Direct reduction's role in the world steel industry

A review on direct reduced iron (DRI) and hot briquetted iron (HBI) used as feedstocks for EAFs, blast furnaces, BOFs, and foundry furnaces, is presented. World DRI production has increased significantly at rate of 13 percent annually up to 67 million tons in 2006. With increasing use of electric furnaces due to its lower capital and operating cost, the demand for scrap, DRI, HBI, and pig iron has increased. DRI production through the MIDREX process has increased due to low cost natural gas, reliability of the process, and technology improvements. Twelve MIDREX Modules, three FASTMET Plants, and one ITmk3 facility is expected to be built with the growing demand of DRI. The MIDREX/EAF steel-making is an environmentally friendly process and has little sulfur, SO2, and CO2 emissions than the BF/BOF.