Doctoral Dissertations

Keywords and Phrases

Direct Reduced Iron; Hydrogen; Iron; Pilot Reactor; Plasma; Steel

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to contribute to the Grid Interactive Steelmaking with Hydrogen (GISH) project. This research investigates the viability of both producing and melting Direct-Reduced Iron (DRI) utilizing hydrogen. Conventional CO reduced DRI will be referred to as “C-DRI” and DRI produced using hydrogen gas will be referred to as “H-DRI”.

An H-DRI pilot plant was constructed in Golden Colorado. The pilot plant was commissioned and successfully operated four campaigns. Process improvements were made throughout the campaigns and the process was optimized. In addition to running the pilot plant in a pure hydrogen condition, the pilot plant was successful in operating in a mixed gas (H2-NG) condition. Plant data was collected and compared to 2D asymmetric model. H-DRI product was produced by the pilot plant, and melting experiments were performed to determine the melting characteristics of H-DRI vs. C-DRI at both the laboratory and industrial scale. H-DRI was shown to have an absence of carbon, which prevented the intrinsic CO formation that is observed when melting C-DRI.

A plasma reactor was retrofitted to safely run direct reduction experiments using pure hydrogen. Plasma reduction results were compared to gaseous reduction results, and the presence of monatomic and/or ionized hydrogen was shown to have a clear kinetic benefit on reduction. A mathematical model was utilized to assess the potential effects on the rate limiting step. There is strong evidence that the chemical reaction resistance is reduced by the presence of monatomic/ionized species. Additionally, there is evidence to support that pore diffusion resistance is also reduced.

Advisor(s)

O'Malley, Ronald J.

Committee Member(s)

Emdadi, Arezoo
Xu, Guang
Smith, Jeffrey D.
Moats, Michael S.

Department(s)

Materials Science and Engineering

Degree Name

Ph. D. in Metallurgical Engineering

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Spring 2026

Journal article titles appearing in thesis/dissertation

Paper I, found on pages 85-98, has been published in Iron & Steel Technology.

Paper II, found on pages 99-130, is intended for submission to Iron & Steel Technology.

Paper III, found on pages 131-151, is intended for submission to Iron & Steel Technology.

Pagination

xx, 165 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes_bibliographical_references_(pages 157-162)

Rights

© 2026 Joseph Govro, All Rights Reserved

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 12593

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