Steel, as the core material of modern industry, supports the development of many fields such as construction, transportation, and energy. From crude ore to refined steel, the production of steel requires not only high temperature and fuel, but also oxygen, a key “catalyst”. As a provider of oxygen, oxygen generators support the high-efficiency, low-consumption and environmentally friendly transformation of steel production. This article will deeply analyze the importance of oxygen generators in steel production, and explore how different types of oxygen generators can provide high-purity oxygen for steel production to promote the continuous progress of the steel industry.
Steel production is inseparable from oxygen from ironmaking to steelmaking, and oxygen generators are the core equipment that provides this key element. In ironmaking, oxygen accelerates combustion, increases furnace temperature, and thus improves reduction efficiency; in steelmaking, oxygen removes impurities and makes molten steel purer. Steel mills use VPSA and PSA oxygen generators, which are flexibly selected according to scale and demand to provide high-purity oxygen for production, which not only improves output and quality, but also saves fuel costs and promotes environmentally friendly production.
The role of oxygen in steel production and the importance of oxygen generators
Steel is mainly divided into two stages: ironmaking and steelmaking. In these stages, oxygen provides necessary support for ore production combustion, batch production and furnace temperature control, and the raw material source of this oxygen is the oxygen generator.
In the ironmaking stage, oxygen improves combustion efficiency
Ironmaking is the process of reducing iron ore to molten iron. In traditional blast furnace ironmaking, coke combustion provides heat for the blast furnace, while oxygen is the “catalyst” of combustion. High-purity oxygen can make coke burn more fully, quickly increase the furnace temperature, and ensure that the high-efficiency iron element in the ore is reduced to molten iron. Therefore, the high-oxygen gas supplied by the oxygen generator not only speeds up the ironmaking efficiency, but also reduces fuel consumption, making ironmaking more economical and environmentally friendly.
In the steelmaking stage, oxygen is an important “scavenger”
The core task of steelmaking is to remove carbon, silicon, phosphorus, etc. from molten iron, otherwise it will be more thorough molten steel. In the converter steelmaking process, oxygen must be sprayed into the molten iron at high temperature to oxidize the variables and convert them into gas or slag to separate the molten iron. The oxygen gradient increases, increasing the efficiency gain, thereby improving the quality and purification of steel. Therefore, oxygen generators play the role of “scavengers” in steelmaking, which is crucial to the quality of steel.
Types of oxygen generators in steel production: VPSA and PSA oxygen generators
Steel production has a large demand for oxygen. As a source of oxygen supply, oxygen generators play a key role in maintaining stable production and optimizing efficiency. At present, steel mills mainly use VPSA oxygen generators and PSA oxygen generators to supply oxygen, which are suitable for large-scale and small and medium-sized oxygen demand scenarios respectively.
VPSA oxygen generator: Large-scale oxygen supply expert
VPSA oxygen generator (vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator) is suitable for large steel mills. It uses a vacuum pump to extract nitrogen from the molecular sieve and separate oxygen at a lower pressure, which is more energy efficient. The purity of oxygen produced by VPSA oxygen generator is close to 95%-99%, which fully meets the demand for high-purity oxygen in steelmaking. Its high efficiency and low consumption characteristics have performed well in large-scale steelmaking, providing a stable oxygen supply for efficient production in steel mills.
PSA oxygen generator: a flexible and reliable oxygen supply assistant
PSA oxygen generator (pressure swing adsorption oxygen generator) has a compact structure and quick start-up, which is suitable for small and medium-sized steel plants or auxiliary oxygen needs. The oxygen correction of PSA oxygen generator is generally 90%-95%, which can meet most steel production needs and is easy to install and maintain. In some smaller steel plants or supplementary oxygen supply occasions, PSA oxygen generator can be started at any time to provide a reliable oxygen supply for steel production.
The impact of oxygen generator on steel production
Improve production efficiency and increase oxygen production
The high-purity oxygen provided by the oxygen generator makes the steel production process faster and faster. In the steelmaking process, oxygen accelerates the rapid oxidation reaction, shortens the steelmaking time, and thus improves the continuous oxygen supply provided by the oxygen generator. The production efficiency of the steel plant has been significantly improved, meeting the growing market demand of the steel industry.
Reduce fuel costs and improve economic benefits
The high oxygen supply of the oxygen generator makes the coke burn more fully and reduces fuel consumption. During the ironmaking process, the high oxygen supply of the oxygen generator reduces the coke consumption by about 10% -15%, effectively reducing production costs. The steel mill said that the energy-saving effect of the oxygen generator is significant, which directly brings economic benefits to the enterprise.
Improve steel quality and meet raw material needs
The high-purity oxygen provided by the oxygen generator helps to increase the increment of molten iron and improve the physical and chemical properties of steel. For the production of special steel grades such as high-strength steel and corrosion-resistant steel, the impurity removal effect of high-purity oxygen is essential. Therefore, the application of oxygen generators not only improves the quality of high-quality raw materials, but also meets the market demand for high-quality raw materials.
Promote environmentally friendly production in the steel industry
The oxygen generator not only reduces fuel consumption, but also promotes the green transformation of the steel industry by reducing carbon emissions. High nitrogen oxygen makes combustion more complete and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. By precisely controlling oxygen raw materials, steel mills can achieve a cleaner production process that meets global low-carbon environmental protection requirements.
Application examples of oxygen generators in steel plants
Case 1: Application of VPSA oxygen generators in blast furnace ironmaking
A large steel plant that we cooperate with uses MINNUO VPSA oxygen generators in blast furnace ironmaking, and the oxygen reaches more than 97%. This reduces coke consumption by 15% and increases ironmaking efficiency by 20%. The steel plant has achieved significant energy saving effects through oxygen generators, saving millions of dollars each year.
Case 2: Application of PSA oxygen generators in converter steelmaking
In converter steelmaking, one of our steel plant customers uses MINNUO PSA oxygen generators to supply high-precision oxygen, which greatly improves the efficiency of oxidation and reduction. The precise control of oxygen makes the molten steel purer, and the products produced meet the performance requirements of high strength and corrosion resistance. With the flexible oxygen supply of PSA oxygen generators, the steel plant meets the dietary needs of production and improves the market competitiveness of steel.
The development of oxygen generator technology and the future of the steel industry
With the increase in environmental protection and energy efficiency requirements, oxygen generation technology continues to develop in the steel industry. In the future, oxygen generators will develop in a more efficient, smarter and more environmentally friendly direction, further promoting the sustainable development of the steel industry.
Improve oxygen purity and energy efficiency
The future oxygen generator will continue to improve the purity and separation efficiency of oxygen. The application of new molecular sieve materials will further meet the needs of steel mills for oxygen and high-efficiency oxygen. This technological advancement not only reduces fuel consumption, but also improves the quality of materials.
Realize automated control and remote monitoring
Automation will become the main development trend of oxygen generators in the future. Steel mills can remotely control oxygen supply through intelligent systems to adapt to different production needs. At the same time, remote monitoring technology will improve the stability and maintenance efficiency of equipment, reduce manual intervention, and make steel mills more efficient.
Promote the development of green oxygen production technology
Conclusion
The oxygen generator is the behind-the-scenes hero of the steel industry, helping the “refining” process of steel from ore to fine steel. From improving production efficiency, reducing costs, to supporting environmentally friendly production, oxygen generators have a huge impact on the steel industry. Our MINNUO oxygen production technology will continue to innovate, become more standardized and green, and provide support for the sustainable development of the steel industry. In this way, steel mills will meet the market’s efficient needs in a more environmentally friendly way. MINNUO oxygen generators will become an important technical partner for your steel mills into the future.
