The HISARNA process represents a groundbreaking alternative hot metal production technology that revolutionizes traditional ironmaking by combining three distinct technologies to eliminate the need for sinter and coke production plants. This innovative smelting reduction process achieves a remarkable 20% reduction in CO2 emissions for crude steel production compared to conventional blast furnace operations. By enabling direct use of fine ore and non-coking coal, HISARNA addresses the environmental, technical, and economic pressures facing today's dominant blast furnace technology. When combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS), the process can achieve up to 80% reduction in carbon footprint, positioning it as a crucial technology for sustainable steel production beyond 2030.
Ironmaking represents the most labor, energy, and investment-intensive step in the steel production chain. Although the blast furnace (BF) has achieved remarkable efficiency through centuries of empirical and fundamental improvements, this dominant ironmaking technology faces increasing pressure from environmental, technical, and economic perspectives. The production of iron remains the most energy-intensive step in the steelmaking process, driving the need for innovative alternative ironmaking technology solutions.Currently, two fundamental routes dominate steelmaking operations: integrated steel plants and mini-mills. In integrated steel plants, iron ore undergoes reduction in blast furnaces using coke as the primary reducing agent. For economic and environmental reasons, coal and other fuels are increasingly injected directly into blast furnaces to replace coke. Mini-mills, conversely, melt recycled steel and scrap in Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF), processing materials into final products without requiring an iron production step. However, products derived from direct reduction of iron ore without melting, such as DRI and Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI), or cast pig iron may serve as additional feed materials alongside scrap steel.
Figure 1: Two major pathways for iron and steel production
Despite the apparent environmental advantages of emerging ironmaking technologies, blast furnaces are predicted to remain the single largest process for ironmaking from iron ore until 2050. However, the proportion of blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking could decline to 40% by 2050 from the current 60% level, as blast furnace ironmaking's share of iron ore processing drops from approximately 95% to 60%.
The HISARNA process emerges as a transformative alternative hot metal production process, representing an advanced class of smelting reduction technology. This innovative system combines three distinct technologies: a heated screw coal pyrolysis feeder, cyclone converter furnace (CCF), and HiSmelt vessel. This integration creates a comprehensive ironmaking process that enables direct utilization of fine ore and non-coking coal.The revolutionary aspect of HISARNA technology lies in its ability to eliminate sinter (agglomerating) and coke production plants, thereby reducing the number of CO2 emissions point sources within steel production facilities. This streamlined approach addresses multiple environmental and operational challenges simultaneously.
Figure 2: The comparison between HISARNA and blast furnace routes
HISARNA technology alone achieves a substantial 20% reduction in the CO2 footprint of crude steel production compared to conventional methods. When combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, the process can achieve an impressive 80% reduction in carbon footprint per tonne of crude steel produced compared to conventional blast furnace operations.Furthermore, the flexibility of HISARNA technology allows for the incorporation of biomass or other waste materials to replace portions of coal used in operations, enhancing its sustainability profile and contributing to circular economy principles in steel production.
A pilot plant at Tata Steel's IJmuiden works currently produces 8 tonnes of hot metal per day (thm/d HM), demonstrating the practical viability of HISARNA technology. The facility recently completed its second experimental campaign phase, with indications suggesting that objectives have been achieved, although detailed results have not yet been publicly reported. The third phase was scheduled for spring/summer 2013, marking continued progress in technology development.Industry assessments indicate that HISARNA technology, if successfully demonstrated on a larger scale, could become commercially available after 2030. However, like other smelting technologies developed in recent decades, HISARNA faces several technology development challenges that must be addressed before widespread commercial implementation.
HISARNA represents a paradigm shift in ironmaking technology with theoretical potential to reduce emissions from steelmaking by 20% through direct input of coal and fine iron ore into the ironmaking furnace. The technology achieves significant energy consumption savings by eliminating two key raw materials processing stages in blast furnace ironmaking: coking (the production of coke from coal) and sintering (the agglomeration of fine iron ore).This elimination of intermediate processing steps not only reduces energy consumption but also simplifies the overall production chain, potentially reducing capital investment requirements and operational complexity while maintaining product quality standards.
The HISARNA process represents a significant advancement in sustainable steel production technology, offering substantial environmental benefits while maintaining operational efficiency. As the steel industry continues to face mounting pressure to reduce carbon emissions, alternative ironmaking technologies like HISARNA provide viable pathways toward more sustainable production methods. The successful development and commercialization of this smelting reduction process could fundamentally transform the steel industry's environmental impact while ensuring continued production capacity to meet global demand.
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