Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Conversion to Methanol and Integration with the Ironmaking Process: Modelling and Cost Analysis

Decarbonising heavy industry is now seen as essential to meet the climate change target of limiting global warming to 2°C since pre-industrial times. Amongst all the industrial processes, iron and steel production is one of the largest emitters of CO2 globally after cement manufacture and oil refining. To achieve deep decarbonisation, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is required and, in areas where there is no storage capacity close by, the conversion of CO2 to added-value products (e.g. chemicals) has to be considered. The project will investigate the techno-economics of carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) from iron making facilities in relatively close proximity.

Research objectives
The primary objective of the research project is to evaluate the different options on how to integrate a methanol synthesis plant with the Top Gas Recycling Blast Furnace (TGRBF) process developed by ULCOS Consortium [1,2]. This will involve the development of the process using the exported top gas as feedstock to the methanol synthesis. In particular, the study aims to understand the overall energy performance and economics to implement the integration of the methanol plant with the TGRBF.

Specifically, the research projects aims to evaluate the following:
1) To optimise the operation of the TGRBF with the integration of the methanol production.
2) To investigate alternative options for the CO2 capture process of the TGRBF that could be made suitable for the integration of the methanol synthesis and optimise the CO2 capture plant.
3) To evaluate the energy performance, product yields and costs of the integrated TGRBF and methanol plant. Additionally, this study will also assess the cost of CO2 avoidance from this type of CO2 capture and utilisation (CCU) scheme.

The successful candidate should have (or expect to obtain) a first-class or good 2:1 (above 65% grade mark average) UK honours degree, or a distinction or high merit at MSc level (or international equivalent) in Chemical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering. Although full training in project-specific modelling techniques will be provided, previous experience in process simulation software (e.g Aspen Plus, Aspen HYSYS, Aspen Process Economic Analyser) will be advantageous. This project’s industrial partner is Tata Steel.