27 March 2014
Corporate News

Breakthrough ironmaking technology to begin fourth trial

Tata Steel is to begin a fourth test production campaign on the HIsarna pilot plant at its IJmuiden works in the Netherlands. The trial is scheduled to start mid-May and last about six weeks.

HIsarna is a new technology, partly developed in IJmuiden, which enables the direct input of coal and fine iron ore into the ironmaking furnace. The technology saves energy consumption by eliminating two of the key raw materials processing stages in blast furnace ironmaking: coking (the production of coke from coal) and sintering (the agglomeration of fine iron ore). Should the HIsarna technology prove technically and commercially viable, the elimination of these processing steps could reduce the emission of carbon dioxide from conventional ironmaking by 20%.

Hans Fischer, Chief Technical Officer of Tata Steel’s European operations and hub director of Tata Steel in IJmuiden, said: “We are very proud to have succeeded in designing and constructing this installation and to have advanced this potentially breakthrough technology to this stage. During the third test campaign last year liquid HIsarn