The Seco/Warwick Group, a global manufacturer of metal treatment equipment, has signed an agreement with the Swedish company GreenIron H2 AB for the delivery of a series of furnaces for fossil-free metal production from ore, residuals, and waste recycling.
The new line of reduction furnaces, based on the technology provided by GreenIron, is in response to climate change and the urgent need to reduce CO2 emissions and create energy and resource-efficient business models.
“The long-term agreement provides for the delivery of a series of equipment. Cooperation in this technology area will provide us with development and cooperation in the area of pro-ecological solutions, which is in line with the company’s mission. With this new technology, together with GreenIron, we are contributing to global ecosystem protection,” said Sławomir Wożniak, CEO of Seco/Warwick Group.
The furnaces ordered by GreenIron will be used to recycle oxidized metals without emissions. They will therefore directly contribute to CO2 emission reduction on an unprecedented scale. Each furnace has the capacity to reduce emissions by 56,000 metric tons/yr. The technology, whose originator and patent rights owner is GreenIron, is a unique solution that will help many enterprises implement “green” solutions and function with the natural environment.
“We are happy to work with Seco/Warwick on this exciting journey toward a more energy and resource-efficient industry with zero emissions,” said Edward Murray, CEO of GreenIron. “We feel that our partnership is a great foundation for rapid growth and a positive impact on emissions and climate change. GreenIron has high ambitions in regard to CO2₂reduction, starting with the first furnace, delivered from Seco/Warwick, and the subsequent first shipment of commercial fossil-free iron in 2023.”
“It is also an opportunity for Seco/Warwick, because together with GreenIron we are creating a production line of completely new furnaces,” said Wożniak. “For the first time, we are working closely with an external partner with technology that comes from outside of our organization. Our task in the project is to build effective solutions and deliver them on time.”
Seco/Warwick supports ecological solutions making the heavy industry environmentally friendly. The new furnaces in the production line, manufactured in cooperation with GreenIron, are units that have not been available on the market so far. Their great value is the fact that they contribute to carbon dioxide reduction, as well as significantly reducing the costs of recycling post-production residuals and waste.
The metals are extracted from ore or recycled without the release of fossil gases. Iron oxide (magnetite, hematite, wustite) is converted to pure iron by the hydrogen reduction process. In traditional technology, this process takes place in coke furnaces, which results in CO2 emissions. In the GreenIron furnaces, CO2 emissions are zero.
Reduction furnaces will be available to companies throughout the entire lifespan of iron and other metals — including mining, steelmaking, milling stations, foundries, metal workshops, and heavy ashes from incinerators. With GreenIron and Seco/Warwick, this waste will be given a second life and can be reused as pure steel or iron.
These will not be the first solutions from the Seco/Warwick brand that support “green technologies.” Another example is ZeroFlow® gas nitriding technology allowing users to reduce technological costs by up to several dozen percent. Another solution — Vortex® (aluminum coil annealing furnace) reduces the component processing time by up to 30 percent compared to other available technologies. This reduces both energy consumption and emissions. On the other hand, Pit-LPC (pit furnace) technology shortens process time thus reducing energy and gas consumption. This directly decreases production costs, while improving the quality of results compared to traditional technology. But in the case of Seco/Warwick, taking care of the environment does not apply only to its products. Sustainable production and ecological innovation are part of a long-term strategy.
GreenIron H2 AB is a privately held company with patented and proven energy-efficient technology to reduce metalloxides to pure metal. The process is suitable for the creation of metals from ore, residuals, and waste. The technology is hydrogen based with only water as the process emission. When using the GreenIrons process in conjunction with a steel mill users can, without any CO2 emissions, create prime iron-based metals for reintroduction to the steelmaking process from the waste and residuals formed in the steelmaking process. GreenIron enables a fully circular resource usage on site. GreenIron has a strong focus on minimizing CO2 emissions and strives to create circular business models with minimized CO2 emissions and high resource efficiency.
MORE INFO www.secowarwick.com or www.greeniron.se
