The production of ferroalloys, primary aluminium, silicon carbide, titanium dioxide and pig iron require carbon as reduction material in its current processes. In the process carbon is converted into heat and CO₂. It is the main contributor to CO₂ emissions from the processing industry in Norway.

Today fossil carbon is used as carbon source. It can be replaced by other reduction materials. In this research area we investigate the use of biocarbon and other reductants such as gasses i.e. hydrogen and biogas or hydrogen-plasma technologies and their impact on the processes and products. We build on past research done by the FME ZeMe partners with their research infrastructure.

The main challenges that need to be addressed are:

• Effective utilization of existing and new biocarbon resources
• Implications of biocarbon use on the process and products compared to conventional carbon.
• Implications of using hydrogen pre-reduced ore on the process.

This requires fundamental understanding of the relationship between the alternative reduction materials and the process behaviour. This knowledge can be used to further uptake research results into industrial practice.

In this research area we work on biocarbon utilization in aluminium and ferroalloy production, and utilization of pre-reduced ore with hydrogen in titanium dioxide production among others.

Biocarbon utilisation in aluminium and in ferroalloy production

Before fossil carbon can be replaced by biocarbon on an industrial scale the effects of using biocarbon on the process and products need to be well known.

We will investigate the use of biocarbon in primary aluminium production. Here it could be a replacement for the graphite electrode used during electrolysis in the Hall-Héroult process today.

In the silicon (Si) and manganese (Mn) industries biocarbon use in the form of biocarbon, biocarbon agglomerates or composite agglomerates will be investigated. Also, cracking of biogas or methane leading to deposition of carbon on raw materials for both Mn and Si production will be researched.

Specific characterisation methods for biocarbon will be developed.

Smelting of hydrogen pre-reduced ores and plasma-based reduction of metals

One way of using hydrogen to replace fossil carbon is by using it to pre-reduce ores before the metal production (smelting) process.

We will investigate the behaviour of hydrogen pre-reduced ilmenite ore during the smelting process used for titaniumdioxide production. A thermodynamic and kinetic perspective will be taken. This research complements activities in FME HYDROGENi.

Another way to use hydrogen is as hydrogen plasma. Plasma processes are fully electrified processes. The possibility of using hydrogen plasma as reductant for stable oxides such as silica, titanium dioxide and alumina will be assessed. This would provide an alternative to today’s processes for the production of silicon, titanium and aluminium, respectively.