As the steel industry is responsible for around 6 % of the global anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, it has a high potential for mitigating climate change. Hydrogen plays a decisive role for the transformation to a climate neutral steel making. As an alternative reducing agent, hydrogen can partially replace the use of carbon and thereby reduce the CO₂ emissions.

In order to establish hydrogen, we are working on its supply:

• CO₂-free hydrogen production by methane pyrolysis and
• Separation from H₂-rich gases by membrane process,

as well as on the technologies to use hydrogen in the steel industry:

• Partial replacement of injected coal by hydrogen at the blast furnace
• Direct reduction with H₂-rich gases up to pure hydrogen.

The following figure shows the research topics of the BFI regarding hydrogen for a low CO₂ steel production.

 

In scope of the following running or planned projects we are working on the implementation of hydrogen in the steel industry:

• H₂BF: CO₂-Mitigation through injection of H₂ into the blast furnace
• Reallabor H₂Stahl: Hydrogen technologies for a stepwise decarbonisation of the steel industry (H₂ blast furnace and direct reduction with H₂)
• Me²H₂: Methane pyrolysis for the production of hydrogen and solid carbon
• SCI4climate.NRW: Scientific competence centre for a climate neutral and competitive basic industry in NRW
• LowCarbonFuture: Exploitation of projects for low-carbon future steel industry
• GreenSteel: Green Steel for Europe

 

Our engagement in initiative and working groups:

• NRW: Initiative from politics, science and industry for a climate-neutral industry in NRW (participation in the hydrogen working group, publication of the discussion paper hydrogen)
• Participation in the focus group “Low Carbon & Energy Efficiency” of the European Steel Platform (ESTEP)
• Participation in A.SPIRE, a European association, which works for the management and implementation of the SPIRE Public Private Partnership