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University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is developing technology to use electrowinning to convert pulverized iron ore into pure iron that is deposited on a cathode. The approach leverages a rotating impeller to speed up chemical reactions ten-fold and facilitate the transport of iron to the electrode. The goal is to create a laboratory-scale prototype of an impeller-accelerated reactor that maintains the production of one kilogram per hour of over 98% pure iron for 100 hours.
University of Utah
The University of Utah is developing a hydrogen-reduction melt-less steelmaking technology. The cornerstone of the technology is the direct reduction and alloying from concentrated ore to make steel products, thereby circumventing traditional iron and steelmaking methods. The proposed process has the potential to drastically reduce energy consumption by eliminating several high-energy steps in traditional iron and steelmaking. The process is conducted at substantially lower temperatures than conventional methods.
Tufts University
Tufts University is developing a method to directly reduce iron ore concentrates with ammonia, eliminating all direct process emissions from the ironmaking step, as well as emissions that result from baking iron ore with clay to make hard pellets. The proposed approach would use ammonia to enable reduction of high-gangue ores as well as decrease melting costs of the reduced iron product.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is developing manufacturing technologies for low carbon electrolyzed iron powder to be used in iron-silicon electrical steel. In the proposed electrolysis technology, the simultaneous percolation of electrons and ions effectively allows for 3D reaction areas and enables the process to function at higher currents and rates.
Phoenix Tailings
Phoenix Tailings is developing an ore-to-iron production process using the arc generated from an electrode to electrolyze the molten oxide electrolyte powered by clean electricity. Molten oxide electrolysis is a promising alternative to conventional approaches, but until now has required anode materials that are either consumable or prohibitively expensive. Instead, Phoenix Tailings’ technology places the anode above the melt, keeping it safe from corrosion.
Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)
The Pennsylvania State University is developing an efficient, productive, and reliable electrochemical process for the economical reduction of iron ore at temperatures below 600°C without direct greenhouse gas emissions. Iron oxide ore would be electrochemically reduced to metallic iron at the cathode, and oxygen gas would be generated as the only byproduct at the anode using stable oxygen-evolving anode materials.
Limelight Steel
Limelight Steel is developing a laser furnace to convert iron ore into iron metal without emitting carbon dioxide at lower cost than a blast furnace. The process leverages semiconductor laser diodes, which enable new temperature and pressure ranges to reduce high- and low-grade iron ore fines into molten iron metal. The approach eliminates the need to sinter or pelletize iron ore for traditional ironmaking furnaces. Limelight estimates that their technology would reduce energy consumption of steelmaking by 46% and emissions by 81%.
Electra
Electra is developing a process for producing iron at the temperature of a cup of coffee using unconventional feedstocks. The process involves two electrochemical cell stacks: First, an ultra-low-cost acid-base generator that uses electricity to produce sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide, and then uses these chemicals for the processing and separation of the feedstock into its constituent materials, including ferrous hydroxide. The second electrochemical cell stack is an electrowinning cell that converts ferrous hydroxide into iron metal at an unprecedented high efficiency.
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
Georgia Institute of Technology is developing a method to produce net-shaped engineered lattice structures and cellular structures of alloy steels by solid-state direct reduction of extruded structures. Domestically mined taconite ore would be refined to remove impurities and obtain finely ground sinter-grade iron oxide powders. The fine iron oxide powder combined with other oxide powders and polymer binders would then be extruded into desired structures.
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
Argonne National Laboratory is developing a microwave-powered hydrogen plasma rotary kiln process for reducing iron ore that would eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from the ironmaking process. The proposed technology eliminates the coke used in traditional blast furnaces and removes the energy-intensive step of pelletizing iron ore. The approach takes advantage of the fact that atomic, ionic, and vibrationally excited species of hydrogen plasma reduce ore more effectively than molecular hydrogen.
Form Energy
Form Energy is leveraging its patent-pending breakthrough to directly produce iron powders from alkaline iron ore slurries in a first-of-a-kind powder-to-powder process. The technology features an electrolyzer designed to allow continuous electrolytic production of high-purity iron with high efficiency from slurries with low solids content. Using domestically available iron ore feedstocks, the process has the potential to produce greenhouse gas emission-free iron at cost parity with today’s carbon-intensive ironmaking methods.
University of Minnesota (UMN)
The University of Minnesota is developing a fully electrified microwave hydrogen plasma process to replace blast furnace technology. The proposed approach uses microwaves to generate an ionized hydrogen gas that supplies significant gas heating at ambient pressures. The technology will use blast furnace and direct reduction grade iron ore concentrates, eliminating the emissions associated with the palletization, sintering, and coke-making steps in the conventional blast furnace process.
Blue Origin
Blue Origin is developing an “Ouroboros” system that produces high-purity ferro-silicate pig iron from low-quality iron ores using molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) with zero direct process greenhouse gas emissions. Blue Origin will leverage MOE expertise developed for lunar applications including novel, efficient indirect heating methods. An integrated system could excavate, beneficiate, and extract iron product in mine-tailings facilities using only raw feedstocks and electrical power provided by solar panels and batteries.
University of Maryland (UMD)
More information on this project is coming soon!
Texas A&M University
More information on this project is coming soon!