Trends in hydrogen application for low-carbon iron and steel industry

Abstract

Massive anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, deteriorating atmospheric greenhouse effect and causing global warming and climate change, due to the remarkable consumption of fossil fuels have become the most significant obstacle to environmental sustainability [1]. Hydrogen has no carbon, so it is promising fuel and material used in the industry to lessen carbon emissions [2]. Ironmaking and steelmaking account for around 7 % of global anthropogenic CO₂ emissions [3]. Traditional ironmaking and steelmaking processes are carbon-intensive [4, 5]; therefore, how to decrease carbon emissions during ironmaking and steelmaking to approach net zero is an urgent issue. Carbon replacement by hydrogen in ironmaking and steelmaking processes offers a clean and sustainable way to reduce CO₂ emissions. For example, hydrogen can replace CO to reduce iron ore [6]. The produced direct reduced iron (DRI) can then be melted in an electric arc furnace (EAF) to produce steel [7]. In blast furnaces, hydrogen-rich gases, including hydrogen, ammonia, natural gas, coke oven gas, and recycling top gas, can be injected for ironmaking [8,9]. In summary, hydrogen-based ironmaking and steelmaking hold great promise for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future in the iron and steel industry [10–12]. This talk introduces the state-of-the-art processes using hydrogen for ironmaking and steelmaking.