| Abstract Scope |
The energy consumption of the ironmaking accounts for 60%–70% of the total energy consumption of an integrated steel enterprise, making it the core link for achieving a green and low-carbon transition. From the perspective of energy balance, this paper systematically analyzes the energy input-output structures of the four processes: coking, sintering, pelletizing, and blast furnace. It calculates the typical thermal values and energy loss distributions of each process. On this basis, the paper comprehensively reviews currently mature energy-saving and consumption-reduction technologies along with their application progress, covering sintering waste heat recovery, high hot blast temperature and oxygen-enriched coal injection, and increasing the proportion of pellets in the burden. Furthermore, it proposes a list of cutting-edge technological directions worthy of focused research and development, including hydrogen metallurgy, carbon-recycling blast furnaces, all-oxygen sintering, chemical-method sensible heat recovery from molten slag, and multi-energy complementarity within the ironmaking system. |