| Project Detail |
Argonne National Laboratory is developing a microwave-powered hydrogen plasma rotary kiln process for reducing iron ore that would eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from the ironmaking process. The proposed technology eliminates the coke used in traditional blast furnaces and removes the energy-intensive step of pelletizing iron ore. The approach takes advantage of the fact that atomic, ionic, and vibrationally excited species of hydrogen plasma reduce ore more effectively than molecular hydrogen. Argonne’s method has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions arising from ironmaking by 35% compared to the blast furnace process when using today’s grid and by 88% when using a future low-carbon grid, while also reducing the cost of making hot rolled steel.
Market Impact Potential:
Microwave plasmas can produce reactive hydrogen species more efficiently than other plasma types, and recent advances in solid-state microwave technology will enable tuning the plasma properties to further improve efficiency. Argonne’s technology can be retrofitted into existing rotary kiln furnace reactors with microwave hydrogen plasma generators, which would substantially reduce costs for implementing the technology. |
