Steelmaking industry in the Netherlands accounts for approximately 8% of total CO2 emissions in the country, and it is in the crossroad to transfer from carbon-based technology to a much cleaner production. At the present knowledge and practical perspectives, green-H2 based ironmaking and steelmaking is the most promising technology option. Various potential choices are possible, depending on the present technology route from individual steelmaking companies, such as blast furnace based integrated steelmaking route, or DRI/scarp based electric arc furnace steelmaking.
The challenges and proposed research for solutions
For the existing steel production companies, they cannot have a totally free choice of technology route. The existing infrastructure, accessibility to raw materials and green energy source, as well as the targeted steel product quality and applications are all parameters and conditions for the future process selection. In the proposed project of Green Steel – NL, 3 researchers will focus on the critical assessment of three inter-connected key technology unit-operations for future green and clean steelmaking: (1) H2-based direct reduction of iron oxides (H2-DRI); (2) carburization and melting of the H2-DRI from the first step; and (3) steel refining of synthetic hot metal from H2-DRI using existing BOF converters.