A systems-based approach for sustainable steel manufacturing

Abstract

China is by far the largest manufacturer of crude steel, producing over half of worldwide demand. Due to this, improvements to the Chinese steel industry can have far-ranging international benefits by decreasing its environmental impact. The focus of this thesis is on developing innovative systems-based solutions at different scales to help alleviate this burden. This is first accomplished by developing system-based technology solutions at the plant scale to increase water, energy and material efficiencies. From historical configurations until the present day, the steel manufacturing process structure and flows are modeled from an ecological perspective. Next, at a higher level, the focus transitions to transforming Chinese steel manufacturing plants into eco-industrial parks by means of industrial symbiosis with other companies and assessing the associated ecological metrics. In addition, improvement of these eco-industrial parks is investigated using functional roles found throughout nature but often absent within industrial networks. The use of constructed wetlands and pyrolysis are investigated to help alleviate the burden on the water network within steel manufacturing and increase material efficiencies. This multi-scale approach in the pursuit of sustainable steel manufacturing is unique in that it has not been attempted before and is not well understood.