Assessment of Blast Furnace Operational Constraints in the Presence of Hydrogen Injection

Abstract

Present day, the production of hot metal (HM) via the blast furnace route remains an integral part of the global steel industry. With global pressure to curb greenhouse gas emissions, injection of hydrogen is considered a promising solution while ironmaking transitions to alternate technologies. A comprehensive heat and mass balance model calibrated to an operating blast furnace was used to assess the operational limits of hydrogen injection through the tuyeres, replacing Pulverised Coal Injection (PCI). Constrained by a minimum top gas temperature and minimum Raceway Adiabatic Flame Temperature (RAFT), the maximum injection rate was determined to be 19.5 kg-H2/t-HM when replacing 37.4 kg-PCI/t-HM (i.e. a replacement ratio of 1.9 kg-PCI/kg-H2 or 1.54 kg-C/kg-H2). At the maximum hydrogen injection rate, the specific CO2,eq emissions were seen to decrease by 8% in the top gas. In the case where the increased level of hydrogen increases stack reduction efficiency, the maximum hydrogen injection rate is decreased, while the replacement ratio is increased significantly. A maximum hydrogen injection rate of 14.3 kg-H2/t-HM with a replacement ratio of 4.5 kg-PCI/kg-H2 was achieved when the stack reduction efficiency was 100%, with a CO2,eq emission decrease of 14%. The optimal scenario for injection of hydrogen was determined to be maintaining a constant production rate, allowing the RAFT to decrease, and replacing PCI.