Presentation title: Research progress of hydrogen-based shaft furnace technology

Professor Mansheng Chu, doctoral supervisor, is the dean of Institute for frontier technologies of low-carbon steelmaking of Northeastern University of China. He is serving as deputy secretary general of the Metallurgical Reaction Engineering Branch and member of the Metallurgical Solid Waste Resource Utilization Branch of the Chinese Society of Metals.

Professor Chu is specialized in hydrogen metallurgy, low carbon and intelligent blast furnace ironmaking, and efficient utilization of metallurgical solid waste. He has published over 180 papers, authorized more than 60 invention patents, and undertaken several relevant government foundation, international and enterprise cooperation projects. A number of academic achievements and awards have been obtained in recent years.

Presentation title: Hydrogen reduction of low grade iron ores

Prof. Nikhil Dhawan is working as Associate Professor at the Dept. of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, IIT-Roorkee, INDIA. His Ph.D. in the field of Metallurgical Engineering (Modelling of crushed ore agglomeration for heap leach operations, AMIRA P-986 project) was conferred by the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA in 2013. He is the recipient of IIM-ASM Lectureship 2023 award given jointly by IIM and ASM International (USA). He was awarded the Mineral Engineering International (MEI) global Young Person award for his work on mineral processing and extractive metallurgy activities to recover metals. He has also received the Outstanding Young Faculty Award from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. He has authored 103 referred international journal articles, 3 patents and 3 book chapters with an h-index of 23. His research work is focused on the iron recovery from lean grade iron ores for steel vision 2030, extraction and metal recovery (rare earth elements) from red mud, fly ash, electronic waste (discarded CFLs, hard discs), lithium and cobalt from lithium-ion batteries, copper and gold values from printed circuit boards, potassium values from silicate rocks. Received the IOM3 Billiton Gold Medal for the best paper published in Transactions C: Mineral Processing & Extractive Metallurgy. He is a member of the Technology Information, Forecasting, and Assessment Council study steering committee on “Technology solutions for maximum value recovery from Electronic Wastes”, Government of India; Bureau of Indian Standards for aluminum and other nonferrous metal division.

Presentation title: Difficulties and Countermeasures of Pure Hydrogen Reduction Technology

Professor Peimin Guo, metallurgical discipline leader of China Central Iron and Steel Research Group, doctoral supervisor, and chief expert of hydrogen metallurgy (green metallurgy) center. Member of Metallurgical Process Physical Chemistry Branch of China Metallurgical Society, member of Metallurgical Solid Waste Recycling Branch, expert member of Low Carbon Work Promotion Committee of China Iron and Steel Industry, member of International Conference Committee on Functional Materials and Metallurgy.

Professor Guo's main research directions involve the theory and technology of low-temperature metallurgy, hydrogen metallurgy, microwave metallurgy, vacuum metallurgy, and efficient utilization of solid waste.

Professor Guo has published four academic monographs, authorized 40 invention patents, published over 190 papers, and drawn up 10 sets of international standard diffraction cards.

Presentation title: Modelling of hydrogen reduction of iron oxides in a shaft furnace

Professor Govind S. Gupta received his PhD in Materials Engineering from the University of Wollongong, Australia in 1991. From 1990 to 1997 he was with The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia as a Postdoctoral fellow, Research Associate and Associate Lecturer before joining to Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. His research interests are in the broad area of modelling of chemical/metallurgical processes and fundamental study of solid, liquid, gas and powder interactions. He has published about 90 and 80 international journal and conference papers respectively. He has 5 international and 1national patents as well as authoured 8 books/book chapters. His SiC production technology and gas carburising software for heat treatment have been commercialised. He was a visiting professor at The University of Queensland, Tohoku University, AGH University of Science and Technology, and State Univ. of Campinas. He is a Member of Editorial board of International Journal of Engineering Systems Modelling and Simulation (IJESMS), UK. He has also received Metallurgist of the Year Award from Government of India in 2005. He is a Fellow of Indian Institute of Metals (FIIM). He is also a Director of Rescons Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore.

