Hyundai Steel developed the world's first technology to block air pollutants emitted from the furnace and successfully applied it to the actual process.
Hyundai Steel said on Dec. 22 that it succeeded in purifying and releasing the remaining harmful gas inside the furnace through the "first safety valve," a gas-cleaning valve, when re-venting the high-temperature wind after regular maintenance of the furnace.
As a result, Hyundai Steel has solved the problem of discharging furnace air pollutants, which has been pointed out by environmental groups, and has strengthened its position as an eco-friendly steel mill that has been pursued since the construction of the steel mill.
According to Hyundai Steel, the company succeeded in reducing air pollutants by using gas-cleaning valves from the second blast furnace on Nov. 3 and the first blast furnace on Nov. 24.
In March last year, Hyundai Steel immediately worked closely with a European engineering technology company to develop the world's first gas-cleaning valve to drastically reduce the emissions of furnace breathers after three months of technical review.
"Hyundai Steel's 'first safety valve' is an environmental and safety facility with operational stability, so we plan to actively support technology if domestic and foreign steel mills want to install it," said an official at Hyundai Steel's Dangjin Steel Plant.
Hyundai Steel is expected to end the controversy over air pollutant emissions related to furnace breathers at all steel mills in the future as it developed and applied facilities and solutions that purify residual gas for the first time in the world.
"We have continuously communicated with Hyundai Steel for the sake of the community environment," said Yoo Jong-joon, director of the Center for Civil Environmental Monitoring in Dangjin. ""In particular, Hyundai Steel's installation of the safety valve for the first time in the world, which has been an issue, is an achievement achieved by companies and the private sector together."
Hyundai Steel plans to seek mutual synergy through communication with local communities such as private environmental monitoring centers and continue to promote environmental improvement activities.
Meanwhile, Hyundai Steel signed an agreement with Dangjin City in October to pledge mutual cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the environment at its steel mill, and decided to invest an additional 490 billion won for five years from 2021.
