EASyMelt™: flexible process

for carbon neutral ironmaking

Fe r n a n d D id e lo n , Peter Kin ze l (Pa u l Wu r t h S. A . )
Climate neutral Steelmaking in Europe
Decarbonisation pathways – Investment needs – Policy – Conditions - Recommendations

FINAL REPORT (Nov. 2021)

Route 1: Optimised BF-BOF Route 2: Direct Reduction

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Climate neutral Steelmaking in Europe
Decarbonisation pathways – Investment needs – Policy – Conditions – Recommendations

FINAL REPORT (Nov. 2021)

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Iron Ore market – high grade IO availability

2019

Source: Wood MacKenzie

Horizons – Pedal to the metal - Sept 2022

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Limitations of main decarbonization pathways for integrated steel plants

Direct Reduction into

› H2-DRI/EAF can achieve lowest emission steel, but: Electric Arc Furnace
High-grade ore requirement → high cost and dependency
EAF-injection carbon required!
+ CCS/CCU

› H2-DRI/OBF route can use low-grade ore, but: Direct Reduction into
Minimum coke rate required! Open Bath Furnace

+ CCS/CCU
Scope 1+2 compared to conventional BF-BOF
OECD EU-28, emission factor of 80kg/MWh (target 2050)
100% 75% 50% 25% Climate neutral

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Hydrogen based steel production with H2-DRI-OBF route
CO2 footprint
Gas credit: 1,54 GJ/tLS
974 kWh/t DRI 560 kWh/t HM
Pellets 62% Coke 100 kg/t HM
Scrap 234 kg/t LS
5 kWh/Nm3

535 Nm3/t DRI HDRI 1041 kg/tHM HM 885 kg/tLS 1t LS

0% C 4,5% C

BOF
DRP OBF

CO2 free clinker credit: 140kg CO2/tLS

CO2 emissions [kg/t LS]

scope 1 scope 2
Coke 29 0
DRP 1 287 › Substantial CO2 emissions remain
OBF 294 40 › OBF: more coke to compensate DRI with 0% C
BOF + sec. met. 8 5 664 kg/t LS
Overall 332 332
OECD EU-28, emission factor of 80kg/MWh (target 2050)
(View all scopes)
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Alternative net-zero CO2 direct reduction & melting concept EASyMelt™ features
Coke
› No hot blast – no PCI
Sinter/pellets
Pellets COG › Coke consumption is under 180 kg/thm
and potentially 100 kg/thm
› The hot reducing gas is generated outside
NG the furnace in dry reforming stoves and
injected at 2 levels (shaft + tuyeres)
› At tuyere level the hot syngas is
superheated by 4 MW plasma torches up
to 2000°C
Shaft injection
› Ore & Energy flexibility – COG & green H2
positively suitable
Tuyere injection
Reformer stoves › High production rate & quality
Plasma torch
› Direct CO2 emissions reduced up to 70%
without CCU

Carbon capture › Carbon neutral with CCUS

EASyMelt
Electric Assissted Syngas sMelter

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Syngas dry reforming pilot plant

› Successful pilot plant testing using BFG and COG

Dry reforming without catalyst
CO2 + CH4 2 CO + 2 H2
› Very high syngas quality obtained
› Very high conversion XCH4 > 98%
Input Output
CH4 10% 0.2%
CO2 7.3% 0.5%
H2 29% 42%
CO 19% 30%
N2 29% 27%
H2O 5% 1%
H2 + CO 3.9 48
H2O + CO2
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 Patent pending
EASyMelt™ 180 kg coke rate without H2
Coke 180 kg/t HM Gas credit: 1,60 GJ/tLS
Pellets 62% Fe 1520 kg/t HM LHV = 7,8 MJ/Nm3

Scrap 234 kg/t LS

EASy
NG 180 Nm3/t HM HM 885 kg/t LS 1t LS

NG 4,5% C

Plasma 320 kWh/t HM

EASyMelt™ BOF

CO2 free clinker credit: 140 kg CO2/tLS

CO2 emissions [kg/t LS]

scope 1 scope 2 › Only 43 kg or 5% higher emissions than
coke 54 2 NG-DRI/OBF route
BF 850 95
BOF + sec. met. 8 18 1028 kg/t LS
overall 912 116 -43%
OECD EU-28, emission factor of 300kg/MWh (target 2030)
(View all scopes)

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 Patent pending
EASyMelt™ 100 kg coke rate with H2
Coke 100 kg/t HM Gas credit: 1,60 GJ/tLS
Pellets 62% Fe 1520 kg/t HM LHV = 9,1 MJ/Nm3

Scrap 234 kg/t LS

H2 440 Nm3/t HM

EASy
NG 110 Nm3/t HM HM 885 kg/t LS 1t LS

NG 4,5% C

Plasma 500 kWh/t HM

EASyMelt BOF

CO2 free clinker credit: 140 kg CO2/tLS

CO2 emissions [kg/t LS]

scope 1 scope 2 › Only 47 kg or 2,5% less reduction in CO2
coke 30 1 compared to H2-DRI/OBF route
BF 475 193
BOF + sec. met. 7 5 711 kg/t LS
overall 512 199 -61%
OECD EU-28, emission factor of 80kg/MWh (target 2050)
(View all scopes)

