The China Baowu low-carbon metallurgy innovation fund was initiated and established by China Baowu Iron & Steel Group Co., LTD. This fund focuses on green and low-carbon metallurgical process technology and supports fundamental and applied fundamental research of low-carbon metallurgy; technology exploration and major innovation practice of low-carbon metallurgical process. It aims to support low-carbon metallurgical technology progress and industry transformation and upgrading. Total annual funding cost does not exceed $35 million, and the cost of a single funded project isn’t limited. The research term of the project is generally within 3 years, and in principle, no more than 4 years. 

The China Baowu Low-carbon Metallurgy Innovation Fund is scheduled to start accepting applications on November 20, 2021, and the deadline is December 31, 2021. For specific application procedures and management procedures, please refer to the "China Baowu Low-carbon Metallurgy Innovation Fund Project Application and Management Guide" issued by China Baowu group.

The Low-carbon Metallurgy Innovation Fund is managed by China Baowu Low-carbon Metallurgy Innovation Center of Central, and is subject to public supervision.

1、The Project Guideline of Low-carbon Metallurgy Innovation Fund of China Baowu 2021 ：

1) Fundamental and application research of hydrogen-rich ironmaking in blast furnace: Competition mechanism of hydrogen and carbon reduction of iron oxides and suitable hydrogen enrichment in blast furnace. Optimization of metallurgical properties of raw fuel in hydrogen-rich blast furnace. Control of cohesive zone and the limit coke rate in hydrogen-rich blast furnace. 

2) Research on adjustable H₂/CO and high temperature ratio reduction gas preparation technology: Research on the optimal H₂/CO ratio to maintain the heat balance and the minimum energy consumption condition of shaft furnace. Research on the technology of adjusting and controlling different composition of reduced gas by high-temperature reforming of natural gas (or coke oven gas) and shaft furnace top gas. Research on the preparation of optimal H₂/CO ratio of high temperature reduced gas by natural gas (or coke oven gas) and coal.

3) Research on cooling and reducing of microwave sinter/pellets by using H₂: Research on physical properties, metallurgical properties and transportation mode of sinter/pellet at high temperature. Fundamental research on thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of high-temperature reduction of sinter/pellet by hydrogen cooling at normal temperature.

4) Research on technology of green, low-carbon, safe and efficient heating by using metallurgical high reduction potential gas: Research on carbon evolution mechanism and control technology of high reduction potential gas heating process. The comparison and optimization of high reduction potential gas high temperature heating process scheme.

5) Energy saving and emission reduction technology of collaborative utilization of hydrocarbon components of municipal solid waste in ironmaking: Research on granulation mechanism and pilot-scale application of the municipal hydrocarbon components solid waste for blast furnace. Research on the interaction mechanism between pulverized products and pulverized coal during mixed injection combustion process. Evaluation of carbon reduction and emission reduction between hydrocarbon solid waste and fossil fuel replacement.

1. 6) Development of microalgae CO₂ capture and resource conversion technology mediated by metallurgical wastewater: Based on the metallurgical wastewater and biological characteristics to study the co-treatment process of capturing CO₂ by microalgae and resource transformation. Research on the use of microalgae biomass energy in ironmaking. Calculate the benefits of carbon emission reduction and carbon neutralization with the actual wastewater treatment.
2. 7) Research on refractory material related technology in green and low-carbon metallurgical process: Research on corrosion mechanism and performance control of refractory materials under hydrogen reduction condition. Research on performance of refractory materials for steelmaking with high strength and high corrosion resistance. Research on production technology of green and low-carbon refractory materials.

8) The consolidation mechanism and pollutant emission reduction mechanism investigation on a new type of thin layer and rapid non-carbon sintering process of iron ore fines: Research on the consolidation mechanism of thin layer and rapid non-carbon sintering process with gas fuel heating, research on thermal system of thin layer and rapid non-carbon sintering process, research on the influence mechanism of the sintering parameters on the sinter quality of thin layer and rapid non-carbon sintering, analysis of energy consumption and pollutant emission behavior in non-carbon sintering process.

9) Research on key technologies for high-efficient and low-carbon BOF steelmaking under new conditions of raw materials: Research on heating-up characteristics and high-temperature oxidation behaviors of scrap/DRI preheated using hydrogen-rich fuel gas. Melting thermodynamics and kinetics of scrap/DRI in iron bath. Development of key technologies for BOF steelmaking using high-share scrap/DRI. Development of process for high-efficient dehydrogenation of liquid steel with high hydrogen concentration under new conditions of raw materials.

10) Fundamental research on the intelligent blast furnace ironmaking based on the industrial big data and artificial intelligence: Collaborative characterization of the multiple heterogeneous parameters generated from the blast furnace ironmaking process and dynamic change of furnace condition. The matching of depth perception system of complex blast furnace performances and operation status evaluation mechanism of blast furnace. Intelligent optimization decision-making mechanism and self-healing strategy for the blast furnace ironmaking.

11) Research on key technologies of low carbon steel production based on comprehensive energy efficiency improvement: By exploring the energy utilization mechanism in the iron and steel production process, the energy matching method between upstream and downstream processes and the interface energy dissipation mechanism, this study proposes a comprehensive energy efficiency evaluation method based on the operation law of material flow, energy flow and information flow of iron and steel production process, and establishes an optimization model of high-efficiency material metabolism and energy utilization.

12) Research and development of technology and equipment for full resource utilization of refining slag: Study the reaction mechanism of different characteristics of refining slag and CO₂. Study and clarify the optimal conditions and working conditions of refining slag carbonation. Study the usage of products after refining slag carbonation.

