Finnish steel project uses methane pyrolysis for hydrogen and solid carbon in electric arc furnaces

gasworld.com

by retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 points

A 17 million euro Finnish research project called FutSteel is exploring methane pyrolysis to produce clean hydrogen and solid carbon for steelmaking. Led by the University of Oulu and steelmaker SSAB, the project aims to build a new steel production chain based on electric arc furnaces. Hycamite, a methane pyrolysis firm, will supply hydrogen and solid carbon, with the carbon used for slag foaming in EAFs to improve energy efficiency. Hycamite claims its process uses only 6 to 10 kWh of energy per kilogram of hydrogen, about one-eighth of electrolysis, and can run on excess heat from the steel plant. The company operates a sample plant in Kokkola, Finland, producing 2,000 tonnes of hydrogen and 6,000 tonnes of carbon per year. If successful, this approach could help European steelmakers decarbonize while facing competition from global overcapacity.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Methane pyrolysis for steel is interesting because you get a solid carbon product that is actually useful in the EAF process itself. That closes a loop electrolysis cannot match.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

The energy claim is the key part. 6-10 kWh per kg of hydrogen versus 50+ for electrolysis. If they can really run on waste heat from the steel plant, the economics shift dramatically.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

I am skeptical until I see real numbers at scale. The Kokkola plant is only 2,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year. That is tiny compared to what a steel mill needs. Scaling up methane pyrolysis has been slow.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The EU is pouring money into hydrogen but most goes to electrolysis. If this tech works, it could be a cheaper bridge for hard to abate sectors like steel. Policy should not ignore it.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Waste heat integration is smart. Industrial heat is a huge cost. If you can capture that for hydrogen production, you lower the total system cost. But the maintenance on pyrolysis reactors is unknown.