value on its own, but it can be combined with coke oven gas or natural gas to sustain combustion.
- Converter gas is a byproduct gas produced in the steel production process when iron ore is refined to liquid steel by refining it with oxygen or air, reducing its carbon levels, and providing adequate process heat or by extracting oxygen from the iron and then processing it with an additional heat supply, often electrical melting. It is primarily made up of carbon monoxide, as well as carbon dioxide and nitrogen plus small amounts of hydrogen and methane.
The ability to handle a range of process gases
GE Vernova’s portfolio includes technologies that can capture, clean, and process gases produced during metals processing to power its turbines
Coke oven gas
A byproduct of coal carbonization, or heating coal at a high temperature in the absence of air
The steel industry uses coke oven gas to convert iron ore. Coke oven gas is a combustible hydrogen and hydrocarbon gas mix that can be cleaned and used as a fuel source to generate energy.
Blast furnace gas (BFG)
A byproduct gas released when iron is converted with coke in a blast furnace
BFG fuel—a combination of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and a small amount of hydrogen—has a low combustion value on its own, but it can be combined with coke oven gas or natural gas to sustain combustion.
Converter gas
A gas byproduct of the steel production process consisting primarily of carbon monoxide as well as carbon dioxide and nitrogen, plus small amounts of hydrogen and methane
Converter gas occurs either:
- When iron ore is refined to liquid steel by refining it with oxygen or air, reducing its carbon levels, and providing adequate process heat
- By extracting oxygen from the iron and then processing it with an additional heat supply, often electrical melting
Portfolio
GE Vernova’s portfolio of gas turbines for the metals industry
- Heavy-duty gas turbines
- Aeroderivative gas turbines
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