Hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron oxide at 700°C: Heterogeneity at pellet and microstructure scales

Yan Ma; Isnaldi R. Souza Filho; Xue Zhang; Supriya Nandy; Pere Barriobero-Vila; Guillermo Requena; Dirk Vogel; Michael Rohwerder; Dirk Ponge; Hauke Springer; Dierk Raabe

doi:10.1007/s12613-022-2440-5

Hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron oxide at 700°C: Heterogeneity at pellet and microstructure scales

Yan Ma^*, Isnaldi R. Souza Filho, Xue Zhang, Supriya Nandy, Pere Barriobero-Vila, Guillermo Requena, Dirk Vogel, Michael Rohwerder, Dirk Ponge, Hauke Springer, Dierk Raabe^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Not published at VTT

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

45 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Steel production causes a third of all industrial CO₂ emissions due to the use of carbon-based substances as reductants for iron ores, making it a key driver of global warming. Therefore, research efforts aim to replace these reductants with sustainably produced hydrogen. Hydrogen-based direct reduction (HyDR) is an attractive processing technology, given that direct reduction (DR) furnaces are routinely operated in the steel industry but with CH₄ or CO as reductants. Hydrogen diffuses considerably faster through shaft-furnace pellet agglomerates than carbon-based reductants. However, the net reduction kinetics in HyDR remains extremely sluggish for high-quantity steel production, and the hydrogen consumption exceeds the stoichiometrically required amount substantially. Thus, the present study focused on the improved understanding of the influence of spatial gradients, morphology, and internal microstructures of ore pellets on reduction efficiency and metallization during HyDR. For this purpose, commercial DR pellets were investigated using synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy in conjunction with electron backscatter diffraction and chemical probing. Revealing the interplay of different phases with internal interfaces, free surfaces, and associated nucleation and growth mechanisms provides a basis for developing tailored ore pellets that are highly suited for a fast and efficient HyDR.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1901-1907
Number of pages	7
Journal	International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials
Volume	29
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-022-2440-5
Publication status	Published - Oct 2022
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

Y. Ma acknowledges the financial support from the Walter Benjamin Programme of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (No. 468209039). I.R. Souza Filho acknowledges the financial support from Capes-Humboldt (No. 88881.512949/2020-01). H. Springer acknowledges the financial support from the Heisenberg Programme of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SP 1666 2/1). The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by N. Schell and A. Stark (Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon) for the high-energy X-ray diffraction experiments at the P07 High Energy Materials Science beamline. The Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) is acknowledged for the provision of synchrotron radiation facilities in the framework of proposal I-20191042.

Keywords

hydrogen-based direct reduction
iron oxide
metallization
microstructure
spatial gradient

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Ma, Y., Souza Filho, I. R., Zhang, X., Nandy, S., Barriobero-Vila, P., Requena, G., Vogel, D., Rohwerder, M., Ponge, D., Springer, H., & Raabe, D. (2022). Hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron oxide at 700°C: Heterogeneity at pellet and microstructure scales. International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials, 29(10), 1901-1907. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-022-2440-5

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abstract = "Steel production causes a third of all industrial CO2 emissions due to the use of carbon-based substances as reductants for iron ores, making it a key driver of global warming. Therefore, research efforts aim to replace these reductants with sustainably produced hydrogen. Hydrogen-based direct reduction (HyDR) is an attractive processing technology, given that direct reduction (DR) furnaces are routinely operated in the steel industry but with CH4 or CO as reductants. Hydrogen diffuses considerably faster through shaft-furnace pellet agglomerates than carbon-based reductants. However, the net reduction kinetics in HyDR remains extremely sluggish for high-quantity steel production, and the hydrogen consumption exceeds the stoichiometrically required amount substantially. Thus, the present study focused on the improved understanding of the influence of spatial gradients, morphology, and internal microstructures of ore pellets on reduction efficiency and metallization during HyDR. For this purpose, commercial DR pellets were investigated using synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy in conjunction with electron backscatter diffraction and chemical probing. Revealing the interplay of different phases with internal interfaces, free surfaces, and associated nucleation and growth mechanisms provides a basis for developing tailored ore pellets that are highly suited for a fast and efficient HyDR.",

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Ma, Y, Souza Filho, IR, Zhang, X, Nandy, S, Barriobero-Vila, P, Requena, G, Vogel, D, Rohwerder, M, Ponge, D, Springer, H & Raabe, D 2022, 'Hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron oxide at 700°C: Heterogeneity at pellet and microstructure scales', International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials, vol. 29, no. 10, pp. 1901-1907. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-022-2440-5

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T1 - Hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron oxide at 700°C

T2 - Heterogeneity at pellet and microstructure scales

AU - Ma, Yan

AU - Souza Filho, Isnaldi R.

AU - Zhang, Xue

AU - Nandy, Supriya

AU - Barriobero-Vila, Pere

AU - Requena, Guillermo

AU - Vogel, Dirk

AU - Rohwerder, Michael

AU - Ponge, Dirk

AU - Springer, Hauke

AU - Raabe, Dierk

PY - 2022/10

Y1 - 2022/10

N2 - Steel production causes a third of all industrial CO2 emissions due to the use of carbon-based substances as reductants for iron ores, making it a key driver of global warming. Therefore, research efforts aim to replace these reductants with sustainably produced hydrogen. Hydrogen-based direct reduction (HyDR) is an attractive processing technology, given that direct reduction (DR) furnaces are routinely operated in the steel industry but with CH4 or CO as reductants. Hydrogen diffuses considerably faster through shaft-furnace pellet agglomerates than carbon-based reductants. However, the net reduction kinetics in HyDR remains extremely sluggish for high-quantity steel production, and the hydrogen consumption exceeds the stoichiometrically required amount substantially. Thus, the present study focused on the improved understanding of the influence of spatial gradients, morphology, and internal microstructures of ore pellets on reduction efficiency and metallization during HyDR. For this purpose, commercial DR pellets were investigated using synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy in conjunction with electron backscatter diffraction and chemical probing. Revealing the interplay of different phases with internal interfaces, free surfaces, and associated nucleation and growth mechanisms provides a basis for developing tailored ore pellets that are highly suited for a fast and efficient HyDR.

AB - Steel production causes a third of all industrial CO2 emissions due to the use of carbon-based substances as reductants for iron ores, making it a key driver of global warming. Therefore, research efforts aim to replace these reductants with sustainably produced hydrogen. Hydrogen-based direct reduction (HyDR) is an attractive processing technology, given that direct reduction (DR) furnaces are routinely operated in the steel industry but with CH4 or CO as reductants. Hydrogen diffuses considerably faster through shaft-furnace pellet agglomerates than carbon-based reductants. However, the net reduction kinetics in HyDR remains extremely sluggish for high-quantity steel production, and the hydrogen consumption exceeds the stoichiometrically required amount substantially. Thus, the present study focused on the improved understanding of the influence of spatial gradients, morphology, and internal microstructures of ore pellets on reduction efficiency and metallization during HyDR. For this purpose, commercial DR pellets were investigated using synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy in conjunction with electron backscatter diffraction and chemical probing. Revealing the interplay of different phases with internal interfaces, free surfaces, and associated nucleation and growth mechanisms provides a basis for developing tailored ore pellets that are highly suited for a fast and efficient HyDR.

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IS - 10

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Hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron oxide at 700°C: Heterogeneity at pellet and microstructure scales

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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