Trial marking the first occasion globally where a substantial amount of hydrogen gas is consistently being introduced into a blast furnace.
Here’s an article in Tata Steel for you that addresses information about Tata’s world-first trail to slash CO2 emissions.
According to the article,
- Tata Steel is conducting a trial to inject hydrogen into a blast furnace at its Jamshedpur steel mill, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions by cutting down the amount of coke being burned.
- The trial involves a 40 percent injection system into the ‘E’ blast furnace and has the potential to reduce coke rate by 10%, leading to a 7% to 10% decrease in carbon dioxide emissions per ton of crude steel produced.
- This initiative is part of Tata’s efforts to achieve a leaner carbon future and is the first of its kind in the world.
So how does hydrogen gas injection compare to traditional coke in terms of efficiency?
Hydrogen gas injection in a blast furnace has several advantages over traditional coke in terms of efficiency:
Our specialty focus areas include 
- Coke Replacement: Hydrogen injection can replace a significant portion of the coke used in the blast furnace, which reduces the overall coke rate and the associated CO2 emissions. For example, a study found that hydrogen injection can replace 37.2 kg of PCI (pulverized coal injection) per ton of hot metal, which is higher than the replacement ratio of coke by 9% on a pure carbon basis.
- Energy Efficiency: Hydrogen injection can also improve the energy efficiency of the blast furnace. For instance, the use of hydrogenous fuels has been shown to decrease the thermal requirement of the lower zone, which can lead to increased efficiency.
- Ash Load Reduction: Hydrogen injection can reduce the ash load in the blast furnace, which is a significant advantage over traditional coke. Ash loads can cause problems in the furnace and require additional maintenance.
- Carbon Emissions Reduction: Hydrogen injection can significantly reduce CO2 emissions from the blast furnace. For example, the trial by Tata Steel aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 7-10% per ton of crude steel produced.
- Operational Flexibility: Hydrogen injection can provide operational flexibility by allowing for adjustments in the furnace operating parameters, such as the blast flow rate and oxygen enrichment, to optimize production and reduce emissions.
Overall, hydrogen gas injection offers several efficiency advantages over traditional coke in a blast furnace, including reduced coke rates, improved energy efficiency, reduced ash loads, lower carbon emissions, and increased operational flexibility.
Interestingly, we have some other posts related to this content:
Hydrogen Injection for Green Steel Production – by Tata Steel: Tata Steel leads in India with hydrogen injection in blast furnace, achieving cleaner steel production and supporting net zero carbon goal. Green Hydrogen Project of Tata Steel: Zero-Carbon Steel by 2045 with CRISP+: Tata Steel aims for zero-carbon steel production by 2045, utilizing Hatch’s CRISP+ technology, converting facilities to hydrogen-based steelmaking, costing over 65 million euros.
