May 2019: Project end review meeting completed.
The project end review meeting with the project offices was sucessfully completed. Total budget spending of 99.6% was achieved and the majority of the project goals were achieved.
October 2018: STEPWISE GHGT-14 participation, Melbourne, Australia
The STEPWISE project was presented in 2 orals at the GHGT-14 in Melbourne, Australia.
- Cost Effective CO2 Reduction in the Iron & Steel Industry by Means of the SEWGS Technology: STEPWISE Project: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.1764
- SEWGS application to integrated steel-plant for CO2 emission mitigation: assessment of the energy penalty and cost of CO2 avoided
October 2018: 2nd long campaign sucessfully completed.
Together with the 1st long campaign, this represents both the first, and highest TRL level demonstration of SEWGS technology for the Iron and Steel industry, i.e. TRL6. Cumulative of the 2 long campaigns a total of 5100 regeneration cycles were performed during 112 days of operation. The suitability of the high temperature open/close valves was demonstrated. The heat effects during the cycle were modest, allowing improved flexibility in SEGWS column operation. Low steam operation of the WGS section proved suitable, and simultaneous desulphurization and decarbonisation by SEWGS technology was demonstrated.
Major results are summarized in graphs below.
March 2018: 1st long campaign completed.
The 1st pilot plant campaign in Luleå, Sweden, using the KATALCO 71-6 water-gas shift catalyst (WGS) for the pre-shift section and the HT1.5 sorbent for the SEWGS unit has been completed. This test campaign represents both the first, and highest TRL level demonstration of SEWGS technology for the Iron and Steel industry, in which all the major components needed for industrial implementation are coupled together (TRL6). A total of 56 days operation covered preparations, operation, data acquisition, post run functional checks and reactor unloading and sampling in a 24/7 manning of the pilot plant with 5 crews.
The campaign focussed on exploring the pilot operational boundaries and resulted in valueble data for model tuning.
January 2018: Parametric testing completed. 1st time BFG operation.
In January 2018, the 1st start-up of the pilot plant was performed. The WGS and sorbent materials were sucessfully activated, start-up and shut-down procedures were shown to lead to good operation of the pilot. The dynamics of the plant during SEWGS cycling was according to design and the valve switching to allow the pressure cycle was optimized.
December 2017: Comissioning completed.
All individual components of the pilot installation have sucessfully been tested under cold and hot conditions. It was demonstrated that all safety functions operated as designed. The reactors are filled with material. We’re ready for BFG testing !
November 16, 2017: Click here to see the STEPWISE promotional video.
September 5, 2017: Grand Opening of the pilot by (from left to right):
- Nils Edberg (Site Manager of SSAB Luleå)
- Eva Sundin (CEO Swerea MEFOS)
- Niklas Nordström (Mayor Luleå)
- Aart van der Pal (CEO ECN).
August 2017: Installing equipment.
April 2017: WGS and SEWGS reactors placed within the ATEX building.
April 19 & 20, 2017: ECN and CATO jointly hosted the conference
Reducing the carbon footprint of the steel industry
March 2017: SEWGS reactor ready for transport to Sweden.
March 2017: Piping mounted to the reactors in the Netherlands.
February 2017: Reactors being build into their skids in the Netherlands. Left SEWGS reactor, right WGS reactor.
February 2017: ATEX building for reactor skids under construction at the site of Swerea Mefos, Sweden.
December 2016: BFG compressor arrives at the site of Swerea Mefos for compressing 800 Nm3/h to 25 bar.
November 2016: Erecting the flare at the site of Swerea Mefos, Sweden.
November 2016: oral presentation at the GHGT-13 Conference in Lausanne, Switserland.
October 18 & 19, 2017: Progress Meeting at Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai.
June 12-15, 2016: Meet us at our stand at the Scanmet V Conference on Process Development in Iron and Steelmaking in Luleå, Sweden. The locating of the Stepwise Pilot at Swerea Mefos will also be presented. Below a picture of the STEPWISE banner, representing the pilot unit in almost full scale.
April 14 & 15, 2016: Progress Meeting at Politecnico di Milano.
March 2016: HAZOP at Swerea Mefos. ECN and Amec Foster Wheeler participating.
February 9, 2016: Abstract for GHGT-13 conference submitted.
November 27, 2015: News-item one the Stepwise project on the ECN website
October 29, 2015: Stepwise project presented at the CLUSTER kick-off workshop.
October 2015: Progress Meeting at Johnson Matthey
October 2015: Preparations for the BFG tranfer pipe from SSAB to Swerea Mefos are in final stage.
August 2015: Tie-in for 800 Nm3/h BFG.
The tie-in was realized August 2015. Although not financed by the Stepwise project, it is of vital importance for the pilot operation.
May 21, 2015: Project kick-off in Alkmaar.
