MaxH2DR · Maximise H2 Enrichment in Direct Reduction Shaft Furnaces

H2-enriched direct reduction (DR) is the key decarbonisation technology for integrated steelworks mentioned in pathways of all major steel producers. Natural gas driven DR is established in industry mostly outside Europe but there are no experiences with high H2 enrichment > 80%. H2 based reduction is no principal issue but endothermic and the influences on morphology, diffusion and effective kinetics are not known. Also properties and movement of particles in the reactor are not know and issues like sticking cannot be excluded. Probably, temperature distribution and flow of solids and gas will be clearly different. No reliable prognosis is possible yet, in particular with regard to local permeability, process stability and product quality of industrial size furnaces with higher loads on the particles and larger local differences. Many activities are initiated for first industrial demonstration of H2-enriched DR but they will not close many of these knowledge gaps. MaxH2DR provides missing knowledge and data of reduction processes. A world-first test rig determines pellet properties at conditions of industrial H2 enriched DR furnaces and a physical demonstrator shows the linked solid and gas flow in shaft furnaces. This will be combined with digitals models including the key technology DEM-CFD to provide a hybrid demonstrator able to investigate scale-up and to optimise DR furnace design and operating point. This sound basis will be used to optimise the process integration into existing process chains. Simulation tools will be combined to a toolkits that covers impacts of product properties on downstream processes as well as impacts on gas and energy cycles. Thus, promising process chains, sustainable and flexible, will be achieved for different steps along the road to decarbonisation. The digital toolkits will support industrial demonstration and implementation and strengthen digitisation and competitiveness of the European steel industry.