International Project: MaxH2DR

Title:
Maximise H2 Enrichment in Direct Reduction Shaft Furnaces

Acronym:
MaxH2DR

Start: 01.06.2022 /End: 31.05.2026

Co-financing for Łukasiewicz-GIT: PLN 1 254 038,00
Total project value: PLN 21 084 715,00

Executive Agency: European Commission (EHDEA)

Programme Name: Horizon Europe

Consortium:

1. Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento s Anna [Coordinator]
2. ABO Akademi
3. Ciaotech srl
4. ESTEP Plateforme Technologique Europeenne de l’Acier, Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum
5. Łukasiewicz Research Network – Upper Silesian Institute of Technology
6. Tata Steel Nederland Technology BV
7. Universita Degli Studi di Salerno
8. Universite de Lorraine, VDEH-Betriebsforschungsinstitut GMbH

Project Manager:

Marian Niesler, BEng, PhD, DSc
Tel.: 32 2345 291
E-mail: marian.niesler@git.lukasiewicz.gov.pl

Objective:

Funded by the European Union. 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 Health and Digital Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Initial situation:

• Hydrogen reduction changes energy balance, temperatures and reactions
• Higher energy demand by H2 reduction needs to be covered
• Solid material will have different properties in DR and following aggregates
• Digital tools are needed to extend pilot trials and to support scale-up and later operation

Working points in the project:

• Reduction tests with different pellets and varying gas conditions
• Investigation of physical DRI properties (e.g. softening, movement)
• Investigation of linked material and gas flow with physical and numerical models
• Develop validated digital twins for industrial H2DR plants
• Process analysis to assess possible limits and issues of H2 enrichment

Expected results:

• Provide new process know-how of DR plants with H2 enrichment
• Support of investment planning/scale-up
• Determine stable operating points and evaluate possible issues
• Maximise process stability with maximum H2 enrichment
• Optimise process chain (DR, EAF)
• Provide digital twins for process analysis and control
• Assess H2 enrichment in DR plants and develop measures

The project from the Horizon Europe – Clean Steel Partnership programme “Maximise H2 enrichment in direct reduction shaft furnaces (MAXH2DR)” will be carried out in the years 2022 – 2026.

The aim of the project is to develop DRI direct reduction technology, enabling the maximum content of hydrogen in reduction atmosphere. The Institute’s task is to produce a sinter of the required quality for the DRI process, including the use of biomass as a replacement for coke in the sintering process. The next step will be to test the reduction kinetics at different temperatures and different hydrogen content in the reduction gas.