Optimizing methane and methanol production from integrated steelworks process off-gases through economic hybrid model predictive control

Dettori, Stefano; Matino, Ismael; Iannino, Vincenzo; Colla, Valentina; Hauser, Alexander; Wolf-Zoellner, Philipp; Haag, Stéphane

doi:10.1016/j.ifacol.2022.04.171

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…To ensure the optimal management of the synthesis reactors operation when implemented in steelworks, a dispatch controller was developed and tested [31].…”

Section: Reactors and Dispatch Controllermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A dispatch controller was developed to ensure safe operation of the synthesis reactors and efficient distribution of the POGs between internal steelworks users, power plant and synthesis reactors by simultaneously addressing dynamic constraints of steelworks, reactors and electricity grid services (strictly linked with green hydrogen production). [31]; the controller concept is depicted in Figure 5. The controller integrates a set of process and forecasting models based on physical/chemical principles and machine learning [37], implements a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) approach and includes a set of constraints related to the limit ranges of the operating conditions of each involved equipment/process unit (Tab.…”

Section: Dispatch Controller For Optimal Management Of Syntheses Reac...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hydrogen intensified synthesis processes to valorise process off-gases in integrated steelworks

Matino,

Dettori,

Conde

et al. 2023

Matériaux & Techniques

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Integrated steelworks off-gases are generally exploited to produce heat and electricity. However, further valorization can be achieved by using them as feedstock for the synthesis of valuable products, such as methane and methanol, with the addition of renewable hydrogen. This was the aim of the recently concluded project entitled “Intelligent and integrated upgrade of carbon sources in steel industries through hydrogen intensified synthesis processes (i3upgrade)”. Within this project, several activities were carried out: from laboratory analyses to simulation investigations, from design, development and tests of innovative reactor concepts and of advanced process control to detailed economic analyses, business models and investigation of implementation cases. The final developed methane production reactors are, respectively, an additively manufactured structured fixed-bed reactor and a reactor setup using wash-coated honeycomb monoliths as catalyst; both reactors reached almost full COx conversion under slightly over-stoichiometric conditions. A new multi-stage concept of methanol reactor was designed, commissioned, and extensively tested at pilot-scale; it shows very effective conversion rates near to 100% for CO and slightly lower for CO2 at one-through operation for the methanol synthesis. Online tests proved that developed dispatch controller implements a smooth control strategy in real time with a temporal resolution of 1 min and a forecasting horizon of 2 h. Furthermore, both offline simulations and cost analyses highlighted the fundamental role of hydrogen availability and costs for the feasibility of i3upgrade solutions, and showed that the industrial implementation of the i3upgrade solutions can lead to significant environmental and economic benefits for steelworks, especially in case green electricity is available at an affordable price.

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“…To ensure the optimal management of the synthesis reactors operation when implemented in steelworks, a dispatch controller was developed and tested [31].…”

Section: Reactors and Dispatch Controllermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Dispatch Controller For Optimal Management Of Syntheses Reac...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrogen intensified synthesis processes to valorise process off-gases in integrated steelworks

Matino,

Dettori,

Conde

et al. 2023

Matériaux & Techniques

Self Cite

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“…The DC was developed through a methodology based on the economic hybrid model predictive control (EHMPC) [55], which maximizes revenues and minimizes environmental impact while complying with the constraints of each plant and process. Details on the design strategy, mathematical implementation and preliminary results were presented in the paper of some of the authors [56], where the main characteristics were reported. The optimization problem is formulated as a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) for a receding horizon, where the cost function to be maximized is calculated as follows:…”

Section: Dispatch Controller At Ict-coisp Center Of Tecip Institute O...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first phase of the simulation campaign was devoted to a fine tuning of the controller and optimizer parameters to balance the aggressiveness of the control action on the plants and the computational time; some simulated control trends were reported in [56,59] where the results of a preliminary investigation on economic cost improvement were also presented. In [59], the authors reported a first attempt at sensitivity analysis, varying the price of renewable sources of electricity for producing green hydrogen, and an estimate of CO 2 emission reductions.…”