Presentation title: Comprehensive utilization technology of vanadium titanium magnetite based on hydrogen metallurgy

Dr Xing Han is currently working at HBIS Materials Technology Research Institute as a senior research fellow. He received his PhD degree in physical chemistry of metallurgy at University of Science and Technology Beijing. He has won three science and technology awards at or above the municipal level, published more than 20 academic papers, and applied for more than 10 patents. His current research interests focus on hydrogen metallurgy and blast furnace ironmaking technology with low carbon.

Presentation title: Research on utilization technology of hydrogen metallurgy raw materials

Dr. Liangyuan Hao is a researcher at the Strategic Research Institute of HBIS Group, specializing in low-carbon metallurgy and energy efficiency improvement.

Dr. Hao specializes in low-carbon metallurgy, including research on hydrogen metallurgy, intelligent ironmaking, and improving the energy efficiency of metallurgical systems. He has published dozens of papers in this field and has undertaken numerous national key research and development plans and international cooperation projects. In recent years, he has achieved many academic achievements and awards.

Presentation title: Laboratory Electric Smelting of Australian Hematite Goethite Hydrogen DRI

Associate Professor Honeyands is Director of the Centre for Ironmaking Materials Research (CIMR) at the University of Newcastle. He is a metallurgical specialist with more than 30 years’ experience in research, consulting and process engineering.

Prior to joining the University of Newcastle in 2015, Associate Professor Honeyands spent 20 years working in an industrial R&D environment and 6 years as a metallurgical consultant. While working for BHP he was involved in research into both conventional blast furnace ironmaking and alternate ironmaking technologies. He was a member of the core team responsible for the R&D to mitigate technical risks with the development and commissioning of a new hydrogen based direct reduction technology; FINMET. While working for Creative Process Innovation, he led the AMIRA P1097 project on transportable moisture limit (TML) of iron ore fines to address a global safety issue in the iron ore industry.

In his current role as director of CIMR he is responsible for leading research in the use of iron ores in both conventional and low carbon iron and steelmaking as part of a $10 Million dollar partnership with BHP. He is also engaged in leading projects in the Australian Research Council Steel Research Hub and in the Heavy Industry Low Carbon Transition (HILT) Cooperative Research Centre.

Presentation title: Technology & Engineering of Hydrogen-Based Shaft Furnace Direct Reduction

Mr. Feng Jin, Senior Engineer, General Manager of Low-Carbon Metallurgy and Energy Department, Director of Technology Center of Sinosteel Equipment & Engineering Co., Ltd. He serves as expert member of Low Carbon Work Promotion Committee of China Iron and Steel Industry Association, Expert Committee of China International Engineering Consulting Association, Expert Committee of China Industrial Development Research Institute, and Expert Committee of the Hydrogen Energy Technology Equipment Branch of China Machinery Industry Federation.

Mr. Jin has been engaged in low-carbon metallurgy fields, including the development and practice of hydrogen-based shaft furnace direct reduction, CCUS, hydrogen and clean energy, steel-chemical coupling and steel-energy coupling. He has been engaged in six Direct Reduction Plant projects in Algeria, Bolivia and China. He has participated in the implementation of the "14th Five-Year Plan" national key research and development program project "Hydrogen Metallurgy Full Process Hydrogen Storage and Supply System Integration and Intelligent Interconnection Control Technology", undertook several Low-Carbon Metallurgy research and development projects in Baowu Group and Sinosteel. And he has been granted 15 invention patents.

Presentation title: Thermodynamic Strategy for Hydrogen-Based Direct Reduction Shaft Furnace to Achieve a Higher Efficiency

Kejiang Li is a full professor at the School of Metallurgy and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB). He is also the deputy secretary-general of the Metallurgical Reaction Engineering Branch of the Chinese Society of Metals (CSM), a young editorial board member of IJMMM and China Metallurgy journals. He has been awarded the China Association of Science and Technology (CAST) Young Talent Support Project. Kejiang Li got his PhD from the USTB and the University of Toronto (for joint study) in 2017, then joined USTB as a specially-appointed associate professor in the same year, and was promoted to professor in 2021. Kejiang Li is dedicated to studying metallurgical reaction processes and improving metallurgical technology from the microscopic atomic scale to the macroscopic process scale. He has published more than 70 SCI papers as the first/corresponding author in recent years, with a citation rate of more than 1500 times and an H factor of 21. He has authorized more than 10 patents, published one Chinese monograph, and co-edited one English monograph. His research results promote the interdisciplinarity of metallurgical engineering, computational chemistry, high-performance computing and artificial intelligence, and at the same time provide the theoretical and technological basis for the realization of carbon neutrality in the iron and steel industry.  Kejiang Li has presided 2 projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and participated in more than 10 low-carbon metallurgy projects of Baowu Group and other enterprises, 2 of which were recognized as international leading by the China Society for Metals' technical appraisal. He has won 3 provincial and ministerial awards, including the Metallurgical Science and Technology Award of China Society for Metals and the China Industry-University-Research Cooperation Innovation and Promotion Award, and has served as a reviewer for more than 10 international journals.

