The operating window simulation for injecting shale gas to the blast furnace used to smelt vanadium and titanium-bearing magnetite

Presently, the steel industry is confronted with the formidable challenge of reducing carbon emissions, with blast furnace ironmaking accounting for over 60% of carbon emissions in the steel production process. This research suggests a technical approach for smelting vanadium and titanium-bearing magnetite (VTM) by injecting shale gas into blast furnaces. It examines the impact of injecting shale gas on the degree of direct reduction and develops a mathematical model for the blast furnace's operating window based on energy-mass balance. The operating window for a blast furnace that was smelting VTM while injecting shale gas was established: The top gas temperature (TGT) is kept within the range of 110∼180 °C, while the raceway adiabatic flame temperature (RAFT) is maintained between 2000∼2200 °C, when shale gas is replaced for coke, the potential injection range of shale gas is 0∼90.4 kg/tHM, and the associated oxygen enrichment rate ranges from 1.3% to 12.9%; When shale gas is replaced for pulverised coal, the potential range for injecting shale gas is 0∼77.3 kg/tHM, which corresponds to an oxygen enrichment rate of 1.3% to 7.3%. The research results can offer a theoretical foundation for VTM smelting through the injection of shale gas into blast furnaces.