After more than a decade of intensive research, Chinese scientists have unveiled a revolutionary ironmaking technology that has the potential to transform the global steel industry. Traditional blast furnaces, which require large amounts of coke derived from coal and take around five to six hours to complete the ironmaking process, could soon be overshadowed by a new, far faster method known as flash ironmaking.

This innovative technology can reduce the ironmaking process from several hours to just three to six seconds. The flash ironmaking technique works by injecting finely ground iron ore powder into a superheated furnace, triggering an explosive chemical reaction. This reaction creates glowing iron droplets that accumulate at the bottom of the furnace, resulting in high-purity iron. The iron produced can then be directly used for casting or one-step steelmaking, streamlining production and eliminating the need for multiple stages.

According to the researchers behind the breakthrough, the new flash ironmaking method boosts productivity by more than 3,600 times, dramatically accelerating the process. This efficiency gain is coupled with the ability to process low or medium-yield ores, which are more abundant in China, making the technology particularly beneficial for utilizing local resources. As a result, it holds the potential to significantly impact both China’s steel industry and global steel production.

The technology also promises to improve energy efficiency within China’s steel sector by over one-third, contributing to more sustainable practices in the industry. In addition to this, the new method is expected to help achieve the ambitious goal of near-zero carbon dioxide emissions in steelmaking, a critical step toward reducing the environmental impact of the steel industry.

One of the major technical obstacles in developing flash ironmaking was the creation of an effective ore-spraying lance. This device disperses the iron ore in a high-temperature, high-reducibility environment, initiating the explosive reaction. The team succeeded in overcoming this challenge by designing a vortex lance that ensures exceptional uniformity in the ore distribution. The lance is capable of injecting 450 tonnes of iron ore per hour into the furnace.

Thanks to this innovation, a reactor equipped with three such lances can produce up to 7.11 million tonnes of iron annually, marking a significant scale-up in production capabilities. The lance technology has already entered commercial production, marking a pivotal moment in the realization of this new ironmaking method.

Professor Zhang Wenhai, a renowned academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, expressed confidence in the new technology’s potential. “The completed laboratory and pilot tests have proven the feasibility of the process,” he said.

The research team published their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Nonferrous Metals in November, providing further validation of the process. As flash ironmaking moves closer to full-scale deployment, it promises to reshape not only China’s steel production but also the global steel industry by improving efficiency, reducing costs, and supporting environmental sustainability.

With this breakthrough, China may have taken a crucial step toward reshaping the future of steelmaking.

By Impact Lab