Research & Development

Heavy End of the Future

The work in this area refers to the three main trends that have influenced the steel industry in recent years: the drive to increase output to follow demand, the massive increase of the cost of raw materials and energy and the growing concern over climate change.

For the medium-term, the objective is to develop technology and operational practices to achieve cost-effective productivity rises with existing installations, maximise recycling, and reduce the environmental and CO₂ footprint. The focus in this area is on the use of cheaper raw materials without compromising blast furnace performance and on optimising the burden distribution and pulverised coal injection rate.
For the long-term, the focus is on the large scale multi-partner project ULCOS (Ultra Low CO₂ Steel making). This is aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions per tonne of steel produced by at least 50% by 2050. Out of four possible approaches that have been identified for further development, two are of interest to the Group, i.e. the blast furnace that uses pure oxygen and top gas recycling, and the process now known as ISARNA.

trials with the former process carried out in 2008 at the experimental blast furnace of LKAB in Lulea, Sweden, have shown that with top gas recycling, the carbon input per tonne of steel can be reduced by 24% and that with the storage of CO₂ gas removed from the top, the CO₂ emission to the atmosphere can be halved. For the ISARNA process, the core of which is the melting and pre-reduction of ore fines in a cyclone, the engineering of a pilot plant was completed. A decision is expected at the end of the year regarding the location of the pilot plant.