Announcing the results of a demonstration test on Tuesday, Kobe Steel said that by making use of existing technologies and materials, it was able to lower the reducing agent rate in a Kakogawa Works blast furnace by about 20%.  

The company said it achieved the reduction by charging the furnace with large amounts of HBI produced through the Midrex Technologies process — Midrex is a Kobe Steel subsidiary — and by making use of other existing technologies such as advanced pellet production technology and AI-based blast furnace controls. 

In addition, Kobe said it achieved a record-low coking rate of 239 kg per ton of hot metal through the demonstration.