Injection of H2-rich carbonaceous materials into the blast furnace: devolatilization, gasification and combustion characteristics and effect of increased H2–H2O on iron ore pellets reducibility

Increasing the share of hydrogen in reduction of iron oxide in the blast furnace iron making will directly reduce the share of blast furnace greenhouse gas emissions. In the present study, injection of H2-rich biomass and plastic materials was studied in terms of its devolatilization, gasification and combustion characteristics. The released gases were identified using mass spectroscopy attached to a thermogravimetric analyzer and the corresponding kinetics parameters were estimated. The devolatilization was found to occur through two or more steps. The first step is always associated with the release of CO2, CO, H2, H2O and hydrocarbons while only CO and H2 were detected during the later steps. Combustion and gasification starting temperatures of char of H2-rich carbonaceous materials were lower than that of pulverized coal char by ≥ 100 °C. The estimated activation energies suggested that, under the present conditions, devolatilization, gasification and combustion were chemically controlled. Carbon reactivity of the char of the studied H2-rich carbonaceous materials were higher than that of pulverized coal. Moreover, increased H2–H2O content in the blast furnace gas, due to injected H2-rich carbonaceous materials, was found to improve the iron ore pellets reduction kinetics.