COURSE 50 Test Plant to Reduce CO2 to Complete in March 2010

A test plant for the innovative steel making process developing project (COURSE 50) led by Nippon Iron & Steel Federation will complete in March 2010. The plant will evaluate CO2 separating and collecting process at 30 tonnes per day, under constructed in Kimitsu iron works of Nippon Steel. The federation aims to reduce CO2 emission by 20% until 2030 by the new technology.

The technology to separate and collect CO2 from blast furnace gas is now researched at a bench plant inside Kimitsu iron works. The bench plant can collect CO2 at 1 tonne per day. The new test plant enables advanced research and development of the technology.

Japanese 5 major steel makers, such as Nippon Steel or JFE Steel, and 6 engineering companies, such as Nippon Steel Engineering, are entering the development of COURSE 50 in cooperation with universities and research institutes. The project aims to reduce, separate and collect CO2 from blast furnaces.

The new test plant adopts a chemical absorption method. Along the method, CO2 will be absorbed from blast furnace gas by alkaline aqueous solution and separated by heating.