  |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Basics |
| |
Energy
Use: Steel
 Overall,
the Primary Metals industries consume nearly 11% of all the manufacturing energy
in the U.S. The Department of Energy has compiled the following energy use statistics:
Steel
The steel industry consumes 2.5% of all domestic energy use and about
8% of all U.S. manufacturing energy use. Close to 40% of the energy consumed is
used in blast furnace iron making. Energy costs account for about 15% of the cost
of producing steel. Also about 10% of the electricity consumed by steel making
facilities is generated on-site.
In 1994, the
average intensity (excluding electricity losses) of producing semi-finished steel
at integrated mills using BOF steelmaking was about 20 million Btu/ton; for EAF
steel producers, it was 8 million Btu/ton (AISI 1995).
For integrated
steel mills, the choice of fuels is driven by the need to consume the largest
possible volume of by-product fuels (coke oven gas or blast furnace gas) to avoid
flaring them for "no-value". The Department of Energy has sponsored
a number of recent studies to define the trend in reduced energy usage in the
steel industry and to project what efficiencies could be gained by 2010 and beyond.
In one study (Fruehan, 2000) theoretical minimum energy consumptions for several
basic processes were calculated and then modified to reflect real-world conditions.
Another study (Stubbles, 2000) defined the average energy intensity for steel
making in integrated mills at 21.8 Mbtu per ton and at facilities with EAFs as
between 11.9 and 10.8 Mbtu per ton.
|
|
|
| |
|
Home
