H2II - Hydrogen sequence impulse injection into the Blast Furnace shaft

Initial situation:

  • CO2 emissions in the steel industry must be reduced by 55% by 2030.
  • New technology routes will not have been implemented to this extent by then.
  • Rapidly deployable interim technologies are essential.
  • Hydrogen reduction can save up to 20% of CO2 emissions from a blast furnace.
  • Hydrogen achieves higher reduction rates even at lower temperatures than CO (from approx. 800°C).
  • Due to the low density of hydrogen, it is difficult to achieve high penetration depths when injecting hydrogen into the burden column.
  • Impulse injection technology has shown in continuous industrial use that it achieves greater penetration depths and more favourable gas flow in the shaft.

Project targets:

  • Technical demonstration of Pulse injection of hydrogen into the Blast furnace shaft
    • above the cohesive zone.

Innovative approaches:

  • Injection in the shaft instead of through the hot blast tuyeres
  • Injection of hydrogen instead of carbon monoxide as reduction agent
  • Pulsed injection instead of continuous injection

Benefits for the industry:

  • Improving process efficiency
  • Reduction of CO2 emissions

About the project:

The H2II project is funded by the European Union (Grant No. 101157157). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 

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