H-ACERO, the project focused on decarbonising the steel sector using hydrogen, holds its closing meeting at the offices of SIDEREX.

Having concluded its 3-year lifespan, the H-ACERO project came to a close on 28 May with an event held at the SIDEREX offices.

The event, which featured a session for sharing experiences, leaves behind a legacy of innovation and business collaboration around the decarbonisation of the steel sector, using hydrogen as an alternative energy source at various points in the steel production process.

The companies and research centres participating in H-ACERO, namely Sarralle, SIDEREX, Calcinor, Insertec, Nippon Gases, ArcelorMittal, Aceralava, Sidenor, Nervacero, Tubos Reunidos, Ceit, Tecnalia and Tubacex, have obtained the following final project results:

• Knowledge of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models of combustion, to be able to carry out simulations involving burners and complete furnaces with hydrogen and oxy-combustion.
• Start-up of laboratory set-ups for the detailed characterisation of refractory materials and steels under H2 combustion atmospheres.
• Construction of a prototype combustion chamber capable of running 100% on hydrogen, both with oxy-combustion and combustion with air, and enabling refractory (reheating furnaces, tundish and ladle preheaters, electric arc furnaces) and metallurgical (different grades of steel) materials to be studied.
• Construction of an oxy-fuel cutting prototype, enabling cold cutting of different steel materials with 100% H2.

Source: SIDEREX