Presentation title: Standard system and technical path design of low carbon emission steel in HBIS

Dr. Menglong Li is Chief Researcher of HBIS Group Sustainable Development Research Center, working in the fields of low-carbon technology R&D, product design and life cycle assessment. He played a key role in the formulation of the Low-Carbon Development Technology Roadmap and the Low-Carbon Emission Product Development Plan of HBIS Group, and actively promoted the collaboration among HBIS, upstream and downstream to prompt a low-carbon industrial chain. Dr. Li obtained a PhD degree in Metallurgical Engineering from University of Science and Technology Beijing(USTB) and joined HBIS Tangsteel in 2015. In 2020, Dr Li was assigned to the World Steel Association as visiting Fellow of Technology. After returning to HBIS Group, he started his current position focused on low-carbon and sustainable steel manufacturing.

Presentation title: Production Practice of Key Technologies for Zero Reforming of Coke Oven Gas at Zhangxuan Technology

Xiaobing Li, senior engineer and master's degree holder, serves as the deputy manager of Zhangxuan Technology Hydrogen Metallurgy Company of HBIS Group. Research directions include hydrogen metallurgy technology, sintering pellet technology, and low-carbon technology. Over 10 papers have been published, 5 patents related to gas-based direct reduction have been granted, and participation in drafting 5 hydrogen metallurgy standards has been noted, along with numerous academic results and awards. Received a master’s degree from the University of Science and Technology Beijing in 2018. Participated in the construction of the world's first coke oven gas zero reforming plant from 2021 to 2023, achieving production and efficiency.

Presentation title: Technical route and Progress of Hydrogen Metallurgy in China BAOWU

Dr. Jian Li, Senior Engineer, Senior Research Fellow, and Head of the Hydrogen Metallurgy Team, Baosteel Central Research Institute. He serves as the Deputy Leader of the Joint Working Group on Hydrogen Metallurgy Standards of the National Steel Standardization Technical Committee and the National Hydrogen Energy Standardization Technical Committee, and as a member of the Non-Blast Furnace Ironmaking Committee of the China Society for Metals. His primary research focuses on low-carbon metallurgical processes such as hydrogen metallurgy, microwave sintering, and the development of new types of pellets. He has participated in projects including the National Development and Reform Commission's "Innovation and Industrial Demonstration Project for Low Carbon Technologies in the Steel Industry" and the Ministry of Science and Technology's "13th Five-Year Plan" Key Promotion Special Project - "Key Technologies for Green Steelmaking Processes." Dr. Li has been responsible for 14 research projects at Baosteel and has participated in 34 others. He has received the Special Award and First Prize of the Chinese Metallurgical Science and Technology Award, and holds over 30 authorized invention patents. He has published 23 papers in domestic and international core journals and academic conferences and has contributed to the compilation of 2 hydrogen metallurgy standards.

Xinliang Liu,
BHP, China

Presentation title: Industrial Practice: Hydrogen Production through Electrolysis of Water - Hydrogen Storage - Blast Furnace Hydrogen Rich Smelting

Dr. Xionggang Lu received a bachelor’s degree and a PhD in Metallurgical Physical Chemistry from University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) in 1992 and 1998, respectively. He subsequently completed postdoctoral training in Ferrous Metallurgy at Shanghai University from 1998 to 2000, after which he joined Shanghai University and was a professor at School of Materials Science and Engineering. Now he is the director of the Center for Hydrogen Metallurgy Technology at Shanghai University. His current research interests broadly fall in the field of “Low-carbon Metallurgy”, including basic theory of low-carbon metallurgy, process control of metal purification using a short process and application and demonstration of low-carbon metallurgical technology. He has presided more than 30 projects, including the "973" and "863" programs of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the "Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality" project of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission. He has been granted over 70 invention patents, published over 500 academic papers in several renowned journals and four monographs. The total number of citations is over 5000.

