Utilisation of steelmaking waste gases in solid oxide cell technology: Opportunities, challenges and future directions
Michal M. Czachor, Christian J. Laycock, Alan J. Guwy
Abstract
This review investigates the potential of utilising steelmaking waste gases, specifically coke oven gas (COG) and blast furnace gas (BFG), in solid oxide cell (SOC) technology. It is shown that SOCs, which operate in fuel cell or electrolysis modes, offer promising pathways for energy recovery and chemical production from these underutilised byproducts. COG, with its high methane and hydrogen content, presents significant opportunities for power generation and hydrogen production, while the high CO 2 and CO concentrations of BFG make it more suitable for electrolysis applications. Key challenges, such as carbon deposition, sulfur poisoning and tar contamination, are discussed alongside strategies for mitigation. This review highlights the opportunities and challenges of integrating SOC technology with steelmaking processes, offering insights into future research directions to optimise the reuse of COG and BFG for sustainable steel production.