CISP (HIsmelt/HPsmelt) Resumes Production After Upgrade and Has Operated Stably for More Than Two Months

CISP Project Undertaken by Our Company Resumes Production After Upgrade and Has Operated Stably for More Than Two Months

Standard coal consumption per tonne of hot metal reduced from 850 kg to 710–740 kg; our company will organize an operational follow-up visit in October

Sept 2026, the 600,000 t/y hydrogen-based smelting reduction CISP (Carbon Iron Smelting Process) also called (HIsmelt--High Intensive or HPsmelt--High Purity), undertaken by our company, successfully resumed production in the first half of this year after completing systematic technical upgrading. As of now, the project has operated continuously and stably for more than two months, and its production capacity has increased from the original 600,000 t/y to 750,000 t/y. Indicators such as energy consumption, carbon emissions, environmental protection, and product quality have been comprehensively optimized. In October, our company will go to the CISP site to carry out an operational follow-up visit, and we sincerely invite interested domestic and international partners and industry peers to visit and exchange with us.

Project Overview: CISP Hydrogen-Based Smelting Reduction Achieves Upgraded Production

The CISP project adopts a new hydrogen-based smelting reduction process and is an important practice in promoting the steel industry’s transition from traditional “carbon metallurgy” to “hydrogen metallurgy.” The original designed scale of the project was 600,000 t/y, and after this upgrade, production capacity has been increased to 750,000 t/y. After the successful upgrade in the first half of this year, the stability of system operation has been significantly enhanced. It has now operated continuously and stably for more than two months, marking that the process has further moved from industrial demonstration toward large-scale, long-period stable production.

Core Features After Upgrade

1. Energy Consumption Significantly Reduced, Standard Coal Consumption Greatly Optimized

After this upgrade, standard coal consumption per tonne of hot metal has been reduced from the original 850 kg to 770 kg, a decrease of about 13%–16.5%, representing a clear optimization of energy consumption indicators. Under smelting reduction process conditions, this energy consumption level further reduces the energy cost of hot metal production and provides strong support for green and low-carbon operation.

2. Carbon Emissions Greatly Reduced, Hydrogen Metallurgy Advantages Prominent

The CISP process combines “hydrogen metallurgy” with “smelting reduction,” using hydrogen-rich gas to replace part of coal-based reduction. The reduction product is water, which reduces carbon dioxide emissions at the source. Compared with the traditional blast furnace process, carbon emissions can be reduced by about 30%, and annual carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by about 112,000 tonnes, providing a realistic technical path for the steel industry to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.

3. Pollutant Emissions Greatly Reduced, Environmental Benefits Obvious

The upgraded CISP process eliminates high-pollution processes such as sintering and coking. Sulfur dioxide emissions are reduced by about 38%, nitrogen oxide emissions by about 48%, and particulate matter emissions by about 89%. It also achieves zero dioxin emissions and no phenolic-cyanide wastewater discharge. At the same time, the large amount of high-temperature combustible gas generated during smelting can be recovered and used for power generation. In addition to meeting its own electricity demand, it can also deliver electricity to the external grid, further improving comprehensive energy utilization efficiency.

4. Extremely Strong Raw Material Adaptability, Solid Waste Can Be Resourcefully Utilized

The CISP process can directly use ore fines and coal fines to smelt hot metal, omitting the sintering, pelletizing, and coking processes required by traditional blast furnaces. It features a short process, low investment, low cost, and strong adaptability. Whether it is high-phosphorus ore, vanadium-titanium ore, and other difficult-to-process resources, or dust ash and other solid waste from steel plants, it can be comprehensively utilized to a certain extent, helping to alleviate the shortage of high-quality ore and coal resources.

5. High-End Product Quality, Serving High-End Manufacturing

The high-purity foundry pig iron produced by the project has the characteristics of low phosphorus, low sulfur, and low trace elements. The products comply with industry standards such as C1 and C2, and some products reach the level of ultra-high-purity foundry pig iron. They can be widely used in high-speed rail, nuclear power, wind power castings, steam turbines, and other high-end manufacturing fields, meeting the demand of high-end equipment manufacturing for high-quality hot metal.

6. Key Equipment Localized, System of Independent Intellectual Property Rights Initially Formed

On the basis of the CISP hydrogen-based smelting reduction process, the project team jointly carried out research with institutions such as the Beijing Science and Technology Beijing University, Xi'an Architecture and Technology University and MCC, successfully developing a new-generation technology with completely independent intellectual property rights. Key equipment and components have achieved localization, laying an equipment and process foundation for subsequent large-scale promotion.

7. Refractory Life and Long-Period Operation Capability Improved

In response to the industry problem of easy erosion of refractories in the slag line area of smelting reduction furnaces, this upgrade improved the erosion resistance of refractories in key areas through optimization of refractory materials and strengthening of the cooling regime, creating conditions for long-period continuous and stable operation of the project. The system has currently operated stably for more than two months, verifying the reliability of the upgraded process and equipment. We expected it can enlong from half year to more than five years.

Invitation for Operational Follow-Up Visit

To further track project operation and summarize process optimization experience, our company will go to CISP project site in October for an operational follow-up visit. Interested domestic and international customers, partners, and industry peers are welcome to visit and exchange with us, and to jointly discuss the industrial application of hydrogen-based smelting reduction technology and the path of green and low-carbon development. If you are interested in visiting, please contact our company so that travel arrangements can be coordinated.

The resumption of production after upgrading and the stable operation of  CISP project mark a solid step forward for this hydrogen-based smelting reduction process in large-scale production and operation. It also provides a referable and replicable practical example for the green and low-carbon transformation of China’s steel industry.