Tata Steel IJmuiden installs Energiron direct reduction system

At its Ijmuiden location, Dutch steel producer Tata Steel Nederland has opted for Energiron direct reduction technology in order to produce green steel in the future. This technology is being installed by Danieli.

Energiron direct reduction technology, a joint development by Italian systems manufacturers Danieli and Tenova, is intended to make efficient production of high-quality DRI possible and lower carbon emissions at the IJmuiden steel site. Danieli’s brief includes planning a new Energiron zero reformer plant with the capacity to produce 2.5 million tonnes of hot and cold DRI per year. Via the Hytemp system, hot DRI will be transported to a new electric arc furnace, which will further increase the new plant’s overall energy efficiency.
The DRI EAF configuration selected by Tata Steel will replace the existing blast furnace and coke oven plants, resulting in a reduction of 40% in carbon emissions. According to Danieli, Energiron technology includes a system to separate CO2 and is designed to operate with H2 from the get-go, meaning that every possible mixture of natural gas and hydrogen can be used as a reducing agent. The process is considered particularly energy efficient and produces high-quality DRI, which would improve both cost competitiveness and environmental sustainability for green steel production in IJmuiden.
Thanks to its operational flexibility and energy efficiency, Energiron direct reduction technology would enable Tata Steel to manufacture its entire range of products without any drop in quality and to become fully carbon-neutral.
Source: Danieli