Modeling of Isothermal Reduction of Hematite Pellets Using Hydrogen

Reducing CO2 emissions from iron-making process can significantly contribute towards the goals of the United States to fight climate change. Using hydrogen as a reducing agent instead of carbon can drastically reduce the carbon footprint of steel production. Pure hydrogen gas diluted in nitrogen was used to reduce iron ore pellets at different temperatures and feed gas ratios. The porosity of the pellets was studied using SEM-greyscale analysis. A 2D-axisymmetic model was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics with porosity defined as a function of reduction. The model was found to fit the experimental data with greater than 95% accuracy. The observed results are discussed.