thyssenkrupp Steel has announced its collaboration with Australian partner BlueScope Steel. The focus of this partnership is on research activities in the area of melting technologies, which are crucial in the transition from traditional blast furnace operations to direct reduction plants.
The collaboration includes the construction of two identical, electrically powered melters, each with a capacity of 100 MW, to process directly reduced iron (DRI). These facilities are designed to annually convert a total of 2.5 million tons of DRI into pig iron, which is directly transported from the direct reduction plant to the melters via hot conveyance systems.
Circular Initiative: Slag for the Cement Industry
Melting units offer numerous technological and economic advantages. They enable continuous and efficient production of electric pig iron while maintaining the entire production process at the steel plant, minimizing investment costs and ensuring competitiveness. Additionally, these facilities allow for the flexible use of various raw materials and the reuse of process gases.
Another important aspect of the collaboration is the use of melter slag. As part of the "SAVE CO2" research project, which started in 2021, efforts are being made to utilize this slag in the cement industry, supporting the circular economy and maintaining the ecological benefits of slag utilization.
This four-year research collaboration with BlueScope Steel plays a critical role in optimizing process understanding and plant management before the new procedures are commissioned. The exchange of expertise and experience, particularly from the operation of melters in New Zealand, is developing a profound understanding of electrode management, furnace operation, and other technical aspects.
About BlueScope Steel
BlueScope Steel is an internationally operating steel company based in Australia, established in 2002 as a spin-off from the then BHP Billiton. The company operates facilities in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Asia, and the Pacific region. BlueScope Steel is active in the area of sustainable steel production and participates in various initiatives and partnerships to reduce CO2 emissions in steel production and to develop and implement more environmentally friendly technologies and methods.
