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Startup operates multi-anode reactor and produces first ton of steel with technology that can reduce emissions in the steel industry
A startup boston metal has reached a major milestone in the development of its technology to produce steel without major greenhouse gas emissions. The company successfully operated its largest reactor to date, producing more than a ton of metal, according to information from MIT TechnologyReview.
The achievement represents an important step towards the commercialization of Boston Metal's technology. The process developed uses electricity to to produce steel.
Depending on the source of this electricity, production can be nearly carbon-free. Currently, the global steel industry is responsible for about 3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide each year.
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First ton of steel produced
The new industrial reactor began operating in January. After several weeks, Boston Metal extracted approximately one ton of material on February 17.
The achievement marks the company's transition to a scale closer to that needed to compete with conventional steel production.
The reactor was installed in Woburn, Massachusetts. The facility began construction in 2022.
Since then, the company has tested the equipment with the production of other metals before adapting it for steel manufacturing.
The traditional steelmaking process uses a blast furnace and coke, a coal-based fuel. The chemical reaction releases large amounts of carbon dioxide.
Boston Metal's method replaces coke with electricity in a process known as molten oxide electrolysis (MOE).
Molten oxide electrolysis
In MOE, iron ore is placed in a reactor along with other ingredients. Electricity then heats the mixture to about 1.600 °C.
This causes chemical reactions that transform the ore into iron, which can be turned into steel.
Unlike the traditional process, MOE emits oxygen instead of carbon dioxide. If the electricity used is generated from renewable sources such as solar, wind or nuclear, the climate impact of steel production can be drastically reduced.
The technology was originally developed at MIT. Boston Metal was founded in 2013 to take the method from the lab to industrial scale.
In early tests, the reactors were the size of a coffee cup. Now, the company operates reactors that produce tons of metal at a time.
Challenges to scale production
According to Adam Rauwerdink, senior vice president of business development at Boston Metal, the scale of the steel industry is massive. To be commercially viable, it needs to produce very high volumes of steel.
One of the most important technical challenges was the development of inert anodes. These metal parts conduct electricity in the reactor.
In theory, they shouldn't wear out, but if operating conditions aren't ideal, they can degrade.
In recent years, the company has made significant progress in improving anode durability. The current step now involves using multiple anodes in the same reactor.
In small reactors, one anode is sufficient. In larger reactors, several anodes must be added to maintain process efficiency.
The recent multi-anode reactor test demonstrated that Boston Metal’s approach can be scaled up. The goal is to build even larger reactors operating with multiple anodes and then integrate multiple reactors into a single industrial plant.
Next steps for Boston Metal
With the successful operation of the first multi-anode reactor for steel production, Boston Metal is now focusing on better understanding the reactions on a larger scale. Another goal is to calculate the true manufacturing cost of the steel produced.
The plan for the coming years is to build an even larger system. According to Rauwerdink, this new equipment will not fit in the current facility in Boston.
While the current reactor takes about a month to produce one or two tons of metal, the new system will be able to produce the same amount in just one day.
Construction of the demonstration plant is expected to begin soon. It is expected to begin operations in late 2026 and begin production in 2027. In the long term, the company's strategy is to license the technology to large steelmakers.
