Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH (Linz, Austria):

John Sh., Head of Direct and Smelting Reduction
Sterrer W., Head of Technology Dept. of Smelting Reduction, e-mail: wolfgang.sterrer@primetals.com
Wurm J., Senior Expert, Direct and Smelting Reduction
Rammer B., Process Technology Smelting Reduction

The Corex process is a well-established route for the production of hot metal and beside the Finex Technology the only industrially realized alternative to the blast furnace route. Changes in the technology itself subsequently improved operation of the established Corex plants and process economics. Changes of external factors e. g. general decrease in raw material quality, increase in energy cost and availability of energy (especially natural gas), strict environmental regulations, especially the CO₂ topic, pressure to lower the investment costs and lower operation costs, make it a sensible choice to carefully re-evaluate the Corex technology. It is shown that Corex units using Corex gas at the final technological stages, are the most competitive in the current quickly changing conditions. This conclusion is based on the following features and properties of the Corex technology: integrated concepts of the units and power engineering solutions; flexibility in usage of raw materials and possibility of wastes recycling; high degree of ecological acceptability; attractive production ans economical parameters of capital and operating expenses; availability of dimensions of the modules, allowing to meet different requirements of the customers to productivity; the unique opportunity of “Carbon Capture and Storage” concept.