Metso Outotec is launching NextGen Pelletizing™, a visionary concept for the next generation of pelletising plants that, it says, strive to be carbon-neutral and autonomous.

This concept is a part of the company’s Planet Positive offering focused on environmentally efficient technologies.

Attaul Ahmad, Vice President, Ferrous and Heat Transfer business at Metso Outotec, said: “NextGen Pelletizing is yet further proof of our strong commitment to building innovative pelletising solutions that are sustainable and contribute to climate targets. It offers significant benefits and will help the industry decarbonise, providing an 80-90% reduction in CO2 emissions.”

NextGen Pelletizing offers unmatched benefits, according to the company, including further energy reductions of 5-10%, production and availability increases of 10-15%, and improved product homogeneity and quality to support the transition of the steel industry.

The concept considers all relevant factors for energy efficiency, plant production and pellet quality to enable a holistic optimisation of the performance of the pelletising process, the company says. It follows a modular approach to minimise the sources of CO2 from the three carbon-intensive steps involved in pelletising and introduces further improved gas schemes, advanced combustion and burner technology (low NOx, hydrogen, and alternative fuels) as well as increased plant stability and performance through advanced process control.

Matthias Gabriel, Director, Ferrous technologies at Metso Outotec, added: “Pelletising is and will remain crucial in the future for the industry’s transition to green, carbon-neutral steel production. I am really excited about NextGen Pelletizing, which I firmly believe will completely revolutionise the way pelletising plants are built or operated in the future.

“The best part about NextGen Pelletizing is that it can be implemented fully or in parts, depending on the customer needs. And it can be easily upgraded in existing plants. Our experts will continue to evolve this vision with improved and innovative processes and tools.”

As the original inventor of the pelletising process, Metso Outotec’s NextGen Pelletizing also offers an exhaustive suite of digital solutions that help improve process performance, production capacity, and product quality as well as reduce energy consumption, environmental impact, and operation and maintenance costs, Metso Outotec says. These solutions include VisioPellet™ , Ferroflame LowNox burner, the Pallet Car Condition Monitoring System, and the Training Simulator, among others.

Metso Outotec has an installed worldwide base of over 120 pelletising plants.