Emissions Optimized Sintering

The Emissions Optimized Sintering (EOS) is a process developed in the 1990s where the entire entire sinter strand is housed and waste gases from the entire strand are recirculated back to the entire surface of the strand. The recycling rate of the waste gas is in the order of 40 to 45 percent resulting in a 45 to 50 percent decrease in the amount of waste gas emitted to the atmosphere (IPTS/EC, 2013 p. 168). The process allows for using the CO content of the waste gas as an energy source, minimizes off-gas volumes and thereby reduces off-gas cleaning investments, and saves energy through reduced coke consumption. The technique also allows for reducing operational costs and significantly reduces NOx, SO_x, CO and CO₂ emissions (Worrell et al., 2010. p. 76).

EOS may require substantial modifications on existing plants. The technology is regarded to have application potential in China, India and the US.

Development Status	Products
Commercial	sinter

Development Status

Products

Commercial

sinter

Emissions Optimized SinteringCosts & Benefits

Parent Process: Sinter Plant
Energy Savings Potential	In a plant in Netherlands, installation of EOS reduced coke breeze consumption by 12 kg/t-sinter (20% reduction). Lower reductions (~ 6kg/t-sinter) are to be expected in plant running at higher baseline efficiencies. The system increased electricity consumption by 3 - 8 MJ/t-sinter (IPPC, 2009. p. 177).
CO2 Emission Reduction Potential	In a plant in Netherlands, CO₂ emissions were reduced by 31% with the use of this technology (IPPC, 2009. p. 177).
Costs	Investment cost at sinter plant of Corus, Ijmuiden was €17 million with 1.2 MNm3/h waste gas flow from three sinter strands. The technology provided yearly savings of €2.5 million. (Lower savings are estimated in other parts where the coke breeze costs are lower).

Parent Process:
Energy Savings Potential
CO2 Emission Reduction Potential	N/A
Costs

Emissions Optimized SinteringSchematic