Technological Route for Decarbonizing Steel Processes: A Case Study in the Brazilian Steel Industry
摘要
The pursuit of sustainability and decarbonization of production processes is a strategy and a reality for many large companies. This article aims to identify technological solutions for decarbonizing the industrial processes of a major Brazilian steel company, with a focus on energy technologies and Industry 4.0. To achieve this goal, a systematic review and case study were conducted to identify applicable technologies for the analyzed context. The identified technologies include connecting the electricity grid to the Brazilian free energy market, which enables the acquisition of energy from renewable sources; utilizing green hydrogen and nitrogen technology from PSA technology to replace the gas energy matrix; and using biogas for combustion processes to replace natural gas. Despite the high level of complexity and investment involved, it is technically possible to neutralize Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions. About Industry 4.0 technologies, it can be observed that they are applicable to a wide range of energy technologies, facilitating real-time operation, the virtualization of processes and equipment, decentralization, and optimized decision-making.