Combined Energetic and Environmental Fundamentals of Selection of the Fuel Type to Ensure the Production Processes: Theory and Applications

Procedures have been proposed for comparing the relative influence of the properties and composition of fuel and oxidant on both power efficiency and emission of harmful (toxic + “greenhouse”) substances (NO_x, CO₂) from fuel combustion. Thermodynamic principles were found to optimize the distribution of a set of various fuels by a number of processes under conditions of metallurgical production from the standpoint of minimizing hydrocarbon fuels utilization. The recommended approaches have been developed and accomplished under industrial conditions, to determine main power and main environmental performance of the furnace unit, as well as to evaluate the energetic and environmental consequences of substituting one fuel for another (natural gas, coke-oven gas and a mixture of the two with low calorific blast furnace gas).