In FY-20, India’s steel production was 109 MT, and it is the second-largest steel producer on the planet, after China. India’s per capita consumption of steel was around 75 kg, which has risen from 59 kg in FY-14. Despite the increase in consumption, it is much lower than the average global consumption of 230 kg. The per capita consumption of steel is one of the strongest indicators of economic development across the nation. Thus, India has an ambitious plan of increasing steel production to around 250 MT and per capita consumption to around 160 kg by the year 2030. Steel manufacturers in India can be classified based on production routes as (a) oxygen route (BF/BOF route) and (b) electric route (electric arc furnace and induction furnace). One of the major issues for manufacturers of both routes is the availability of raw materials such as iron ore, direct reduced iron (DRI), and scrap. To achieve the level of 250 MT, steel manufacturers have to focus on improving the current process and product scenario as well as on research and development activities. The challenge to stop global warming has forced the global steel industry to strongly cut its CO₂ emissions. In the case of India, this target will be extremely difficult by ruling in the production duplication planned by the year 2030. This work focuses on the recent developments of various processes and challenges associated with them. Possibilities and opportunities for improving the current processes such as top gas recycling, increasing pulverized coal injection, and hydrogenation as well as the implementation of new processes such as HIsarna and other CO₂-lean iron production technologies are discussed. In addition, the eventual transition to hydrogen ironmaking and “green” electricity in smelting are considered. By fast-acting improvements in current facilities and brave investments in new carbon-lean technologies, the CO₂ emissions of the Indian steel industry can peak and turn downward toward carbon-neutral production.

This study examines the environmental and economic benefits of waste recovery in steel plants using life cycle assessment (LCA), metallurgical analysis, and economic feasibility studies. The LCA, conducted with GaBi software, indicates that recycled steel reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 80%, energy consumption by 70%, and water usage by 60% compared to virgin steel. Waste recovery assessment identified key recyclable fractions from steel melting shops, blooming mills, and rolling mills. A comparative analysis with virgin steel, aluminium, and copper indicates that recycled steel has the lowest carbon footprint and exhibits superior recycling efficiency, particularly in well-managed industrial processes using electric arc furnace technology. The techno-economic study demonstrated 40% cost savings in material procurement, with a return on investment under two years and an internal rate of return of 35%. Long-term durability studies confirmed that recycled T22-grade steel maintains its structural integrity, fatigue strength, and corrosion resistance over time. These findings support global sustainability targets, including the Paris Agreement and India’s National Steel Policy, and highlight the role of artificial intelligence, blockchain, and predictive analytics in optimising waste recovery. This study reinforces the potential of sustainable steel manufacturing to enhance cost efficiency, reduce emissions, and promote circular economy practices.

Steel-making industries use preheated ladles to transfer molten steel from primary to secondary facilities. The preheating process removes moisture, reduces thermal shock, protects the refractory lining, and minimizes temperature drop, but it emits substantial heat through the flue gas. This study introduces a novel, low-cost heat exchanger designed specifically for waste heat recovery in ladle preheating systems, contributing to a circular economy and substantial carbon dioxide reduction. We designed and analyzed a shell-tube heat exchanger using the Kern method and performed experiments and numerical analyses for thermal behavior with commercial ANSYS 19.0. We assessed waste heat utilization through an experimental setup, leveraging insights from computational fluid dynamics modeling and mathematical modeling. We reduced liquefied natural gas consumption from 224 kg/hr to 197 kg/hr. This method saved energy, cutting consumption from 5855 Gcal/yr to 5149 Gcal/yr and lowering carbon dioxide emissions from 1372 TCO2/yr to 1207 TCO2/yr. Our findings suggest that a waste heat recovery system effectively reduces greenhouse gas emissions and offers a practical, cost-effective way to recover energy from the ladle preheating system.