Integration of carbon capture technologies in blast furnace based steel making: A comprehensive and systematic review

Decarbonization of the iron and steel industry, which accounts for 7–9% of global annual emissions, is a strategic objective to achieve carbon emissions reduction targets in line with climate change policies, while maintaining economic competitiveness. Carbon capture (CC) technologies are of critical importance to achieve these goals. This work presents the first systematic review of the integration of CC technologies in the blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) steelmaking route, which is expected to maintain a dominant market share over the coming decades. Integration options for post-combustion, looping cycles, oxy-combustion and pre-combustion are described and compared in terms of energy penalty, carbon emissions abatement potential, cost, technology readiness level, and practical deployment considerations. The review yielded 188 studies from peer-reviewed articles and technical papers. Research is mainly focused on chemical absorption, physical adsorption, and oxy-blast furnace technologies, but other carbon capture methods including calcium looping, Sorption Enhanced Water Gas Shift, and membranes appear promising in terms of cost and carbon emission reduction. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of the art and crucial considerations for future decision making in the techno-economic selection and integration of CC technologies. Barriers to overcome for practical implementation are also identified and discussed in this article.