4 ms·

Here's an example research article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360544212000527 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pi

• 6nf 5y ago
  Ah I think you're misunderstanding the question about the steel. Steel contains quite a bit of carbon (the element carbon) dissolved in the iron, on the order of 1% of the steel bulk is elemental carbon. You need to get that carbon from somewhere and coal is good source of carbon. No research is going to replace the carbon in steel with something clean, your article is about the energy used in steel production and not the elemental carbon going into the steel itself.
  • ph0rque 5y ago
    I see, thanks for the clarification. Yes, I was thinking of coal solely as a source of energy (heat, specifically) to melt steel.
  • stavros 5y ago
    But carbon in steel is in steel, not the atmosphere, so we don't mind, no?
  • Dylan16807 5y ago
    > No research is going to replace the carbon in steel with something clean Is that what you meant to say? How is carbon in steel not "clean"?
  • jjk166 5y ago
    Alloying carbon represents a minute fraction of coal use in the steel industry. The vast majority is used for heat and reduction of iron ore (removing oxygen). This carbon addition does not release carbon dioxide (at least not directly, some is released in the coking process, but that process can have its own improvements). When people talk about replacing carbon in steel production, they are talking about the fuel coke.