Carbon Footprint Assessment with LCA Methodology
21
NOx emissions: NOx emission gets introduced to the system from the air being
sucked during combustion. Biomass integration as a substitution acquired a significant reduction of about 15.25% in the NOx values with just 30% of biomass
substitution.
SOx emissions: SOx emissions released while sintering come from the sulfur present
in the iron-bearing material and fossil fuel (coal/coke). The sulfur content present
in the iron ore remains unchanged because it is not treatable even with a reasonable
beneficiation practice, whereas sulfur removal from fuel also requires a chemical
treatment that is presently being held for high sulfur coals. When not able to be
treated, these sulfur present in the coke and iron ore results in SOx emissions during
sintering. On the contrary, biomass contains 5–10 times less sulfur than coal, and
using biomass will definitely lead to a reduction in sulfur emissions. During the
experimental campaign, a significant reduction of 20.79% in SOx was achieved
through a blended fuel composition of CB:CH:SD::70:20:10. This reduction was
achieved with only a 30% substitution of coke. However, the substituted fractions
are low and thus further reduction in sulfur emissions could be achieved in the future
with higher proportions of biomass in the blend.
8.2 Carbon Footprint Assessment in Agriculture [49]
Previously, we learned the ways to assess the carbon footprint for metallurgical
sintering operation. In the subsequent sections, we will discuss the carbon footprint
assessment for other major areas apart from metallurgical operations.
Background: Agriculture is one of the major sources of the carbon footprint because
of its potential to sequestrate carbon in the form of lignocellulosic biomass. Sequestration is basically the storage of carbon in the form of biomass by plants through
photosynthesis. This sequestered carbon while burning or combusting mitigates that
stored carbon releasing GHGs. As per the carbon storage potential, biomass contains
around 30–40% of carbon, remaining is the moisture and volatiles. These compositions may vary with variable biomass sources. These carbon values were comparatively almost double in coke and coal. Also, the NOx and SOx values are 5–10 times
lesser in biomass. When these constituents are lesser in biomass than coke then the
released emissions will also be remarkably lesser. The emissions values will surely
be discharged with biomass, but the extent will be relatively lower. This concludes
an important aspect of biomass sources in industrial practice wherever coal or coke
is the prime concern. Utilization of biomass will not only reduce GHGs, but this
approach will also involve cleaner production which is the production of goods with
cleaner means. This biomass substitution will be an easy option for the countries,
which are rich in their agriculture sector considerably. Some of the agriculture rich
countries are India, China, Sweden, etc. More stable agriculture will also produce
agricultural wastes, which later on, with proper collection and preparation methods,
21
NOx emissions: NOx emission gets introduced to the system from the air being
sucked during combustion. Biomass integration as a substitution acquired a significant reduction of about 15.25% in the NOx values with just 30% of biomass
substitution.
SOx emissions: SOx emissions released while sintering come from the sulfur present
in the iron-bearing material and fossil fuel (coal/coke). The sulfur content present
in the iron ore remains unchanged because it is not treatable even with a reasonable
beneficiation practice, whereas sulfur removal from fuel also requires a chemical
treatment that is presently being held for high sulfur coals. When not able to be
treated, these sulfur present in the coke and iron ore results in SOx emissions during
sintering. On the contrary, biomass contains 5–10 times less sulfur than coal, and
using biomass will definitely lead to a reduction in sulfur emissions. During the
experimental campaign, a significant reduction of 20.79% in SOx was achieved
through a blended fuel composition of CB:CH:SD::70:20:10. This reduction was
achieved with only a 30% substitution of coke. However, the substituted fractions
are low and thus further reduction in sulfur emissions could be achieved in the future
with higher proportions of biomass in the blend.
8.2 Carbon Footprint Assessment in Agriculture [49]
Previously, we learned the ways to assess the carbon footprint for metallurgical
sintering operation. In the subsequent sections, we will discuss the carbon footprint
assessment for other major areas apart from metallurgical operations.
Background: Agriculture is one of the major sources of the carbon footprint because
of its potential to sequestrate carbon in the form of lignocellulosic biomass. Sequestration is basically the storage of carbon in the form of biomass by plants through
photosynthesis. This sequestered carbon while burning or combusting mitigates that
stored carbon releasing GHGs. As per the carbon storage potential, biomass contains
around 30–40% of carbon, remaining is the moisture and volatiles. These compositions may vary with variable biomass sources. These carbon values were comparatively almost double in coke and coal. Also, the NOx and SOx values are 5–10 times
lesser in biomass. When these constituents are lesser in biomass than coke then the
released emissions will also be remarkably lesser. The emissions values will surely
be discharged with biomass, but the extent will be relatively lower. This concludes
an important aspect of biomass sources in industrial practice wherever coal or coke
is the prime concern. Utilization of biomass will not only reduce GHGs, but this
approach will also involve cleaner production which is the production of goods with
cleaner means. This biomass substitution will be an easy option for the countries,
which are rich in their agriculture sector considerably. Some of the agriculture rich
countries are India, China, Sweden, etc. More stable agriculture will also produce
agricultural wastes, which later on, with proper collection and preparation methods,