Analysis of the possibility of replacing carbon with hydrogen in the conditions of smelting cast iron from vanadium-containing titanomagnetites

75 % of the total carbon dioxide emissions by ferrous metallurgy enterprises is generated in the blast furnace process. One of the directions of CO2 emission reduction in pig iron production is partial replacement of carbon monoxide with hydrogen as a reducing agent. It is shown that such a replacement can lead to a decrease in the total carbon consumption due to reduction of heat consumption for the direct reduction of iron oxides. Using a mathematical model of the blast furnace process, the efficiency of partial replacement of process fuel (coke, natural gas, pulverized coal) with a hydrogen additive was evaluated. Calculations were performed for the operating conditions of blast furnaces of EVRAZ NTMK JSC, which melt vanadium-containing titanomagnetites. The coefficients of process fuel replacement with hydrogen and the coefficients of the influence of the replacement of process fuel with hydrogen on the change in CO2 emissions are calculated. The dependence of the change in the productivity of the furnace on the consumption of hydrogen at a constant minute flow rate of the blast and its adjustment to maintain the pressure drop has been established. It is shown that in the absence of gas dynamics reserves, the replacement of process fuel with hydrogen will be accompanied by a decrease in furnace productivity. The smelting of pig iron from titanomagnetites with the replacement of technological fuel with hydrogen will complicate the refining of melting products due to an increase in the formation of titanium carbides and carbonitrides. The reduction in CO2 formation at hydrogen entering the blast furnace with natural gas is 0.35 kg/m3 compared to pure hydrogen replacement of 0.73 kg/m3, not taking into account CO2 emission during hydrogen production