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Carbon capture

› the CAPEX advantage can pay for CCUS

› Highly enriched CO2 stream ( >95vol%) due to oxy-fuel combustion in reformer Very cost efficient
› Only Cryogenic needed (simple and low CAPEX ≈ 40€/tpy CO2) CAPEX/OPEX possibility
› Can use existing ASU from BF plants for Oxygen input to reach NET ZERO steel

Top gas
Top gas Natural gas
EASY

Syngas H2

Plasma
torches

Syngas Heat Cryogenic

Quench O2 + N2
recovery 10bar -45°C

Syngas Reformer

Top gas H2O CO2 85 t/h

(Example 2.5 Mio t/y production) O2

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The Ammonia alternative in Europe
Green ammonia production: Port Terminals:
Vestas, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, … Rotterdam, Vlissingen, Wilhelmshaven, Brunsbüttel, Immingham,…
Project HØST in Denmark: 600.000 tpy

Project Catalina in Spain: 200.000tpy

Only NH3
cracking cost
for EASyMelt
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 Patent pending
EASyMelt™ : 200 kg coke rate with NH3
Coke 200 kg/t HM

Pellets 62% Fe Internal gas demand

Scrap
90 Nm3/t HM
COG

EASy
500 Nm3/t HM Hot metal Liquid steel
NH3 Cracker

EASyMelt™ BOF
Plasma 430 kWh/t HM

CO2 emissions [kg/t LS]

scope 1 scope 2
coke 60 1 Significant reduction
Hot metal 567 35 possible 676 kg/t LS
BOF + sec. met. 8 5 -62%
overall 635 41
OECD EU-28, emission factor of 80kg/MWh (target 2050)

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 Patent pending
EASyMelt™ low carbon furnace 132 kg coke rate with NH3 and HBI
Coke 132 kg/t HM
Pellets 62% Fe
Internal gas demand
HBI Scrap
Hot Topgas
300 Nm3/t HM

EASy
Hot metal Liquid steel
550 Nm3/t HM
NH3 Cracker

EASyMelt™ BOF
Plasma 470 kWh/t HM

CO2 emissions [kg/t LS]

scope 1 scope 2
Coke 40 1 Only with topgas reheating &
Hot metal 399 50 recirculation 503 kg/t LS
BOF + sec. met. 8 5 -72%
overall 447 56
OECD EU-28, emission factor of 80kg/MWh (target 2050)

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Comparison of specific CO2 emissions (kg/t LS)

Scope 1+2 of
EASyMelt™≈ DRI-OBF !
Only 47kg CO2/tLS
difference! › EASyMelt™ has a
very similar CO2 reduction
as DRI-OBF in both scenarios!

EASyMelt™ EASyMelt™

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Energy pattern

EASyMelt
› High efficiency
› Lower local clean electricity demand
› Energy versatile
› Export gas enabling to feed HSM reheating
furnace
› NH3 operation provides export gas with spec.
emission: 65 kgCO2/GJ (+16% vs natural gas)

EASyMelt

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Variable costs (e.g. 2.5 million tLS/y production)
Prices used for cost calculation
CO2 emission electricity* kg/MWh 300 / 80
LV coking coal FOB AUS $/t 300
Electricity €/MWh 100
€/GJ 28
Hydrogen €/GJ 50
Natural gas €/GJ 12
BF pellets premium $/t 75
DR pellets premium $/t 100
Scraps €/t 450
CO2 price €/t 150

The EASyMelt™
is the cheapest option
EASyMelt™ EASyMelt™

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CO2 abatement cost efficiency before CCUS Prices used for OPEX calculation
CO2 emission electricity* kg/MWh 300 / 80
LV coking coal FOB AUS $/t 300
Electricity €/MWh 100
€/GJ 28
Hydrogen €/GJ 50
Natural gas €/GJ 12
BF pellets premium $/t 75
DR pellets premium $/t 100
Scraps €/t 450

› By far lowest CO2 abatement cost

› EASyMelt™ roughly half the CAPEX
than DRI-OBF
› Overall best financial option!
EASyMelt™ EASyMelt™

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EASyMelt™
Stepwise CO2 reduction

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 Main decarbonization pathways for integrated steel plants
Scope 1+2
NG
Direct Reduction into
Electric Arc Furnace

+ biomass/-gas

NG

Direct Reduction into

Open Bath Furnace

+ CCUS and/or
Conventional biomass/-gas
Blast Furnace NG
EASyMelt™
Hot Hot H2 Hot H2
Syngas Syngas Syngas

100% 75% 50% 25% Climate neutral

OECD EU-28 emission factor of 80kg CO2/MWh (target 2050)

* corresponds to scope 1 direct carbon input
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All rights reserved © SMS group GmbH
Summary –

Uses of all types of iron ore Uses existing steel plant set-up
 no supplier dependency!  easier implementation and permit procedures

NG Highly flexible concerning energy input source Low risk stepwise solution
 not a “no-return” solution
High CO2 abatement efficiency per H2 molecule

Strong operational cost advantage Specific CO2 emission similar to DRI+OBF

Strong CAPEX advantage

Net zero CO2 solution with
in brown-field projects
smart carbon usage and/or storage

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