Research of ultra-low emission technologies of the iron and steel industry in China

In today’s world, the overall output of China’s steel industry accounts for more than 50% of the world’s steel output; however, China’s steel industry is dominated by lengthy processes featuring multiple steps, high energy consumption, wide variety of pollutants, and large amounts of pollutants. The steel industry is a pillar of China’s national economy, and it involves a wide range of related industries; thus, it plays a pivotal role in the development of the national economy. With the continuous strengthening of air pollution control, especially since the implementation of ultra-low emissions in the thermal power industry, the main pollutant emissions of the iron and steel industry have exceeded that of the power industry. Thus, becoming the largest source of industrial pollutants. Unfortunately, the emission of huge amounts of pollutants greatly restricts the pace of economic and social progress. Since the 13th Five-Year Plan, a series of powerful measures have been introduced at the central to the local levels to promote ultra-low emissions throughout the steel industry. With the deepening of ultra-low emissions in China’s iron and steel industry, in-depth governance of the iron and steel industry is imminent. This article summarized several traditional multi-pollutant control technologies and discussed “multi-pollutant synergistic removal technology based on the magnesium method”. Four new types of ultra-low emission technologies in the iron and steel industry were summarized: “multi-pollutant collection and adsorption removal technology for flue gas”, “multi-pollutant mid-low temperature synergistic catalytic purification technology”, and “sintering flue gas circulation technology”. The necessity and difficulties of ultra-low emissions in the industry, the rationalization of recommendations for promoting ultra-low emissions, and the prospects for the next step in deepening ultra-low emissions in the steel industry (source governance) were discussed. It is beneficial to promote the coordinated control and treatment of multiple processes and multiple pollutants in the steel industry.