Decarbonization, hydrogen trend and artificial intelligence in metallurgy

Research and development of the technologies aimed at reducing the effects of global warming are very relevant. The paper presents the results of an analysis of global warming in the Earth’s atmosphere in connection with the natural and enhanced greenhouse effect and provides an assessment of the possible impact of metallurgical production on the formation of an enhanced greenhouse effect. Metallurgy is known to contribute about 8 % of anthropogenic CO₂, which is significantly less than energy (24 %), land use (18 %), transport (14 %) or agriculture (14 %). About 80 % of the “metallurgical” CO₂ is supplied by the blast furnace process, therefore, one of the main tasks of metallurgy in combating global warming is to replace the technology for producing pig iron in blast furnaces with direct iron reduction (DRI) technology of the Midrex type. At the same time, decommissioning of blast furnaces will take a considerable amount of time, and a polyhybrid technology for decarbonization of iron oxide reduction processes in a blast furnace is proposed for this transition period. This technology consists in initiating the water gas shift reaction (WGSR): {H₂O} + {CO} \( \mathbin{\lower.3ex\hbox{$\buildrel\textstyle\rightarrow\over{\smash{\leftarrow}\vphantom{_{\vbox to.5ex{\vss}}}}$}} \) {H₂} + {CO₂} + Q (−∆H) by supplying water vapor {H2O} to a furnace. As a result of thermodynamic analysis of the hydrogen formation process {H₂}, the temperature was established (approximately 1093 K (820 °C)), at a decrease of which, in accordance with the Le Chatelier principle, the reaction equilibrium constant and the released hydrogen amount increase. Based on this, the temperature profile of any blast furnace can be used to determine the initial level for placing steam supply devices in the furnace working space. Since the WGSR reaction is exothermic, it should be expected along with the intensification of the iron reduction process and coke saving. The proposed technology does not conflict with other decarbonization processes, complementing and increasing the effectiveness of their action. The considered scheme of using steam to intensify the iron reduction process takes into account the possibility of developing and applying artificial intelligence elements with the specifics of automation and control of this process. The authors declare the priority of their proposed polyhybrid technology for decarbonization of iron oxide reduction processes using hydrogen generated as a result of a heterogeneous catalytic process based on the reaction of water gas.

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