Presentation title: Minimum possible coke rate for normal BF operation

In 1997 graduated from Magnitogorsk Mining and Metallurgical Academy, engineer of metallurgy, candidate of technical sciences (Ph.D. in technology).

Since 1997 MMK BF cast house worker, since 1998 MMK BF operator assistant, since 1999 MMK BF operator, since 2003 MMK Blast furnace shop technology specialist, since 2007 Paul Wurth technology specialist, since 2022 Head of BF expert direction in NLMK R&D department

Presentation title: Utilization of Carbon Recycling for Carbon Neutralization of Direct Reduction Process

Mr. Kota Moriya is a senior researcher of Carbon Neutral Research Dept., Steel Research Laboratory, JFE Steel Corporation. He joined JFE Steel in 2015 after he acquired master’s degree of engineering in the University of Tokyo in the same year. Since then, he had been conducting research related to the operation of blast furnace for 6 years. After that, he has been conducting research related to direct reduction process and carbon neutralization of steelmaking process for 3 years until now.

Presentation title: Preparing a Future Ready Steel Industry in Hydrogen Based Economy

Mr. S.S. Mohanty, CEO & MD, Essar Minmet Limited has more than 45 years of experience in the Steel Industries.

Career spanning more than 45 years developed within steel industry (from mining up to the steel mills) managing projects more than $ 14 Billion in Mining , Mineral processing  consisting of agglomeration process – Pelletizing and Sintering , Iron making, Steel making , Rolling including breakthrough R &D. He was responsible for significant operational improvement in form of efficiency enhancement, technology upgradation, and process improvement leading to a cost saving of more than $ 1 Billion in steel industry.

A brief profile is as follows: 

·For more than 45 years in Metallurgical Field

·Former Director (Tech) and additional charge of Director -Commercial, Director Projects & Business Planning ,member of Steel Authority of India (SAIL) Board , a Govt. of India undertaking , New Delhi 

·Former Managing Director , Bokaro Steel Plant , SAIL

·Former Director of International Coal Venture Mining( ICVL) , SAIL & Tata Mining , Industrial Development Corporation of India Ltd. (IDCOL ) , SAIL-MOIL JV

·Past President of Indian Institute of Metals 

·Former Vice- Chairman & MD of Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd. (NINL)

·Distinguished Alumnus of NIT, Rourkela , VSSUT

·Past Chairman of AIST (American Iron & Steel Technology) , India Chapter

·2 Patents & 50 Technical Papers

·Former Chairman of Metal Division of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) IP Chairman CII – Odisha State Council

Presentation title: Performance of Vale’s briquette under rich H2 in Blast Furnace and Direct Reduction

Dauter holds the position of Vale′s Director, responsible for Asian Development. He has worked in Vale for 28 years, in areas from Research, Pelletizing, Technical Marketing and Marketing Development. He has been living in Asia for the last 17 years, with close contact to iron and steelmaking industry in this region. He received BE and MSc degrees in Metallurgical Engineering from UFMG University in Brazil, and PhD degree from USTB University in China.

Presentation title: Transformation to Fossil Free Steel with the HYBRIT Technology

Martin Pei has a bachelor of science in ferrous metallurgy from Northeastern University, Shenyang, China and a doctorate in process metallurgy from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. Mr. Pei started his working experience in 1994 at Danieli and since 2001 he has been with SSAB, Sweden. Since 2007, he has served as executive vice president and CTO at SSAB. During 2010 and 2014, he also served as head of SSAB Business Area APAC.

Mr. Pei is the initiator of the HYBRIT initiative, a cooperation between SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall and served as the first-term chairman of board for Hybrit Development AB. He is currently chairman of board for SWERIM—the Swedish Research Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Metals Research. Mr. Pei is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy for Engineering Sciences.

