South Ural State University (Chelyabinsk, Russia):

V. E. Roshchin, Dr. Eng., Prof., Dept. of Pyrometallurgical and Foundry Technologies, e-mail: vero@susu.ru
A. V. Roshchin, Dr. Eng., Associate Prof., Dept. of Pyrometallurgical and Foundry Technologies
Yu. S. Kuznetsov, Cand. Eng., Associate Prof., Dept. of Materials Science and Physico-Chemistry of Materials
Yu. N. Goikhenberg, Dr. Eng., Prof., Senior Researcher, Dept. of Materials Science and Physico-Chemistry of Materials

The issues of using hydrogen instead of carbon as a reducing agent in ferrous metallurgy are considered. The expediency of such replacement is shown not only from the standpoint of reducing greenhouse carbon dioxide emissions, but also to reduce and simplify the process, improve the use of thermal energy in the process, expand processing of complex and poor ores by selective reduction of iron and the second product as oxide concentrate of non-reduced metals, reduction of raw material preparation costs due to the exclusion of coke and agglomerate production operations, production of carbon-free steel with an increased complex of physical and mechanical properties due to nitrogen alloying and nitride hardening. From the standpoint of the electron-vacancy theory of recovery, the inevitable changes in the mechanism of recovery processes and technological consequences of the formation of metal phase the form of iron instead of cast iron are analyzed. The most promising metallurgical units for such technological processes are considered.

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