Reducing CO2 emissions in the steel industry
The DevH2forEAF Project was selected from 142 proposals within the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS), a EU funding program supporting research projects in the coal and steel sectors. Aligned with the goals of the European Green Deal, RFCS aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in steel production processes.
Participants in the DevH2forEAF project (RINA-CSM, RWTH-IOB, CELSA GROUP, Ferriere Nord, SMS Group, AFV Acciaierie Beltrame, and Nippon Gases Italia) will work to decrease the use of fossil fuels in EAFs.
The Importance of EAF in Europe
The EAF (Electric Arc Furnace) is a type of furnace used in steel production.
In Europe, steel production through electric arc furnaces is gaining significance. Currently, it represents about 41.5% of the overall production, 69 million tons per year, and is significantly higher (81% in Italy and 61% in Spain) compared to steel production via blast furnaces or oxygen converters.
Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions in EAF
In modern EAFs, the contribution of chemical energy for scrap melting and refining ranges from 25% to 45% of the total energy required. Natural gas burners, methane, or other fossil fuels provide between 40 and 80 kWh/t of energy.
This means that to produce 100 tons of steel, the combustion of 370-750 Nm3 of natural gas is necessary, emitting 0.75-1.5 tons of CO2. By replacing just 10% of natural gas with hydrogen in the entire European steel production, a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, up to 0.1 million tons per year, could be achieved.
The DevH2forEAF Project
The main aim of the DevH2forEAF project is to develop and make usable a hydrogen-fueled burner to replace natural gas in steel production through EAF. To achieve this, it will be necessary to:
- Design and manufacture a burner capable of operating with natural gas and hydrogen blends, up to 100% hydrogen. The burner must ensure mechanical and thermal resistance
under the operating conditions of the electric arc furnace.
- Monitor the performance of the hydrogen burner in the pilot combustion chamber before industrial installation.
- Conduct a risk analysis to define corrective actions and countermeasures for hydrogen use in electric arc furnace processes. Safety issues related to storage, transportation, and
injection must be identified, and risks minimised.
- Analyze the performance of the hydrogen burner through experimental tests at two industrial sites.
The Role of Nippon Gases
Nippon Gases Italia has always worked to develop new technologies that help industries reduce fossil fuel usage and greenhouse gas emissions.
Within the DevH2forEAF project, its contribution will involve designing the natural gas/hydrogen blending system, distribution lines, and hydrogen storage tanks. It will also define safety prescriptions for installing the burner at industrial sites and conduct an analysis to create the risk management plan.
The result of this work will represent a fundamental step for hydrogen usage in steelmaking and the initial move towards decarbonizing the steel industry.