Presentation title: Formation of Primary Slag and Carburizing behavior of Metal Iron in Cohesive zone of Hydrogen-rich Blast Furnace

Prof. Yana QIE, Doctor of metallurgical Engineering, Associate Professor by North China University of Science and Technology. Primarily engages in the research of hydrogen metallurgy technology, hydrogen-rich smelting in blast furnace, and HIsmelt molten reduction, and has also conducted in-depth study on the recycling and utilization of metallurgical solid waste. The relevant research has obtained the support of the National Natural Science Foundation, the Hebei Provincial Natural Science Foundation, and the Tangshan Municipal Science and Technology Program. The research results have been published in journals such as Metallurgical and Material Transactions B, ISIJ International, Thermochimica Acta, and Journal of Iron and Steel Research International, etc. More than 20 papers have been published, with more than 10 papers indexed by SCI/EI, and 5 authorized invention patents have been obtained. She has guided students to win the special prize in the National Metallurgical Science and Technology Competition.

Presentation title: Modelling of multiphase reacting flows and net zero steel industry innovations

Professor Yansong Shen is a full Professor in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of New South Wales (Tenured) and is currently holding a prestigious Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship. He initiated and is leading a vibrant research lab - Process Modelling and Optimization of Reacting Flows "ProMO Lab" (www.promo.unsw.edu.au) with over 30 postdoc/PhDs as of 2023. He published over 180 peer-reviewed papers in top-tier multidisciplinary journals with an h-index of 44 as of 2023, secures 12 ARC and >15 highly competitive research grants, in total over AUD 27M, enjoys industry engagements and translation in Australia and overseas, and won several honours and highly-competitive national fellowships e.g. ARC APDI Fellowship (2012) and ARC Future Fellowship (2019). His group designed and scaled-up new technologies and reactors in resource and energy sectors (e.g., low carbon ironmaking, e-waste recycling, hydrogen generation and storage). Many have been implemented and practised with measurable benefits. He is selected as president of the Australian Particle Technology Society and was invited/plenary speaker at many international conferences.

Presentation title: H-C-O system mass balance and chemical equilibrium diagram and fundamental thermodynamic theory study of carbon deposition in the system

Professor SHEN Fengman is the director of the Institute of Ironmaking, School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University and the vice chairman of ironmaking branch of China Metal Society. Professor SHEN mainly engaged in the research and development of blast furnace ironmaking theory and process, non-blast furnace ironmaking new process, hydrogen-rich reducing iron process, slag theory and slag composition optimization, iron ore agglomeration theory and process, bi-segment pulverized coal injection theory and process for blast furnace ironmaking, thermodynamics and kinetics of metallurgical reaction processes, metallurgical waste resource utilization, and other aspects.

Presentation title: Insight into the heat and mass transfer of iron ore reduction in hydrogen shaft furnace

Professor Geoff Wang received his PhD in Metallurgical Engineering from the Northeastern University, Shenyang, China in 1990, and then worked in Wuhan University of Science and Technology in China for 5 years and about 2 years at University of New South Wales, Australia. He joined the University of Queensland (UQ) in 1996 until now. Currently he is Faculty Director of China Research Partnerships, and Director of the HBIS-UQ Innovation Centre for Sustainable Steel at UQ. His research activity and interests are directed towards developing energy and environmental technologies dealing with the coal and steel industries. He has been active and performed many research programs in low-carbon technologies such as pulverized coal injection into blast furnaces, hydrogen production through lower emission coal combustion, hydrogen reduction of iron ores, and decarbonization for ironmaking. In recent years, he is devoted to the study of hydrogen shaft furnace ironmaking and improved blast furnace ironmaking with hydrogen-rich and carbon recycling through CO2 electrolysis.

Presentation title: Synergistic Enhancement and Morphological Transformation Induced by Hydrogen in the Gaseous Interfacial Reduction of Iron Oxide

Dr. Jian Xu currently is a professor in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering at Chongqing University. He received his bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Science and Technology Beijing in 2007 and 2012, respectively. Dr. Xu’s research focuses on advancing low-carbon ironmaking processes by addressing multi-scale challenges in gas-solid interfacial reactions and granular segregation systems.

