Brief
Helix Carbon proposes recycling blast furnace emissions to cut iron costs
The startup claims its electrolyzer can recycle blast furnace exhaust, reducing coke consumption and saving iron producers $14 per ton.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Helix Carbon, a startup focused on the iron and steel sector, says its electrolyzer can capture carbon dioxide from blast furnace exhaust, split off oxygen, and feed the resulting carbon monoxide back into the furnace. The company argues the approach could cut the amount of coke – a coal‑derived fuel – needed for iron production and lower the cost of iron by about $14 per ton, according to its co‑founder and CEO David Brown.
In a traditional blast furnace, coke provides heat while carbon monoxide, generated from coke combustion, reduces iron ore to metallic iron. The process releases large volumes of CO₂ directly into the atmosphere. Helix Carbon’s design, Brown explained to TechCrunch, can handle the raw exhaust stream without the pre‑purification steps required by most electrolyzers, which are typically too delicate for unfiltered gases.
The startup proposes an initial reduction of coke use by roughly one‑third, a figure that sits between scientific estimates ranging from 30‑40% up to 90% potential reduction. Brown noted that the exact savings remain debated, but the $14 per ton figure reflects the company’s internal modelling. He added that margins in the iron market are thin, so even modest cost cuts could be significant.
Helix Carbon also plans to target the specialty chemicals market first, using the captured CO₂ to produce chemicals on site rather than focusing solely on carbon capture. "We don’t need to capture the CO₂ first," Brown said, emphasizing the potential to create value‑added products directly from waste streams.
The iron and steel industry represents a $2 trillion market, according to Grand View Research, and its equipment lifespans can exceed a century. Brown highlighted that many blast furnaces have been operating for over 100 years, underscoring the sector’s slow adoption of new technologies.
Key facts
- Helix Carbon’s electrolyzer can process raw blast furnace exhaust to produce carbon monoxide. (techcrunch.com)
- The company estimates a $14 per ton iron cost reduction by replacing about 33% of coke with recycled carbon monoxide. (techcrunch.com)
- Scientific literature suggests coke reduction could range from 30‑40% up to 90%, but Helix proposes a 33% initial target. (techcrunch.com)
- Helix plans to first serve the specialty chemicals industry by using captured CO₂ for on‑site chemical production. (techcrunch.com)
- The global iron and steel market is valued at roughly $2 trillion. (techcrunch.com)
Sources
- [1] techcrunch.com — originally reported as “Helix Carbon says it can make iron cheaper by recycling blast furnace pollution”
