Carbon Trading Potential in Indian Sponge Iron Sector - A ...

Fe 3 0 4 + CO => 3 Fe0 + CO 2
Fe0 + CO => Fe + CO 2
The waste gases emanating from the sponge iron kilns contain substantial amount of
combustibles along with carbon particles, unused CO etc.
It is possible to exploit gainfully such waste heat contained in flue gases, utilize the same
to produce steam to generate power in a suitably designed waste heat recovery system
(WHRS).
In terms of Kyoto Protocol, such waste heat recovery systems, as a clean technology
options, fulfil the criteria of CDM Projects, primarily on account of the following features
of additionality :-
i) as compared to a conventional coal based power generation project, WHRS causes
reduced emission of green house gases
ii) the system contributes to industrial energy efficiency as an attendant benefit
iii) it conserves energy resources, and
iv) it replaces an equivalent amount of electricity from the usual carbon intensive power
grid
An assessment of clean power potential and CDM benefits
Coal based sponge iron plants collectively registered a production of about 11 million
tonnes during the year 2006-07. During the current year i.e. 2007-08, the production is
on an upward trend as borne out by the fact that in five months period between April –
Aug’07 the recorded production was 5.36 million tonnes.
While the small capacity plants may be constrained due to scale of economy to produce
power through waste heat recovery systems, the plants having capacity of 60,000
tonnes per annum and above i.e, those employing at least a kiln of 200 TPD or two kilns
of 100 TPD each can viably operate WHRB System. Further the plants operating at
least one kiln of 350 TPD are expected to be better placed to realize CDM benefits.
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