Presentation title: Hydrogen-based direct reduction behavior of iron ore pellets with iron grades ranging from 59%-68%  

Congcong is now served as an associate professor with School of Minerals Processing & Engineering, Central South University (CSU) and a deputy director of Vale-CSU Joint Laboratory for Low Carbon and Hydrogen Metallurgy. He received his Bachelor and PhD degree in Mineral Processing Engineering from CSU in 2011 and 2018. He joined Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) as a visiting researcher from 2017/02 to 2018/09. His research expertise is mainly in the areas of: 1) Evaluation and processing of iron ores and the low-grades; 2) fundamentals and technologies on low-carbon and hydrogen metallurgy; and 3) recovery of metals and valuable components from metallurgical wastes. He has operated more than 20 technical projects from NSFC and steel mills, and has also published more than 60 SCI-indexed journal papers, and over 20 patents. He is a youth editorial board member of three journals and served as regular reviewer for more than 30 International journals.

Presentation title: Hydrogen Metallurgy in European Steelmaking Industry: Challenges and Opportunities

Prof. Yongxiang Yang is the group leader for Metals Production, Refining and Recycling (MPRR) at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). His recent activities cover the fundamental studies in blast furnace and new ironmaking technologies in supporting green steel transition, and technology innovations in recycling of critical metals from e-waste and other secondary resources. Dr. Yang has initiated and participated a large number of EU and Dutch national funded projects for REE recycling, critical metals recovery, and sustainable ironmaking and steelmaking. He is leading the education and research program in extractive metallurgy and metal recycling at TU Delft (the only program in the Netherlands), and supervised more than 20 PhD students. Dr. Yang is actively involved in the EIT RawMaterials program and research projects. He is a scientific committee member of PROMETIA – Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy for Mining and Recycling Innovation Association in Europe. He has been part-time professor at NTNU (Norway), and guest professors at NEU, AHUT and WUST (China). Dr. Yang has published more than 220 papers in refereed international journals and international conferences.

Presentation title: Development of Hydrogen Blast Furnace for Ironmaking

Professor Aibing Yu specialized in process metallurgy, obtaining BEng in 1982 and MEng in 1985 from Northeastern University, China, PhD in 1990 from University of Wollongong and DSc in 2007 from the University of New South Wales, Australia. He is currently a Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor, Pro Vice-Chancellor and President (Suzhou), Monash University, and Director of ARC Research Hub for Smart Process Design and Control. He is a world-leading scientist in particle/powder technology and process engineering. He has authored/co-authored >1,200 publications (including >870 collected in the ISI Web of Science), delivered many invited plenary/keynote presentations at various international conferences, and graduated >50 postdoc fellows and >140 PhD students. His research has generated significant impacts in the mineral and metallurgical industries. He is Executive Editor of Powder Technology, Regional Editor of Granular Matter, and on the editorial board of ~20 learned journals. He is a recipient of numerous prestigious awards and fellowships. He was elected to Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 2004, and Australian Academy of Science in 2011, and Foreign Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2017.

Presentation title: Progress and Prospect of Low-carbon Ironmaking Technology and Hydrogen Metallurgy Process

Prof. Dr. Jianliang Zhang is a full professor of metallurgical engineering at the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB). He is currently the honorary professor of the University of Queensland. Prof. Zhang was awarded the honors of Beijing Excellent Teacher, National Outstanding Scientist, and special allowance expert of the State Council. Prof. Zhang is the dean of the School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering of USTB. He serves as chairman of the Ironmaking Branch of the Chinese Society for Metals, secretary of the World Steel Development Research Institute, deputy leader of the National Hydrogen Metallurgy Standard Working Group, director of the Key Laboratory of Metallurgical Industry Safety Risk Prevention and Control Department, deputy director of the Collaborative Innovation Center of HBIS and USTB, deputy director of the Green Low Carbon and Comprehensive Utilization of Resource Laboratory of Jianlong Group and USTB, director of Green Manufacturing Institute of Baowu Group and USTB, and director of the Wei Shoukun Award Office of USTB. 

Prof. Zhang has long been engaged in the research on theLow-carbon Ironmaking, Hydrogen Metallurgy, Optimization Control Technology of Ironmaking Orocess, Reaction Mechanism of Metallurgical Process, Direct Reduction Ironmaking, Comprehensive Utilization of Resources and Metallurgical Process Expert Systems. He has presided over more than 300 research projects including National Science and Technology Major Project. Prof. Zhang has maintained close contact with RWTH Aachen University, University of Toronto, University of Leoben, University of Queensland and University of Wollongong.

