Hydrogen-Based Reduction Technologies in Low-Carbon Sustainable Ironmaking and Steelmaking: A Review

The traditional ironmaking technologies (including coking, sintering, pelletizing, and BF ironmaking process) are carbon-intensive, which makes the industry a significant contributor to global CO2 emissions. Hydrogen replacement of carbon in steelmaking processes is a sustainable way to reduce CO2 emissions. First, the reduction thermodynamics and kinetics of iron oxide by carbon and hydrogen are compared. Then, the latest researches on different hydrogen reduction technologies in ironmaking industry are compared and analyzed. Based on this, the advantages and problems faced by hydrogen-based reduction over carbon-based reduction are presented. And finally, the possible pathways for the future development of hydrogen metallurgy are proposed, hoping to provide guidance for the hydrogen metallurgy in the steel industry. The reduction product of hydrogen metallurgy is H2O, and has a faster reduction rate than CO reduction. Therefore, hydrogen metallurgy is considered to be an effective way to achieve low-carbon green transformation in the metallurgical industry.