Capture and reduction of carbon emissions to maximise circularity in the steelmaking process

Steel is a critical material when transitioning to a more circular economy due to its inherent recyclability whilst maintaining its properties. However, the steel industry contributes 7-8% of the global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The problem the steel industry faces is reducing emissions whilst increasing supply to meet additional demand. It is key that this paradox is solved to prevent the CO2 emissions being "off-shored" which does not actually solve the problem.

Carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) has been shown to be technically feasible via a series of studies whereby CO2 emitted is captured processed and utilised as a feedstock to produce another material, examples being primary alcohols and aviation fuels.

Technologies such as pressure swing absorption and sorption enhanced water gas shift have been shown to be effective in capturing and separating the gaseous emissions from the process and there have been some successes in producing useful chemicals from the clean CO2 stream via biological and catalytic processes.

This study will capture process gases and develop processes to yield a 'clean' hydrogen and CO2. The CO2 will then be valorised into new products (e.g. methane). The rationale for production of methane is to utilise as a reductant in Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) production which is a forerunner in the potential solutions to reduce emissions from primary iron and steelmaking.