Section: Definition Of Scenariosmentioning

confidence: 99%

Valorizing Steelworks Gases by Coupling Novel Methane and Methanol Synthesis Reactors with an Economic Hybrid Model Predictive Controller

Hauser

Wolf-Zoellner

Haag

et al. 2022

Metals

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To achieve the greenhouse gas reduction targets formulated in the European Green Deal, energy- and resource-intensive industries such as the steel industry will have to adapt or convert their production. In the long term, new technologies are promising. However, carbon capture storage and utilization solutions could be considered as short-term retrofitting solutions for existing steelworks. In this context, this paper presents a first experimental demonstration of an approach to the utilization of process off-gases generated in a steelworks by producing methane and methanol in hydrogen-intensified syntheses. Specifically, the integration of two methane synthesis reactors and one methanol synthesis reactor into a steel plant is experimentally simulated. An innovative monitoring and control tool, namely, a dispatch controller, simulates the process off-gas production using a digital twin of the steel plant and optimizes its distribution to existing and new consumers. The operating states/modes of the three reactors resulting from the optimization problem to be solved by the dispatch controller are distributed in real time via an online OPC UA connection to the corresponding experimental plants or their operators and applied there in a decentralized manner. The live coupling test showed that operating values for the different systems can be distributed in parallel from the dispatch controller to the test rigs via the established communication structure without loss. The calculation of a suitable control strategy is performed with a time resolution of one minute, taking into account the three reactors and the relevant steelworks components. Two of each of the methane/methanol synthesis reactors were operated error-free at one time for 10 and 7 h, respectively, with datasets provided by the dispatch controller. All three reactor systems were able to react quickly and stably to dynamic changes in the load or feed gas composition. Consistently high conversions and yields were achieved with low by-product formation.

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“…This skips the step of separation, but leads to other challenges. As the new customers for steel gases are in competition with their previous internal use, a dynamic prediction of the gas volume flows generated in the steel production process and their intelligent distribution to the different plants, adapted to the current market situation, becomes necessary [20][21][22][23][24]. Furthermore, for methanol or methane synthesis, hydrogen must be provided economically at the steelworks' site in addition to the carbon source (BFG/BOFG) in order to be able to set the respective preferred stoichiometric ratio for the reactions [25][26][27] and the reactors used must be able to handle the unconventional feed gases (mixture of CO and CO 2 , high inert gas content of N 2 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utilization of Synthetic Steel Gases in an Additively Manufactured Reactor for Catalytic Methanation

et al. 2023

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The path to European climate neutrality by 2050 will require comprehensive changes in all areas of life. For large industries such as steelworks, this results in the need for climate-friendly technologies. However, the age structure of existing steelworks makes transitional solutions such as carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) necessary as short-term measures. Hence, a purposeful option is the integration of technical syntheses such as methanation into the overall process. This work summarizes hydrogen-intensified methanation experiments with synthetic steel gases in the novel additively manufactured reactor ‘ADDmeth1′. The studies include steady-state operating points at various reactor loads. Blast furnace gas (BFG), basic oxygen furnace gas (BOFG) and three mixtures of these two gases serve as carbon sources. The methanation achieved methane yields of 93.5% for BFG and 95.0% for BOFG in the one-stage once-through setup. The results suggest a kinetic limitation in the case of BFG methanation, while an equilibrium limitation is likely for BOFG. There is a smooth transition in all respects between the two extreme cases. The reaction channel inlet temperature ϑin showed a large influence on the reactor ignition behavior. By falling below the threshold value, a blow-off occurred during experimental operation. By means of a simulation model, practical operating maps were created which characterize permissible operating ranges for ϑin as a function of the gas composition and the reactor load.

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Optimizing methane and methanol production from integrated steelworks process off-gases through economic hybrid model predictive control

Cited by 6 publications

References 9 publications

Hydrogen intensified synthesis processes to valorise process off-gases in integrated steelworks

Hydrogen intensified synthesis processes to valorise process off-gases in integrated steelworks

Valorizing Steelworks Gases by Coupling Novel Methane and Methanol Synthesis Reactors with an Economic Hybrid Model Predictive Controller

Utilization of Synthetic Steel Gases in an Additively Manufactured Reactor for Catalytic Methanation

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