Jindal Steel and Power Ltd’s said that 1.8 million tonnes per annum coal gasification based direct reduced iron plant has resumed operation in Odisha’s Angul district. The plant was un operational for long due to the scarcity of coal. Coal India and its arm Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd started selling coal in adequate quantities which helped to resume operation. JSPL MD V R Sharma said “Our plants are again working on the full potential on purchased coal and match the vision of Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who invited gasification technology suppliers to set up environment-friendly plants in India based on Swadeshi coal. This is a model plant for the country and its success depends upon the regular availability of coal “. He added, “We are targetting an additional production run-rate of 1.5 million tonnes per year of steel in FY20-21 through CGP and DRI route.”
Direct reduced iron, also known as sponge iron, is produced from the direct reduction of iron ore/ iron ore pellets to iron by reducing gas or elemental carbon produced from natural gas or coal. 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 CGP converts high-ash-grade coal into synthesis gas(Syngas). The syngas is a replacement for the costlier natural gas being used by other DRI manufacturers across the globe. The syngas is used as a reductant to convert iron ore/iron pellets into DRI/sponge iron. “It is the first plant of its kind in the world where syngas is used in making DRI,” JSPL said.
