Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel has made a significant advancement in its effort to reduce carbon emissions through a new technology for producing direct reduced iron (DRI) using 100% hydrogen as a reducing agent. The tests were conducted at the pilot shaft furnace located in the Hasaki Research and Development Center, as announced in a company press release.
During the testing phase, Nippon Steel utilized low-grade iron ore, specifically blast furnace pellets, which are generally considered inferior in quality compared to traditional high-grade ore. The testing unit operated continuously for over 300 hours, resulting in the production of more than 1,000 tonnes of DRI.
Nippon Steel faced challenges when using pure hydrogen due to the endothermic nature of the chemical reactions involved, which caused a drop in furnace temperature. Additionally, processing low-grade ore typically leads to its degradation and dust generation, complicating gas flow. However, Nippon Steel’s engineers successfully addressed these issues by implementing advanced heat compensation technology and specialized operating modes to minimize raw material breakdown.
This technological development is vital for the steel industry, as high-grade ore reserves are dwindling. Efficiently processing low-grade ore will enhance raw material security in the long term. Furthermore, transitioning from natural gas, which is responsible for the production of approximately 100 million tonnes of DRI worldwide each year, to pure hydrogen is expected to significantly cut CO₂ emissions associated with steel production.
According to estimates from Midrex reported earlier by GMK Center, global demand for DRI is projected to reach 260 million tonnes by 2035 and 500 million tonnes by 2050, with Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa (MENA) expected to represent over half of that demand by 2035.