Prof. Zhang has won one second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award and 37 provincial-level science and technology progress awards. He has obtained one national standard approval and one group standard approval. He has published over 1,000 papers and has been selected as "Highly Cited Researchers in China" by Elsevier in 2021 and 2022. He has been granted 76 patents and published 12 monographs.

Presentation title: Research on Some Problems of Modern Blast Furnace Hydrogen Metallurgical Technology

Prof. Zhang Fuming is the first-level scientist of Shougang group Co., Ltd., professorate senior engineer, national master of engineering survey and design of China, national expert with outstanding contributions of China, was selected into the national millions of talents project and enjoys the special government allowance of the state council. In 2022, he was elected as the first session first-level scientists of Shougang group Co., Ltd. He engaged in the basic theory research of metallurgical and material engineering design, key technology and equipment research and development innovation work. As the general engineering designer of Shougang Jingtang Iron and Steel Project, presided over the complete engineering design of the first coastal ten-million tons modern steel plant project and the manufacturing process of 5500m3 super large blast furnace, 550m2 large sintering machine, 504m2 grate induration machine of pelletizing production facility. He led the design research team to reseach and develop more than 100 engineering scientific and technological innovation achievements in engineering, scientific and technological research and development.

Prof. Zhang Fuming has been engaged in low-carbon and green metallurgical engineering technology research and development for a long time. Since 2015, he and his team have focused on the research on high charging ratio pellets of surper large blast furnace ironmaking technology, and made outstanding achievements. In the fields of high blast temperature technology development, blast furnace injection of pulverized coal and hydrogen-rich gas, as well as modern blast furnace technical equipment innovation, the magnificient engineering practice results have been achieved.

Wei Zhang,
Wuhan University of Science and Technology, China

Presentation title: CERI's Innovation and Engineering Practice in Green & Low Carbon Hydrogen Metallurgy Technology

Zhao Zhilong, Ph.D. Candidate, Senior Engineer, graduated from the University of Science and Technology Beijing, majoring in metallurgical engineering. He is currently the chief designer and chief expert in the field of Non-Blast Furnace Ironmaking at Capital Engineering & Research Incorporation Limited, and also an expert member of the Joint Working Group on Hydrogen Metallurgy Standards of the National Steel Standard Committee and Hydrogen Standard Committee. He is primarily involved in the research and engineering application of new technologies, techniques and processes for green and low-carbon iron and steel metallurgy. As the chief engineer, he has successfully implemented the world's first hydrogen metallurgy engineering demonstration project of HBIS Group Zhangxuan High Tech, which has yielded significant economic, social and environmental benefits and has made a notable contribution to the advancement of green and low-carbon innovation and practice in the iron and steel industry.

Presentation title: Global Steel Decarbonization Progress and Development of Hydrogen-based Steelmaking Technologies

Mr. Frank (Shaoliang) ZHONG is Deputy Director General of the World Steel Association and Chief Representative of the association’s office in Beijing. His main focus includes the outlook of the global steel industry as well as steelmaking raw materials market. He has been in charge of a variety of studies on steel demand, steelmaking capacity, raw materials outlook, monitoring the development of emerging economies in particular China, India and ASEAN, and a survey on the global railway system. He was involved in IEA’s Global Iron and Steel Technology Roadmap project as well as the EU’s raw materials strategy study. Mr. Zhong started his career with the former Baosteel Group (now China Baowu Steel Group) in 1997 as an ironmaking engineer. Before joined World Steel Association in 2006, he worked for Rio Tinto for three years.

Mr. Zhong obtained his Bachelor Degree in Iron & Steel Metallurgy from the University of Science and Technology Beijing, and an MBA degree from the Tsinghua University, Beijing.

Presentation title: Impact of Basicity on Hydrogen-Rich Gas-Based Direct Reduction of Fired Pellets

Professor Zhu Deqing, is now Director of Low Carbon and Hydrogen Metallurgy Research Center of Central South University(CSU), and Director of the Vale-CSU International Joint Laboratory of Low Carbon and Hydrogen Metallurgy. He has also been granted the State Council Special Allowance, the first University Young Teachers Award, Key teachers award of the Ministry of Education, and Baosteel Excellent Teacher Award. He is also served as a member of the Technical Standard Subcommittee of Intensive and Economical Utilization of Mineral Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources, member of the Ferroalloy Branch of the Chinese Metal Society, member of the Strategic Alliance of non-blast furnace ironmaking Industry, and editorial member of international journal "Minerals Processing and Extractive Metallurgy".

