Global steel production relies 70% on the iron ore-based BF/BOF route and 30% on the mainly scrap-based EAF route. Due to limited scrap availability, iron ore remains essential. For efficient EAF steel production, DRI from ores with over 65% Fe and low slag-forming elements is ideal, yet only 20% of available ores meet this criterion.
The carbon-based BF process, on the other hand, primarily uses ores with less than 65% Fe, which make up most of global production. As a result, technological advances focus on hybrid reduction and smelting processes to convert low- and medium-grade ores into green pig iron or crude steel using hydrogen. Processing iron ore in its natural grain size via hydrogen in fluidized bed or plasma methods also offers a path to sustainable steelmaking.
What you will learn:
• Basics of the climate change and roadmaps to climate neutral iron and steelmaking.
• Preconditions for raw materials and energy supply to execute the transformation process.
• Compare TRL of technologies and development cycles.