Helix Carbon proposes recycling blast furnace CO2 to reduce iron production costs and emissions

Addressing Steel Industry Emissions

The iron and steel industries are significant global polluters. Helix Carbon is focusing on decarbonizing existing blast furnaces rather than replacing them entirely. The company's co-founder and CEO, David Brown, stated that efforts to decarbonize the steel industry must address blast furnaces directly.

Recycling Carbon Dioxide

Blast furnaces traditionally use coke to convert iron ore into metallic iron, a process that releases large amounts of carbon dioxide. Helix Carbon developed a method to capture this waste CO2 and convert it into carbon monoxide, which is then recycled back into the blast furnace. Carbon monoxide is the active agent in reducing iron ore.

Electrolyzer Technology

The core of Helix Carbon's process is an electrolyzer that uses electricity and a catalyst to break down carbon dioxide. Unlike most electrolyzers that require purified CO2, Helix Carbon's design can handle the raw exhaust stream directly from a blast furnace. This eliminates the need for pre-processing the exhaust.

Economic and Environmental Impact

By injecting recycled carbon monoxide, iron producers can reduce their reliance on coke. Helix Carbon proposes an initial replacement of 33% of coke, which it estimates would save producers $14 per ton of iron. While this amount may seem small, it is significant given the thin profit margins in the iron industry. The reduction in coke usage also directly translates to lower carbon emissions from the steel industry.