European Direct Reduced Iron and Alternative Ironmaking Conference - IRONMASTERS 2022

Direct reduction technologies move more and more into the spotlight due to their significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions compared with other ironmaking technologies. This fact as well as their suitability for upgrading to hydrogen based ironmaking routes make direct reduction technologies a corner stone for future sustainable steelmaking business. Even though considering their advantages in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, direct reduction plants have also to comply with the most stringent environmental regulations set by national and local governments. It can be also expected the current environmental requirements will even increase over the next few years. Within this paper environmental and energy efficiency solutions to upgrade existing gas based direct reduction facilities will be presented. A new dry dedusting system based ceramic filter elements for bottom seal gas as well as waste heat recovery boiler for top gas to increase energy efficiency will be described. In addition to gas treatment and waste heat recovery, by-product recycling resp. utilization solutions like briquetting of dust and sludge including economic feasibility will be given in the paper. A further possibility to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by a biochemical conversion process will be presented within this paper.