Chinese engineers have developed a process that is 3,600 times faster than traditional iron production methods. The new technology completes the iron production process in just three to six seconds, instead of the five to six hours it takes in traditional blast furnaces. This innovative method allows even low-fertility iron ores to be processed at high yields.
The technology, the product of more than 10 years of research by Professor Zhang Wenhai and his team, works by injecting finely ground iron ore powder into an overheated furnace. This injected powder causes an explosive chemical reaction, creating bright red droplets of liquid iron at the bottom of the furnace. As a result, these drops are collected in a high-purity, continuous stream and can be used directly for casting or steel production.
The new method also enables the effective utilization of low-fertility ores in China, resulting in a significant increase in energy efficiency. According to Zhang and his team's calculations, the technology could improve the energy use efficiency of steelmaking by one-third. It could also make it possible for the steel industry to achieve near-zero carbon dioxide emission targets by eliminating the need for coal used in traditional blast furnaces.
While current methods use high-yield ores, these raw materials, which China imports, are likely to be replaced by domestic low-fertility ores with the new technology. This development will make significant contributions to increasing China's steel production capacity and environmental sustainability.
Putting the new method into commercial production, Zhang and his team developed a special spear that can inject 450 tons of iron ore per hour. This will enable a capacity of 7.11 million tons of iron to be produced annually. This achievement will not only strengthen China's dominance in the global steel market, but also offer a more sustainable production model by reducing its environmental impact.
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