Decarbonization of Aluminium Production Process using Hydrogen Enhanced Natural Gas Fuel

Abstract

Aluminum is a significant industrial metal with numerous uses and is considered essential to the global economies. The primary raw material for producing aluminum is bauxite, which must be mined and refined into alumina using the Bayer Process. It is then transformed into aluminum ingots in a smelter plant before being semi-fabricated using rolling and extrusion. In 2021, about 3% of the world's 9.4 Gt of direct industrial CO₂ emissions was reported to have come from aluminum. To achieve the planned net zero emissions by 2050, the aluminum industry must create and implement innovative technologies to cut emissions. There are two main sources of CO2 emissions in aluminum production process the first one is the furnaces and the second one is the chemical reaction that’s form in the carbon electrode (electrolysis). The use of hydrogen enhanced natural gas (HENG) as fuel for the industrial furnaces used in the aluminium industry is proposed. In this paper, the techno-economic analysis of this alternative fuel is investigated using Aspen process simulation software. A preliminary result obtained from the first set of simulation showed that HENG will be an excellent alternative as fuel for industrial furnace. One of the major advantages of using HENG is that it is easier and faster to implement because it will not require a major change or modification in the combustion system of the furnace currently used in the industry.