Pellet Plant Biofuel

Mining company ArcelorMittal wanted to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by its iron oxide pellet production processes in Port-Cartier, Que., so it decided to incorporate pyrolysis oil—a local, carbon-neutral biofuel made from logging waste—to replace some of the fuel oil in its operations.

The project would be the first in the world to use pyrolysis oil in its processes on a regular basis and at such a scale. In fact, it would represent the largest consumption of any fuel made from forest biomass.

BBA was brought on-board to carry out a feasibility study. The firm based its analyses and recommendations on standards and requirements from the National Fire Code of Canada (NFC), Québec's Regulation Respecting Occupational Health and Safety, Québec's Clean Air Regulation (CAR), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the National Fire protection Association (NFPA).

Ensuring viability

BBA’s mandate was to ensure the quality and consistency of the iron oxide pellet firing process could maintain and even increase the plant’s output.

The firm performed the study to ensure the viability of converting the plant’s fuel oil systems to pyr olysis oil. BBA also ensured the pyrolysis oil facilities were safe and met industry standards, requirements and best practices for workers’ health and safety and for the environment while iron pellet production and quality remained optimal.

The team helped to review the physicochemical properties of pyrolysis oil and its components, identify the points of emission of flammable (explosive) or odorous vapours, develop a summary of exposure, explosivity and emission threshold standards to comply with applicable regulatory requirements in Québec, analyze the facilities to help make recommendations and issue recommendations for potential system expansion.

The technology is helping decarbonize the heavy-industry sector while using a local resource. It is also a solution that can be transferred to other types of furnaces and kilns; indeed, it is already attracting interest from other industrial players.

A different kind of fuel

Pyrolysis oil does not behave like standard hydrocarbons, so it was important for the experts from BBA’s advanced fuels and chemicals team to understand the nature of this biofuel.

After interpreting the product’s physical properties, they adapted systems to bring the pellets to their ideal burning point, which would help prevent equipment from clogging through polymerization. Given the mechanical properties, they also modified the piping design to maximize fluid pumping. Finally, they selected metallur gy and instruments that were adapted to the oil’s corrosive nature.

The oil would come from BioEnergie AE’s restarted plant. To get this facility up and running, ArcelorMittal committed to consuming its minimum biofuel production during the feasibility study.

This meant converting an additional area of the pellet furnace to pyrolysis oil, with a system used in 2015 pilot tests. Reusing this system allowed BBA’s design team, in conjunction with ArcelorMittal’s operations and maintenance (O&M) teams, to observe some of the issues and opportunities for improvement when designing permanent facilities.

Adapting to the region

By using pyrolysis oil, ArcelorMittal is providing an outlet for local forestry professionals, who have had limited options for managing their wood waste since the Baie -Comeau paper mill shut down in 2020. The Arbec sawmill in Port-Cartier will be able to increase production capacity and no longer have to suspend oper ations because of waste storage management problems. ArcelorMittal and BioEnergie AE’s production line now allows the forestry company to operate seven days a week.

The success of the feasibility study has opened the door to a detailed engineering project for the construction of a complex-wide pyrolysis oil system. Ultimately, the plant will use more than 32 million L of pyrolysis oil per year, representing the entire output of the BioEnergie AE plant. This will allow ArcelorMittal to cut its annual use of heavy fuel oil and coal by 23% and reduce its CO2 emissions by 57,600 t. And despite the fuel switch, almost all of the site’s infrastructure can be reused and no modifications were made to the furnaces, thus extending the life of existing equipment.

Progress to date

BBA completed its project on time and on budget, providing a multidisciplinary analysis to ArcelorMittal with an overview of the state of the client’s facilities, ha ving verified more than 50 items in relation to industrial safety, air quality, control systems and pellet furnace instrumentation. Subsequently, the feasibility study determined the final design of the permanent system and evaluated how much it would cost to implement it in the pellet plant.

Since June 2022, two out of nine areas of the plant—with a total of five burners— have been operating with pyrolysis oil, using more than 10 million L. Following the feasibility study, ArcelorMittal decided to accelerate work in other areas to further expand its use of pyrolysis oil. The bidding process began in April 2023.

Pellet Plant Biofuel, Port-Cartier, Que. Award-winning firm (prime consultant): BBA, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que. (Stéphane Charest, P.Eng.; Émile Claveau, P.Eng.; Jérôme Pilon, P.Eng; Olivier Bertrand, P.Eng.; Zied Oueslati, CEP; Frédéric Lacroix-Tremblay, CEP; Guillaume Picard, P.Eng.; Jim McCann, P.Eng., M.Eng.; Vincent Brunelle, P. Eng.; Caroline Le Page, biologist).

Owner: ArcelorMittal.

Other key players: Ensyn, BioEnergie AE.

QuickVic™ System:

Unmatched ease of installation and enhanced visual verification. Three times more rigid joint with built in safeguards against over torquing and over tightening.

Potable Water:

Utilizes Grade P gasket material for improved resistance to typical potable water disinfectants. Unique housing colour to denote use in potable water.

Motion Control:

Market leader in system design and products to inherently deal with system movement. Carbon and stainless steel anchors, riser movement fittings, and anchor outlet fittings are engineered products.

Modular Construction:

High quality construction in a controlled environment for greater efficiency and productivity onsite.