Tata Steel has announced that it is conducting a trial for hydrogen gas injection in a blast furnace at its Jamshedpur Works, with the aim of reducing carbon emissions by cutting coke rate. The trial, which started on Sunday, will use 40% of the injection systems in the ‘E’ blast furnace at Jamshedpur Works, and will continue for four or five days continuously to provide insights into operating blast furnaces with greener fuel injectants, reducing fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from the blast furnace.
This is the first time in the world that such a large quantity of hydrogen gas is being continuously injected in a blast furnace, according to the company statement. The move is in line with the company’s vision of becoming net zero by 2045. The trial has the potential to reduce the coke rate by 10%, translating into around 7-10% reduction in CO2 emissions per ton of crude steel produced, the company added.
Tata Steel has a two-pronged approach of Carbon Direct Avoidance (CDA) and CO2 Capture and Use. The trial injection of hydrogen gas is part of the CDA approach, focusing on the blast furnace, one of the heaviest known industrial contributors to CO2 emissions worldwide, the company said.
“Our efforts towards decarbonization are driven by our commitment to creating a sustainable tomorrow. The trial, a testament to our capabilities in design, fabrication, and commissioning of injection systems, will accelerate our foray into green steelmaking,” said Debashish Bhattacharjee, vice president (Technology and R&D), at Tata Steel.
“As we explore the potential of greener fuel injectants, we are excited to see the impact it can have on reducing fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. We are confident that this trial will provide valuable insights into operating blast furnaces with hydrogen and help us identify the next steps towards achieving our goal of a leaner carbon future,” said Uttam Singh, vice president, Iron Making, Tata Steel.
The trial marks a significant step in Tata Steel’s journey towards decarbonisation, and it is hoped that the results of the trial will help to pave the way for a more sustainable future for the steel industry.
