EU-funded LIFE H2Reuse project to decarbonize bright annealing process through hydrogen recovery and reuse

In July 2024, the European Union-funded LIFE H2Reuse project launched with the goal of significantly enhancing energy efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of the bright annealing process in seamless stainless steel and nickel alloy tube production. This groundbreaking initiative seeks to develop innovative solutions for hydrogen recovery and reuse. It is coordinated by DMV (Cogne Group, formerly Mannesman Stainless Tubes), a key player in precision tube manufacturing, and its partners include Tenova, a leading developer and provider of sustainable solutions for the green transition of the metals industry, with the two branches in Italy and Germany.

In the bright annealing process, 100% hydrogen is used in high-temperature furnaces to produce high-performance tubes with superior surface quality, corrosion resistance, and durability. Currently, hydrogen is flared after each production cycle, leading to significant waste. The LIFE H2Reuse project aims to address this issue by developing two innovative technical solutions: recovering the wasted hydrogen from the annealing process and reusing it as fuel in radiant tubes working 100% of hydrogen. This approach represents a market-first innovation, as the recovery of atmospheric gas for reuse in industrial processes is not yet commercially available.

While hydrogen burners are already on the market, they remain in a developmental phase. The LIFE H2Reuse project will focus on enhancing their efficiency and effectiveness in real-world industrial environments. The project’s expected outcomes include significant reductions in carbon footprint, energy consumption, and resource waste, all of which will be rigorously tested to demonstrate their technical, environmental, and socio-economic benefits.

With the support of its key partners, the project’s innovations are expected to have far-reaching impacts, particularly in industries using high-hydrogen-content atmospheric gas. Among the beneficiaries are Tenova’s roller hearth furnace plants, which could apply the project’s results to reduce their carbon footprint, optimize resource use, and lower operating costs.