Authors
Taeho Mun, Korea Institute of Energy Research
As global warming worsens due to increased greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, the need to transition to a carbon-neutral economy is becoming increasingly apparent. Coke Oven Gas (COG), a hydrogen-rich byproduct of the steel industry, is one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, yet it remains underutilized - mostly flared or discarded - despite containing valuable reducing gases such as methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide (CO). This study proposes a chemical looping reaction process using COG as a feed, a perovskite-type metal oxide as a circulating oxygen carrier, and simultaneously carbon dioxide (CO₂) as a reductant, with a focus on CO production. Unlike conventional reforming processes using metal-based catalysts, the proposed process scheme is based on a reaction mechanism for oxidation-reduction cycles that periodically performs COG reforming (COGR) and CO splitting (CS). The COGR-CS process can eliminate pretreatment and preheating procedures because of its high resistance to poisoning by contaminants such as H2S, allowing the direct use of the high exhaust temperature of COG, approximately 800℃. As a result of the techno-economic analysis based on the ASPEN Plus model, the levelized cost of CO is comparable to the current commercial product, demonstrating that the proposed process is technically feasible and economically competitive. The process can also contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions, thereby enhancing its sustainability as a carbon management option. Based on these findings, the proposed process offers a promising pathway for commercial deployment in the steel industry by enabling efficient utilization of COG for value-added CO production while achieving meaningful reductions in CO₂ emissions.
