JFE Steel’s New Shaft Furnace Consumes 1,680t Scrap per Day

JFE Steel started commercial operation of a new shaft furnace in Keihin area of East Japan works, which can produce pig iron from ferrous scrap and halve CO2 emission compared with a blast furnace. The furnace consumes ferrous scrap at 500,000 tonnes per annum, most of which is procured from outer scrap dealers.To produce 1-tonne raw steel, CO2 emission is approximately 2 tonnes by a blast furnace while about 1 tonne by JFE Steel’s new shaft furnace. The new furnace contributes to cost reduction with its high energy efficiency as well.JFE Steel’s new shaft furnace is 23 meters tall with 3.4 meters diameter and 10 tuyeres. The furnace operates 24 hours a day as same as a blast furnace. Ferrous scrap (mainly heavy scrap) and cokes are charged from the top of the furnace. The furnace can melt ferrous scrap at 1,680 tonnes a day, which totals 500,000 tonnes a year. The furnace consumes 7-tonne ferrous scrap per 6-minute charge.JFE Steel procures ferrous scrap mainly from outer sources. The firm constructed the new shaft furnace in East Japan works because scrap generation volume is relatively high around Tokyo compared with other regions.Gases generated in a melting process pass through wet-type gas cleaning equipment, 70% of which are reused for electric generation inside East Japan works and 30% becomes hot blast for the shaft furnace.