Prof. Zhu has conducted 15 national and provincial major projects, including national industrialization demonstration projects, National Natural Science Foundation innovation group projects, provincial and ministerial projects, as well as nearly 110 international and domestic school-enterprise cooperation projects. He has published more than 130 papers, including more than 120 SCI-indexed papers. Since 2020, he has been selected as a Highly-cited Scholar of Elsevier China (Metallurgical Engineering) for three years. He has also published three monographs and two textbooks. He has been granted nearly 80 invention patents. He has been awarded 2 second prizes of National technological invention/scientific and technological progress, 5 first prizes of provincial and ministerial scientific and technological progress, and 7 second prizes. His main research interests include: Basic theory and new technologies of iron ore sintering and pelletizing, new non-blast furnace ironmaking technologies, basic theory and new technology of complex iron ore resources development and utilization, new technology of bulk solid waste resource utilization, low-carbon ironmaking and hydrogen metallurgy.

Presentation title: Research and Pilot Plant building of Hydrogen-based Iron Ore Direct Reduction with Fluidized Bed in Ansteel, China

Zhu jianwei, director and senior engineer of Iron Making Technology Research Institute, Ansteel, China. After graduated from university, he worked at iron-making production, management and research for more than thirty years. As a main researcher, he involved in the National Key Scientific and Technological Projects for the Ninth Five-Year Plan and was responsible for one sub-project. In his career, he had the honour to gain the titles of technical model in Ansteel for several times. In 2006-2007, he worked in Leeds University, UK as a research follow. He was selected to be the hundred-person level expert in Liaoning Province in 2007. He worked for ISO (International Organization for Standardization) as Chairman Assistant in 2013-2017, and held the membership of Technical Committee of World Steel Association in 2017.

Presentation title: Fluidized Bed Hydrogen Direct Reduction: History and Perspective

Qingshan Zhu, born in May 1969, was promoted as a full professor since 2002 at Institute of Process Engineering (IPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and is currently the deputy director of IPE CAS. His research interests include fluidization, process intensification, mineral roasting, nanostructural materials synthesis, etc. Over the past decade, he has been focused on the fundamental and applied aspects of fluidization intensification of cohesive powders, where over ten commercialization/pilot plants have been successfully established. He published over 220 peer-reviewed papers in international journals. He is the inventor of over 130 Chinese patents and over 90 international patents, of which more over 10 patents have been licensed to several companies.

He is currently the president of Chinese Society of Particuology (CSP). He serves as the associate Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Process Engineering (Chinese) and The Chinese Journal of Powder Technology, and serves on several editorial boards, including Particuology, Int. Rev. Chem. Eng., J. Crystal. Phys. Chem., J. East China Uni. Sci. Tech. (Chinese), Iron Steel Vanadium Titanium (Chinese), Chemical Engineering (Chinese). He won second grade National Award for Technological Invention, first grade award of CSP, and first grade award of Chinese Society of Petrochemical and Chemical Engineering. He was the co-chair of 7th World Congress of Particle Technology (WCPT), and the International Advisory Committee Member of WCPT9. He is also the board member of the State Science and Technology Committee for Carbon Neutral.

Presentation title: Reconsidering Hydrogen Plasma Reactor as a Sustainable Solution for Green Steel Production

Zulfiadi Zulhan is a full professor in the Metallurgical Engineering Department at Bandung Institute of Technology. After obtaining his Dr.-Ing degree from the Institute for Ferrous Metallurgy, RWTH Aachen University, Germany, in 2006, he joined a steel plant builder company in Duisburg, Germany, focusing on Vacuum Metallurgy for carbon steel and stainless-steel production using RH (Ruhrstahl Heraeus) and VD/VOD (vacuum oxygen decarburization). He has involved in the commissioning of plants in several steel production sites in China, including Yingkou, Benxi, Tianjin, Zhangjiagang, Nanjing, Maanshan, Taiyuan, and Guangzhou. In 2009, he returned to Indonesia and took on the role of a lecturer, contributing to the development of a pyrometallurgy laboratory.