Simulation of iron oxides reduction under hydrogen using CFD-DEM

This paper presents a simulation framework for the hydrogen-based reduction of iron oxides, supporting the transition towards low-carbon steelmaking. The methodology couples Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the Discrete Element Method (DEM), and the unreacted shrinking core model to realistically represent gas–particle interactions and conversion processes.

The model is used to assess the impact of operating conditions such as temperature and pressure. Results indicate faster conversion at higher values during early stages, while longer processing times may lead to slower conversion, with high pressures potentially reducing overall efficiency, in line with literature.

Kinetic parameters are fitted using industrial data, though limited information on operating conditions introduces uncertainty, meaning quantitative results should be interpreted with caution.