Bhubaneswar: Jindal Steel & Power (JSPL)’s 1.80 MTPA direct reduced iron (DRI) plant based on Coal Gasification process has resumed operations in Odisha’s Angul.
The plant was set up by the company to ensure the availability of chemical and thermal energy required to produce DRI at an affordable price to reduce the environmental impact of coal in the long run.
The DRI plant was not operational for long due to coal scarcity. But after getting adequate amount of Coal from MCL, the company has managed to resumed operation.
The Coal gasification process (CGP) converts high-ash grade coal into Synthesis Gas or Syngas. It is the first plant of its kind in the world where Syngas is used in making DRI. The Syngas has replaced the costlier Natural Gas being used by other DRI manufacturers across the globe.
The Syngas is used as a reductant in converting Iron ore/ Iron Pellets into DRI /Sponge iron. JSPL has made thousands of crores of investments to build the Direct Reduced Iron plant and Coal gasification plant. The Syngas produced from Swadeshi coal gasification contains Methane, Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen and other such useful gases, in a particular ratio, which is required to produce DRI from Iron Ore/pellets. This gasification process has a lesser impact on the environment as compared to the coal combustion process. The Gasification process also produces value-added by-products like gasification oil, Tar, ammonia, phenol, Naptha and high purity sulphur etc. from Syngas which are used by downstream chemical plants.
“Our CGP & DRI plants are again working on the full potential on purchased coal and matching the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister, who invited gasification technology suppliers to set up environment-friendly plants in India based on Swadeshi coal. This is a model plant for the country and its success depends upon the regular availability of coal. I am confident this plant will inspire others and attract more investments in this field based on Swadeshi coal. We are targeting an additional production run-rate of 1.50 million tonnes per year of steel in FYZ0-21 through CGP & DRI Route”, said Mr VR Sharma, MD -JSPL.
