ArcelorMittal and Dow Benelux start trials separating CO₂ and CO from steel gas

March 18, 2019

ISPT partners ArcelorMittal and Dow Benelux will start trials with a new pilot installation built on the ArcelorMittal company site in Ghent that will separate carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) from the gases resulting from steel production. This way the separated and concentrated CO₂ will be made suitable for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS or storage) or for Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU or utilization) in which the CO can be converted into valuable products by Dow and ArcelorMittal.

The CARBON2VALUE project aims to validate technology, that has already been proven on a laboratory scale, in an industrial environment. A few years ago, ArcelorMittal Gent (BE) and Dow Benelux BV (NL) took up the initiative to work within an consortium on new CO₂ reduction methods. The other partners in this project funded by INTERREG2 SEA are LanzaTech (UK), the University of Lille (FR), the Institute for Sustainable Process Technology, ISPT (NL) and the Provincial Development Agency East Flanders, POM East Flanders (BE).

The partners had the pilot installation designed and built by Petrogas BV from Eindhoven (NL). In addition to separating CO₂ from industrial gases, it is expected that the installation can also remove other elements from the process gases. This will make valorisation of this gas as a raw material for the chemical industry possible. The treated CO-rich gas will be used within this project by ArcelorMittal in partnership with LanzaTech, to make bioethanol, and by Dow, to make hydrocarbons. The consortium is also discussing further cooperation with other interested parties. In the future, various small installations will be added on site that will test these options in practice.

The results of the tests will be used to map the technical and economic feasibility of this CO₂-saving measure. The regional and social opportunities will be evaluated by POM East Flanders. The project runs until the end of 2020. The results will be published and presented at the Carbon2Value end symposium.

After delivery in 2018, the pilot installation for the separation of CO and CO₂ was approved and extensively tested. This phase has now been completed, now the actual test program can begin.

Anton van Beek, President and Chairman of the Board of Dow Chemicals Benelux: “The world today faces major challenges in keeping climate change under control. Our common goal is to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions in order to prevent further global warming. CO₂ is released during the combustion of fossil fuels in the transport sector, the urban environment and in the industry. In addition, CO₂ is often a by-product of industrial production processes. With this pilot, we expect to achieve a major breakthrough in the further reduction of our CO₂ emissions. “

Manfred Van Vlierberghe, ArcelorMittal Belgium CEO: “ArcelorMittal Belgium is the world leader in CO₂- and energy-efficiency in the steel sector. This project is part of our action plan to further strengthen our top position. “

Philippe Muyters, Flemish Minister for Innovation: “Innovation is the key in tackling our climate issues. We will therefore not solve our problems by putting a tax on entrepreneurship. Today, ArcelorMittal once again demonstrates that our companies – who in the different sectors in Flanders today are already among the most efficient in the world – are actually part of the solution. We are fully committed to this in Flanders. “

This project was made possible in part by co-financing the Interreg 2 Seas program (project 2S01-094-CARBON2VALUE), after positive advice and support from VLAIO, the Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

For questions you can turn to:

Dow Benelux Public Affairs
beneluxinfo@dow.com
Telephone: +31 115 672700

ArcelorMittal Belgium
Jan Cornelis
jan.cornelis@arcelormittal.com
Telephone: +32 (0) 9 347 35 72 / +32 (0) 499 599 394