Project HELIOS

Doctoral Network on the adoption of Hydrogen mEtalLurgy In the climate-neutral production Of Steel

Overall approach

The HELIOS doctoral network comprises 10 doctoral candidates undertaking various research projects concerned with the adoption of hydrogen metallurgy in the climate-neutral production of steel. K1-MET will work directly with doctoral candidate #5 and the Montanuniversitaet Leoben to investigate the chromium oxide reduction by hydrogen plasma. This is closely related to the SuS-F project for hydrogen plasma smelting reduction of iron ore. The candidate will use laboratory-scale experiments and various characterisation techniques to study the kinetics of Cr2O3 reduction and oxide mixtures to simulate the behaviour of real chromium ores.

Objectives

  • Study the reduction of pure Cr2O3 under hydrogen plasma conditions at laboratory scale
  • Devise a suitable method to evaluate the kinetic parameters of Cr2O3 reduction
  • Investigate the reduction of synthetic mixtures to simulate the behaviour of real chromium-containing ores
  • Definition of the influences of various oxides on the reduction process of Cr2O3

Framework

Project runtime:

1 October 2023 – 30 September 2027

Funding scheme:

This project is funded by the European Union’s EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon Europe (Grant Agreement No. 101120068).

Project consortium:

Beginning with the project coordination, the consortium is formed as follows: