Lignosteel
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB - RISE Research Institute of Sweden AB |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 944 160 |
| Project duration | November 2024 - June 2025 |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Venture | Impact Innovation Metals & Minerals - Program-specific efforts Vinnova |
| Call | Impact Innovation: Feasibility studies within Technological Action Areas in the program Metals & Minerals |
Purpose and goal
Coal plays a crucial role in steel production and is used as a reducing agent and carburizing agent as well as a source of heat. The project is a feasibility study, where the feasibility of replacing fossil coal with hydrolyslingin in steelmaking will be evaluated. The goal is to verify and demonstrate the concept in pilot scale. A plan for scale-up and commercialization will be developed.
Expected effects and result
The use of lignin as a carbon source for reduction of iron ore and carburization of steel will have been verified. The concept of using hydrolyzed lignin as a reduction and carburization agent will have been demonstrated at pilot scale. The effect of the concept is lower fossil carbon dioxide emission, replacement of fossil carbon with bio-based carbon from lignin with a high carbon content in steel production. A plan for upscaling and commercialization of the concept will be developed.
Planned approach and implementation
The project consists of three partners; the research institute RISE, the lignin producer Fibenol and the steel producer Höganäs. Different lignins will be evaluated to determine their suitability as carbon source in steel making. Larger batches of chosen lignins will be carbonized. The carbonized lignin will be evaluated in pilot scale. The results will be evaluated and a plan för up-scaling and commercialization will be developed.