Research Projects

India aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070, with iron and steel making contributing about 7% of total emissions. Iron making, dominated by blast furnace (BF) technology, contributes 70% of emissions. Decarbonisation technology is challenging due to heavy use of fossil fuels. Most emissions are caused by ironmaking due to intensive consumption of coke and coal. To reduce carbon footprint, alternative fuels must be used. Green hydrogen (GH2) production may increase commercially in 2-3 decades, making it possible to use GH2 as a reductant in blast furnaces and use it for Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) production without using any carbon source. However, GH2 ironmaking is challenging due to its endothermic nature and requires external heat sources. Heat and mass transfer study is crucial for the success of the process and proposing a feasibility solution. A multiscale heat and mass transfer model and CFD model are proposed for verification, considering field variables and plant data. JsW steel has agreed to provide all plant data for verification.