Carbon dioxide (CO2) removal is not necessary in a MIDREX NG™ plant or a MIDREX Flex™ plant because the CO2 is recycled back into the reformer and converted into carbon monoxide (CO).

However, a CO2 removal system can be included in these plants if it is economically feasible (e.g., carbon tax credits) and if there is a means to store or utilize the CO2 (carbon capture and use – CCU).

Midrex has experience engineering CO2 removal systems for MIDREX plants based on coal gasification (MxCol®) where natural gas (NG) is difficult to obtain.

There are two options to separate CO2 and capture it:

  1. Remove CO2 from the top gas fuel, which is used in the reformer for heating. CO2 emissions can be reduced by 0.25 to 0.35 t/t DRI.
  2. Remove CO2 from the flue gas of the reformer after heat recovery. CO2 emissions can be reduced by ~0.5 t/t DRI (for a 2.0 million t/y plant, that means an additional 500,000-1 million t/y of CO2).
50 YEARS AND COUNTING

The Midrex Process