ITmk3 Technology – A Revolutionary Release in Non-blast Furnace Ironmaking
The concept of ITmk3 technology is a revolutionary new method of non-blast furnace ironmaking that promises to change how steelmakers produce steel products in the future. The ITmk3 process uses natural gas to steam-crack iron ore pellets into metallized iron and then produce an ultra-pure, high-quality pig iron with a purity level of 99.85% – far surpassing that of any other type of pig iron available.
The ITmk3 process was developed by JFE Steel and Kobe Steel, two Japanese steelmakers, who then licensed the technology to POSCO, the world’s fourth-largest steelmaker. POSCO has since been able to apply the technology to its own steel production facilities and has most recently successfully completed the first steel product made with ITmk3 process.
The revolutionary ITmk3 technology is made possible by a series of thermal and chemical processes that convert iron ore and natural gas into high-quality pig iron. The first step begins by heating the iron ore pellets with natural gas until they develop small cracks. The resulting “thermally expired” pellets are then exposed to steam and injected with oxygen, allowing the steam and oxygen to react with the iron ore pellets to produce “metallized iron”. The oxygen then reacts with the metallized iron to form ultra-pure pig iron, which is essentially metal that has been reduced from its original ore state. The end product is highly refined pig iron with a purity rate of 99.85%, far surpassing the purity level of any other pig iron currently available.
The benefits of using ITmk3 technology in steel production are numerous. For starters, compared to traditional blast furnace methods, the ITmk3 process requires much less energy and produces significantly less air pollution. The process is also faster and more efficient, enabling steelmakers to produce more steel in a shorter amount of time. Finally, ITmk3 is able to produce a much higher quality of steel, with a purity rate of 99.85%, which is much higher than that of any other form of pig iron.
Overall, ITmk3 technology is revolutionizing the way steelmakers produce steel products and has the potential to become the new industry standard for non-blast furnace iron production. It is a much more efficient process than the traditional blast furnace method, while still producing extremely high-quality pig iron. Furthermore, since the process requires much less energy and generates significantly less air pollution, it is more environmentally friendly than older ironmaking processes. In short, ITmk3 has the potential to revolutionize the steel industry and lead the way in non-blast furnace ironmaking for many years to come.
