Hyundai Steel Co., a division of South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Group, is set to begin research into hydrogen-based steel production as its new lab opens later this year at Dangjin Integrated Steelworks, South Chungcheong Province, about 90 km to southwest of Seoul.
At the end of last year, the company laid the foundation stone for a 680 square meter laboratory. The new building will develop hydrogen-powered steelmaking technologies and study some of the hydrogens produced from natural gas reforming and electrochemical processes.
Hyundai Steel will begin empirical research on hydrogen-based steel by the end of this year with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The company is developing technologies related to fluidized-bed reduction reactors, which Korean steel giant POSCO Group plans to use at its Pohang steel plant pilot facility from 2026.
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said in February this year that it intends to complete the development of core technologies for reactors by 2025 with an investment of 27 billion won (20.7 million US dollars) and conduct empirical research for the production of 1 million tons. steel by 2030. The government also plans to replace shaft furnaces across the country with 14 fluidized-bed reduction reactors by 2050.
In addition to researching the reactor, Hyundai Steel is developing an electric arc furnace that can melt raw materials and remove impurities. The company plans to connect the new furnace with hydrogen-powered steel plants to reach its net zero goal.
Hyundai Steel will initially operate the new facilities with hydrogen produced from natural gas reforming and electrochemical processes, it said in a statement. company message. Compared to green hydrogen, this type of hydrogen has a lower purity and generates more carbon during production, but is more cost-competitive.
