Right now, our team is diving into a pretty exciting part of the TransZeroWaste project — testing specially developed briquettes made by BFI. These briquettes are created from waste materials that contain iron (like dust and sludge), and the goal is to see how well they can perform in metallurgical processes.
Here’s how we’re putting them to the test:
Test 1: How Well Do They Reduce?
We’re using a furnace designed to test how the briquettes behave in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere, following the 11258:2015 standard. We look at:
- Reducibility index – How quickly the briquette reduces in the furnace
- Final degree of reduction – How much it reduces by the end
- Degree of metallization – How much pure metal we end up with
Step-by-step:
We start by preheating the briquettes, then reduce them at 800°C. We measure weight loss to calculate how much reduction has occurred. Afterward, we do a chemical analysis to see how much of the briquette has turned into usable metal.
Tip: the higher the number are, the more efficient the direct reduction process will be!
Test 2: How Do They Handle the Heat?
Next, we move on to a device that checks thermoplastic properties. What does that mean?
We heat the briquettes and watch how they deform. Based on that, we find:
- When softening starts
- The full softening temperature range
Tip: if the briquettes soften too early or too much, they can clog up the shaft furnace, causing big problems during operation.
Why All This Matters
By understanding how these briquettes behave under heat and during reduction, we can optimize the metallurgical process and make better use of waste materials. That means less waste, more efficiency, and a big win for sustainable steelmaking!
