Original Article

An advanced simulation tool to support adoption of alternative non-fossil carbon sources in electric steelworks

¹ Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna − TeCIP Institute, Via Moruzzi, 1, Pisa, 56124, Italy
² Università di Padova, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Padova, 35100, Italy
³ Sidenor Investigacion Y Desarrollo SA, Barrio Ugarte, Basauri, 48970, Spain
⁴ Sidenor Aceros Especiales, Barrio Ugarte, Basauri, 48970, Spain

^* Corresponding author: ismael.matino@santannapisa.it

Received: 31 May 2024
Accepted: 14 November 2024

Abstract

In the European Green Deal background, electric steelworks are highly committed to decrease their environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions. Among the different solutions, the use of alternative non-fossil carbon sources is promising for reducing both the environmental impact and the dependency from fossil energy and C-sources markets. The paper fits into this context and focuses on the application of an advanced model to support the investigations for the adoption of alternative non-fossil carbon sources in electric steelworks. The model is an update of a previous version allowing the simulation of a standard electric scrap route; model adaptations, validations and tests are described and showed. In addition, the first simulation results depict the possibility of obtaining a decrease between 3% and 20% of EAF CO₂ emissions by substituting fossil carbon. In parallel, a survey on the perception of the use of these kinds of tools from the European steel sector stakeholders was conducted. From the survey outcomes, it emerges an evident interest but also the need of models simple to be adapted, used, transferred and that can provide significant benefits. The adapted and used model try to fit with stakeholder requirements and to be a facilitator in the application of novel environmental friendly solutions in electric steelworks.