Tata Steel has commissioned a Coke Oven Gas (COG) Injection Project at its Meramandali plant in Odisha, introducing what the company describes as a first-of-its-kind application in the Indian steel industry. The project has been implemented at Blast Furnace 1 and is aimed at cutting fossil fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in the ironmaking process.
The project forms part of Tata Steel’s broader effort to reduce the carbon intensity of its operations as it works towards its Net Zero emissions target by 2045. The company is increasingly testing technologies that can reduce dependence on conventional fossil fuels while making greater use of gases and other byproducts generated within an integrated steel plant.
“This initiative of maximising the utilisation of process gases to reduce dependence on external fossil fuels reinforces Tata Steel’s leadership in sustainable manufacturing. We remain focused on demonstrating and scaling low carbon technologies, thereby accelerating our journey towards Net Zero by 2045,” said Subodh Pandey, Vice President – Technology, R&D, NMB and Graphene, Tata Steel.
At an integrated steel plant, coke oven gas is generated as a byproduct during coke production. The gas contains hydrogen and hydrocarbons and is generally used for power generation and heating applications. Depending on operating conditions, surplus gas may also be flared.
At Meramandali, Tata Steel has instead introduced the gas directly into the blast furnace through tuyeres. The COG acts as a reductant and substitutes part of the fossil fuel used in the blast furnace process. The project was implemented with technology partner Paul Wurth-SMS and equipment supplier Kobelco.
The company expects the application to lower fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions while also giving the blast furnace greater fuel flexibility. The technology allows the furnace to operate with a three-fuel system, giving operators another option for managing fuel requirements and process conditions.
The project also reflects a broader shift in how integrated steelmakers are looking at process gases. Rather than treating byproduct gases primarily as sources of energy for other plant operations, their use within the ironmaking process can help reduce the requirement for externally sourced fossil fuels.
For Tata Steel Meramandali, the project is also being positioned as an operational improvement alongside its environmental benefits.
“This project is a good example of how our teams continuously look for ways to improve efficiency while reducing the environmental impact. By finding a productive use for coke oven gas within the blast furnace process, we are making our operations leaner and cleaner,” said Sudhir Kumar Mehta, Vice President – Operations, Tata Steel Meramandali.
The commissioning adds another project to Tata Steel’s track record of testing lower-carbon technologies in blast furnace operations. The company has previously demonstrated the injection of coal bed methane, hydrogen and biochar into blast furnaces.
The latest project expands that work by using coke oven gas as an additional fuel and reductant within the blast furnace. Its significance lies not only in the potential reduction in fossil fuel use, but also in demonstrating that existing process gases can be redirected towards lower-carbon steelmaking applications.
Tata Steel said the project has been designed for safe and stable operation of the advanced injection system. The company sees such demonstrations as an important step towards developing and scaling technologies that can reduce emissions from one of the most energy-intensive stages of steel production.
With the steel industry under growing pressure to reduce emissions while maintaining production efficiency, Tata Steel’s Meramandali project highlights one route being explored within existing blast furnace infrastructure: using internally generated gases more efficiently to reduce reliance on conventional fossil fuels.
