Circored Fine Ore Direct Reduction Plus DRI Smelting: Proven Technologies for the Transition Towards Green Steel

Abstract

The hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron ore combined with EAF smelting is being widely discussed as a possible replacement for the commonly used BF/BOF route in steelmaking when targeting carbon footprint reduction. One alternative to shaft furnaces is Metso Outotec’s Circored process, which uses fine ore as feed for fluidized bed reactors, eliminating the cost and energy-intensive pelletizing step. As a direct reduction process using 100% hydrogen as the reductant, Circored has already proven its functionality in an industrial-scale demonstration plant. Direct charging of hot DRI to a smelter would further increase the energy efficiency of the process. Metso Outotec’s rectangular six-in-line smelting furnace combines a flash smelter body and the Söderberg electrodes. This DRI smelting solution can replace small/medium-sized BFs and produce hot metal with the desired carbon content in existing steel plants with BOF converters. The large furnace volume enables the processing of low-grade iron ore with high gangue content and thus the use of BF-grade feed for DRI production.