Jindal Steel and Power Limited’s 1.80 MTPA DRI (direct reduced iron) plant based on the coal gasification process has resumed operations in Odisha’s Angul district. The plant was set up by JSPL to ensure the availability of chemical and thermal energy required to produce DRI at an affordable price to reduce the environmental impact of coal in the long run.
The Coal gasification process (CGP) converts high-ash grade coal into Synthesis Gas or Syngas. The company said in its latest statement that it is the first plant of its kind in the world where Syngas is used in making DRI. The Syngas has replaced the costlier Natural Gas being used by other DRI manufacturers across the globe. The Syngas is used as a reductant in converting Iron ore / Iron Pellets into DRI / Sponge iron.
JSPL MD said VR Sharma said, “Our CGP & DRI plants are again working on the full potential on purchased coal and matching the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, who invited gasification technology suppliers to set up environment-friendly plants in India based on Swadeshi coal.”
He added, “This is a model plant for the country and its success depends upon the regular availability of coal. I am confident this plant will inspire others and attract more investments in this field based on Swadeshi coal. We are targetting an additional production run-rate of 1.50 million tonnes per year of steel in FY20-21 through CGP & DRI Route.”
JSPL has made thousands of crores of investments to build the Direct Reduced Iron plant and coal gasification plant. The Syngas produced from Swadeshi coal gasification contains Methane, Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen and other similar useful gases that are required to produce DRI from Iron Ore/pellets. This gasification process has a lesser impact on the environment as compared to the coal combustion process. The gasification process also produces value-added by-products like gasification oil, tar, ammonia, phenol, Naptha and high purity sulphur etc. from Syngas which are used by downstream chemical plants.
The DRI plant was not operational for long due to the scarcity of coal. Now Coal India limited and Mahanadi coalfields limited has started selling coal in adequate quantity, therefore gasification & DRI operations have resumed.