The program aims to establish a process for injecting hydrogen using the Sequence Impulse Process (SIP) technology directly into the blast furnace via the shaft. In addition to the grant, contributions will be made by each of the research partners, bringing the total project value to €3.5 million.
With the iron and steel sector responsible for 7-10 percent of global CO2 emissions, commitments have already been made by the industry to achieve carbon neutrality in the next 40 years – some producers have stated even more ambitious goals. With low-CO2 production routes still at a relatively early stage, the majority of steel being produced for years to come will be via the blast furnace route. As such, it is imperative to research technologies which can lower the CO2 emissions of the blast furnace.
Driving the Green Transformation
Hydrogen-based reduction is a much sought after solution to support decarbonization. The technology could lower emissions from the blast furnace by up to 20 percent. However, it is accompanied by significant implementation challenges when injected via the tuyeres. Building on the available and proven Sequence Impulse Process (SIP) oxygen injection technology, as already utilized on a large blast furnace at thyssenkrupp Steel Europe’s Schwelgern site in Germany, the research aims to simulate that hydrogen can be pulse-injected into the blast furnace shaft.
Industry Leading Consortium
This project, set to conclude in 2028, brings together a consortium of major European players within the iron and steelmaking sector to take the concept from laboratory to industrial demonstration. The key technology will be designed and provided by thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec GmbH with furnace integration design and full-scale economic evaluation by Primetals Technologies Ltd. Analysis and modelling will be conducted by the research institutes VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut, which also is the project coordinator, and K1-MET GmbH. thyssenkrupp Steel Europe will provide the industrial scale laboratory work fabrications and material burdening capabilities with the globally leading steel and technology group voestalpine completing the consortium as the hosts for the trial process with helium injection in the shaft to prove the simulations for gas distribution to be placed on an operating blast furnace at their Linz works, Austria.
Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS)
The RFCS is an EU funding program which supports research projects in the coal and steel sectors. Every year around €55 million is made available to universities, research centres, and private companies to fund projects. The funding is awarded to large clean steelmaking research and innovation breakthrough projects, aimed at leading to near zero-carbon steelmaking by 2030.
Fundings for Environmentally Friendlier Solutions
As the market leader in environmental innovations for the metals industry, Primetals Technologies is engaged in several projects for which the company has received fundings recently, including solutions for hydrogen-based ironmaking.
