Direct Reduced Iron Supports With SOEC Gas Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing directly reduced iron ore carriers in hydrogen-powered direct reduction plants face challenges in ensuring continuous operation and reducing energy consumption, particularly due to fluctuations in renewable energy supply.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of membrane reactors, specifically solid oxide fuel cells, to convert water vapor in the reaction gas to hydrogen without additional electrical energy, maintaining a closed-loop process by recycling the gas within the system, and integrating with an integrated steelworks complex to utilize process gases for heating and energy recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If water vapor is condensed from the hydrogen-water vapor mixture by cooling, then the hydrogen gas can be recycled, but additional energy is required for heating and cooling operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cooling and heating system with an electrochemical membrane reactor that directly converts water vapor to hydrogen through electrochemical reactions. This substitution eliminates the need for separate cooling and heating operations, reducing energy consumption while simplifying the overall process system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by operating the membrane reactor at elevated temperatures (700-1100°C) where water vapor conversion is highly efficient. This temperature parameter change enables direct conversion of water vapor to hydrogen without prior cooling, eliminating the energy-intensive cooling-heating cycle.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If SOEC operates with renewable energy, then CO2 emissions are reduced, but continuous operation cannot be ensured due to fluctuations in renewable energy supply
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed-loop system where exhaust gas containing water vapor is continuously fed back to the membrane reactor for ongoing hydrogen production. This continuous circulation ensures that the system can maintain operation without interruption, even when renewable energy availability fluctuates, as the process can be adjusted to match available energy input while maintaining continuous material flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a feedback mechanism where the exhaust gas from the direct reduction reactor is returned to the membrane reactor, creating a closed-loop system. This feedback loop allows the system to continuously adjust and maintain operation based on available energy input, ensuring reliability while maintaining low CO2 emissions through the use of renewable energy.
3Quantity of substance
If the reaction gas is cooled to condense water vapor, then hydrogen can be separated, but the process requires additional heating to recycle the gas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cooling-separation-heating system with an electrochemical membrane reactor that directly converts water vapor to hydrogen through electrochemical reactions. This substitution eliminates the need for cooling to separate water vapor, as the membrane reactor selectively converts water vapor to hydrogen in-situ, maintaining high hydrogen concentration without energy-intensive temperature cycling.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures continuous operation and reduces energy consumption by converting water vapor to hydrogen electrochemically, allowing the process to be independent of renewable energy fluctuations and minimizing electricity requirements.
Implementation Method 1
the membrane reactor is capable of carrying out water-gas shift reactions electrochemically, where electrochemical water-gas shift reactions involve the exchange of an ion across the membrane
Implementation Method 2
electrochemical water-gas shift reactions involve the exchange of an ion across the membrane
Implementation Method 3
The solid oxide electrolyte conducts negative oxygen ions from the cathode to the anode
Implementation Method 4
The resulting exothermic reaction favors the Gibbs free energy difference of the overall reactions
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing directly reduced iron beams (ri).