Impact of Hydrogen DRI on Melting in an Electric Furnace

R&D Focus Areas:
Industrial heat processes

Lead Organisation:
Swinburne University of Technology

Status:
Completed

Start date:
April 2022

Completion date:
June 2023

Key contacts:
Lead Investigator: Professor Geoff Brooks (SUT): sbrooks@swin.edu.au

Funding:
Heavy Industry Low-Carbon Transition CRC

Total project cost:
AUD$401,642 (cash and in-kind contributions)

Project summary description:
There is a strong international push towards the development of Hydrogen DRI processes that are likely to have significant impact on the desirability of Australian Iron ores in future iron ore markets. Of particular importance is the presence of gangue minerals in the ores, as these gangue minerals required significant energy to melt in subsequent steelmaking steps but also have impact on productivity, yield, slag amount, usage of the slag and control of the steelmaking processes. Currently, DRI is typically produced from low gangue ores (Fe>66 wt.%) but the gangue content of most Australian ores is much higher. Two major options are emerging in dealing with the higher gangue content of future DRIs, namely, (i) mix the DRI/HBI with scrap and melt in standard Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) and (ii) introduce a new melting step using Electric Furnace (EF) technology before feeding such liquid iron into the Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF).

Related publications and key links:
Impact of Hydrogen DRI on Melting in an Electric Furnace | Projects | HILTCRC
Report in preparation

Higher degree studies supported:
Not applicable

 

Reviewed: September 2023