The Arcelor Mittal steel factory in Avilés, Spain, uses the Linz-Donawitz (LD) process to produce steel, yielding about 50 m3 N units of LD converter gas. This LD gas, however, is typically high in carbon monoxide, offers low combustion speed, and is very harmful. 

Employing LD gas in GE’s Jenbacher engines put great demand on the engine design and, thus, required substantial research, highly developed technology, and 3,000 hours of testing.

Based on positive experience with Jenbacher gas engines, HC Energía, a major energy supplier in Spain, proposed the installation of Jenbacher engines to Arcelor Mittal as a solution for using its LD waste gas.

Since the highly toxic LD converter gas consists of approximately 65 percent carbon monoxide, 15 percent carbon dioxide, 15 percent nitrogen and small amounts of hydrogen and methane, several special plant features were implemented to boost total efficiencies to 80 percent. A nitrogen scavenging system was employed to flush gas leading parts with nitrogen, so that CO could be evacuated from the whole generating set, which is vital for safe maintenance. In addition, the engines were equipped with GE's DIA.NE® management system, including HERMES remote data transmission and an exhaust catalytic converter to meet exhaust limits with CO-rich gas.

•  GE's Jenbacher gas engines enable disposal of a problem gas, while harnessing it as an energy source.

•  Electricity produced by the Jenbacher gas engines is sold into the public grid.

•  Steam generated from exhaust gas is used in the steel production process.

•  Greenhouse gas reduction offers environmental benefits.