JSPL’s syn gas-based sponge iron production by May 15: Navin Jindal

Reported by Chinmaya Dehury
Bhubaneswar, April 30:

Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) chairman Navin Jindal today said the company expects to start producing sponge iron using synthesised gas from its coal gasification plant at its six million tonne steel project site at Angul in Odisha by May 15 this year.

“Coal gasification has already started at the project site. For the first time in the world, coal will be gasified and the synthesis gas will be used for making sponge iron on the DRI (direct reduced iron) route. We expect the plant will be commissioned by May 15”, said Jindal after meeting with chief secretary J K Mohapatra here.

The DRI plant has a unique feature of using Syn Gas from the coal gasification plants as reductant. The DRI-gasification route is being used for the first time in the world and has the advantage of using high ash coal which is predominantly available in the vicinity of the project site, claimed the company in its website.

JSPL has signed an agreement with Lurgi Technology Company, South Africa, to provide the technology for coal gasification.

The website also said that the proposed coal gasification technology, to be used in this plant, offers a practical means of utilizing indigenous coal for meeting stringent environmental control requirements.

JSPL has been allotted Utkal B 1 coal block with an estimated reserve of 228 million tonne.