13) Research on preparation of composite briquette for blast furnace (BF) using high-silica iron ore and biochar: Preparation conditions of the composite briquette using high-silica iron ore and biochar, and its binding mechanism. reaction behavior of the composite briquette in BF and its changes of physicochemical properties; influences on BF in-furnace state and BF operation indices by charing the composite briquette in BF.

14) Fundamental research the structure strengthening and reduction control for iron ore pellets containing biomass: Establish the interweaving structure strengthening mechanism of the cold strength and thermal strength of iron ore pellets containing biomass. Reveal the synergistic relationship between in-situ reduction and other reduction of iron ore pellets containing biomass. Formation the technology and standard for the efficient application of iron ore pellets containing biomass in ironmaking

15) New All-carbon Composites for Efficient Adsorption, Photo-coupled Electrocatalytic Conversion of CO₂: High efficient adsorption and conversion of CO₂ by photo-coupled electrocatalysis. Study the controllable preparation, surface physical and chemical properties regulation and heterogeneous interface construction of composites. The high-efficiency adsorption- photoelectrocatalytic conversion of CO₂ by the composites. Establish the microstructure -activity relationship. Propose thermodynamic and kinetic mechanism of adsorption and catalytic reaction.

16) Research on the non-uniform flow characteristics of the iron ore powder in the fluidization hydrogen reduction process: Identification method, flow characteristics, generation mechanism and regulation method of nonuniform structure in hydrogen reduction process. The amplification effect and mechanism of bubble behavior and non-uniform structure flow characteristics in the reduction process. The batching structure and mechanism of the process. The economic and environmental protection evaluation of the reduction process amplification.

17) The fundamental research to electrochemical production of iron without carbon emission in molten oxides: Reveal the surface passivation mechanism of inert anodes and exploit stable inert anodes for oxygen evolution reaction in molten oxides. Study the kinetics adjustment behaviors for the selective reduction of iron in high-temperature molten oxides and obtain the separation method between liquid iron and molten slag. Design the prototype process for the electrochemical production of iron from molten iron ore.

18) Research on the preparation of ferro-coke using coke oven and ferro-coke utilization technology in blast furnace: Reveal the effect mechanism of iron ore, dust, coal tar pitch on the metallurgical properties of ferro-coke during the coking process in coke oven; 3D structure reconstruction and microstructure optimization of ferro-coke; Reveal the gasification behavior of ferro-coke and its influence on the blast furnace operation; Develop a quantitative evaluation model for the CO₂ emission reduction, cost reduction of blast furnace after the ferro-coke utilization.

19) Fundamental researches on the short-flow ironmaking process based on low-temperature plasma hydrogen reduction: Chemical characteristics and generation mechanism of low-temperature plasma hydrogen. Thermodynamics, kinetics and reaction procedures of iron oxides reduced by plasma hydrogen. Reaction behaviors of gangue components, the effect of these reactions on slag-iron separation and its regulation mechanism during the process of plasma hydrogen reduction.

20) Research on the principle of efficient CO_x control and new technologies for coordinated emission reduction in iron ore sintering: Explore creative sintering methods of extremely low carbon emission. Develop the coupled combustion characteristics, thermochemical behaviors and novel technologies for CO_x reduction and efficient utilization of non-carbon fuels with coal-based fuels. Establish the cooperative CO_x management system, termed ‘source reduction-process control-end treatment’.

21) Fundamental research on an innovative ironmaking process using a shaft furnace based on synergy between electricity and hydrogen: The cross-layer design of the new process reactor and process. The study of reaction kinetics of iron ore (oxide pellets) under H₂ reduction condition and induction heating behavior of DRI. The matching optimization of basic operational parameters such as optimal material consumption and energy demand with the shape and interface conditions of reactors.

22) Fundamental research on an innovative ironmaking process involving the technology of smelting reduction iron bath based on synergy between electricity and hydrogen: The cross-layer design of the new process reactor and process. The study of reaction kinetics of iron ore (fines) under H₂ reduction condition and induction heating behavior of DRI. The matching optimization of basic operational parameters such as optimal material consumption and energy demand with the shape and interface conditions of reactors.

23) Research on microbiologically influenced corrosion and biofilm attachment resistant steel material: Elucidate the extracellular electron transfer based microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) mechanisms. Clarify the microstructure evolution mechanisms of the microbially corroded steel surface. Confirm the molecular mechanism of microbial adsorption and desorption on the steel surface, identify the key regulated genes and proteins, providing the potential targets for designing a novel steel with anti-biofilm attachment ability. 

24) Fundamental research on application of hydrogen based flash ironmaking: The reduction kinetics behavior of iron ore particles. The multi-phase flow simulation of hydrogen-based flash iron-making process. Supercritical water gasification of coal for hydrogen production. Control mechanism of material flow and energy flow of hydrogen-based flash iron-making. Dynamic mechanism and process design of various parameters of hydrogen-based flash iron-making furnace.

25) Investigation on the integrated technology of smelting reduction ironmaking and coal gasification: Study on multiphase flow and mixing characteristics in iron bath reactor. Study on the coupling reaction mechanism between unit phenomena in the multiphase flow thick slag layer. Optimization design of structure and process parameters of the iron bath reactor. 

China Baowu Iron & Steel Group Co., Ltd. will grant funds based on the application and evaluation.

2、Contact information for project application

Address：Central Research Institute of China Baowu Iron & Steel Group Co., LTD. (Low Carbon Metallurgy Innovation Center).

Postcode: 201900

Contact: Lu Zhengdong

Phone: 021-20658870/15002751912

E-mail: E84675@baosteel.com