Steel Mills
Cliffs Injects Hydrogen Into Middletown BF
May 8, 2023
Cleveland-Cliffs has successfully completed a hydrogen (H2) injection trial at its Middletown Works blast furnace in Ohio.
“This groundbreaking introduction of hydrogen gas as an iron-reducing agent in the blast furnace is the first-ever use of this carbon friendly technology in the Americas region,” the Cleveland-based steelmaker said in a statement on Monday.
Cliffs noted that the successful use of hydrogen gas “represents a significant step toward the future decarbonization of blast furnaces.”
The company said that during the trial completed on May 8, hydrogen gas was injected into all 20 tuyeres at the Middletown #3 blast furnace, which facilitated the production of clean pig iron.
“Hydrogen was used as a partial substitute for the coke necessary for iron reduction, ultimately replacing the release of CO2 with the release of H2O (water vapor) with no impact to product quality or operating efficiency,” Cliffs added.
Lourenco Goncalves, Cliffs’ chairman, president, and CEO, applauded the achievement.
“We are proud to be the first company in the Americas to inject hydrogen into a blast furnace – a demonstration of our commitment to develop and implement breakthrough technological advancements toward decarbonization,” he said.
By Ethan Bernard, ethan@steelmarketupdate.com
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