High-Fidelity Simulation Codes for Industrial Decarbonization

For decarbonization, NREL has developed high-performance-computing-scale simulation codes for industrial processes—like iron and steelmaking, chemical processing, and cement manufacturing—to address emissions.

In partnership with industry, NREL uses a range of simulation packages—from existing commercial codes to adaptation of exascale codes—to simulate heat transfer, fluid flow, and chemical reactions in critical parts of the steelmaking process. Iron and steelmaking are estimated to account for 7% to 9% of global greenhouse emissions. Understanding how electrification and the use of hydrogen affects iron and steelmaking processes will help industry reduce emissions. Replacing fossil fuels with hydrogen in steelmaking requires understanding what happens in high-temperature processes—such as iron ore reduction and melting in electric arc furnaces—where measurements are extremely difficult and expensive. This is where simulation comes in.

Development Team

NREL's simulation for industrial decarbonization development team includes Marc Day, Michael Martin, and Hari Sitaraman.

Contacts