HYBRIT unveils superior properties of hydrogen-reduced iron

Hydrogen

Sweden – Hydrogen direct reduced sponge iron has better quality and characteristics than the fossil-based approach, according to new study conducted as part of the HYBRIT project.

The results of the tests show that the product obtained through direct reduction with hydrogen is simple to handle, transport, and store, and that the procedure almost completely eliminates CO2 emissions.

Direct reduced iron (DRI) with hydrogen produces a product with dramatically better characteristics and quality, according to new test results from the HYBRIT. In comparison to direct reduced iron made with a fossil-based reducing gas like natural gas, hydrogen-reduced carbon-free DRI is highly metallized and has superior mechanical and aging properties. Patent applications detailing the included inventions have been submitted by Hybrit Development AB to the European Patent Office.

Pilot initiative

With the goal of creating a fossil-free value chain from the mine to the completed steel product, SSAB, LKAB, and Vattenfall launched the HYBRIT initiative to develop a new technology for hydrogen-based iron- and steelmaking. The HYBRIT-pilot initiative’s plant, funded in part by the Swedish Energy Agency, produced the world’s first hydrogen direct reduced sponge iron in June 2021.

Tagged