The cofiring of blast furnaces with coal and plastics is being done commercially in Japan by JFE, world leaders in this area. JFE has sought the assistance of the Brisbane-based Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development, (CCSD). Australia has gained international recognition through CCSD’s work in the area of carbon-high temperature reactions in blast furnaces.

JFE, which was formed when NKK merged with Kawasaki, is optimistic it will provide an alternative to disposing of plastics in landfills, a major issue in Japan.

CCSD is being asked to prove the sustainable credentials of plastics in steel manufacturing and the chemical impact it will have on blast furnaces. Australian researchers, headed by Dr Veena Sahajwalla, UNSW, Project Leader with CCSD, will work with BHP Billiton and BHP Steel.

“If the world adopts this iron making technique it will provide an economic solution for plastic waste disposal and reduce GHG emissions because plastic is carbon lean compared to coal,” Dr Sahajwalla said.

Australia is a world leader in both analysing carbon bearing material properties and in understanding the reactions as they occur in the blast furnace. Dr Sahajwalla and her team won the 2003 Kapitan award at the International Iron and Steel conference in Indianapolis, for the best ironmaking paper.

She is speaking at an Innovative Ironmaking Workshop in Tokyo from November 27-28, on reaction rates and properties of cokes during reactions with CO2 and liquid iron.

“Iron-making at lower temperatures, with plastics and coal injection, will mean less coal will be used and CCSD wants to find out if it will enhance the combustion performance,” Dr Sahajwalla said.

CCSD involvement in co-injection research was enhanced by a visit from Kyoto University’s Professor Iwase, and JFE researchers, Dr Wakimoto and Dr Inoue, both very experienced in this field.