Abstract:
Hydrogen-enriched blast furnace ironmaking has become an essential route to reduce CO
2 emissions in the ironmaking process. However, hydrogen-enriched reduction produces large amounts of H
2O, which places new demands on coke quality in a blast furnace. In a hydrogen-rich blast furnace, the presence of H
2O promotes the solution loss reaction. This result improves the reactivity of coke, which is 20%–30% higher in a pure H
2O atmosphere than in a pure CO
2 atmosphere. The activation energy range is 110–300 kJ/mol between coke and CO
2 and 80–170 kJ/mol between coke and H
2O. CO
2 and H
2O are shown to have different effects on coke degradation mechanisms. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the effect of H
2O on the structure and properties of coke. By exploring the interactions between H
2O and coke, several unresolved issues in the field requiring further research were identified. This review aims to provide valuable insights into coke behavior in hydrogen-rich environments and promote the further development of hydrogen-rich blast furnace ironmaking processes.