A hydrogen release and storage system (100) of the present invention includes a first hydrogen release and storage unit (100A) composed of a first hydrogen compound member (101A), a first container (102A) that accommodates the first hydrogen compound member (101A), a first heating apparatus (103A) configured to heat an inside of the first container (102A), a first cooling apparatus (104A) configured to cool the inside of the first container (102A), a first water supply apparatus (105A) configured to supply water to the first container (102A), a second hydrogen release and storage unit (100B) composed of a second hydrogen compound member (101B), a second container (102B) that accommodates the second hydrogen compound member (101B), a second heating apparatus (103B) configured to heat an inside of the second container (102B), a second cooling apparatus (104B) configured to cool the inside of the second container (102B) and a second water supply apparatus (105B) configured to supply water to the second container (102B).

The present disclosure relates to a process for the production of carburized sponge iron. The process comprises the steps of reducing iron ore pellets using a carbon-lean reducing gas in a direct reduction shaft reactor to provide a sponge iron intermediate; transferring the sponge iron intermediate to a carburization unit; and carburizing the sponge iron intermediate in the carburization unit using a carburizing gas to provide carburized sponge iron. The disclosure further relates to a system for the production of carburized sponge iron, a carburized sponge iron produced by the aforementioned process, and a sponge iron intermediate obtained during the production of such a carburized sponge iron.

Provided is a solid carbon production facility including: a separation facility configured to separate a carbon dioxide gas contained in a produced gas produced by a blast furnace; a reaction facility configured to heat a fuel gas whose main component is a methane gas by using a heating facility and decompose the methane gas into solid carbon and a hydrogen gas; and a production facility configured to cause the carbon dioxide gas separated by the separation facility and the hydrogen gas decomposed by the reaction facility to react with each other to produce solid carbon and water.

A hydrogen release and storage system (100) of the present invention includes a hydrogen compound member (101), a container (102) that accommodates the hydrogen compound member (101), a heating apparatus (103) configured to heat the inside of the container (102), a cooling apparatus (104) configured to cool the inside of the container (102) and a water supply apparatus (105) configured to supply water to the container (102).

A method of using a feedstock gas reactor is described. A hydrocarbon, such as methane, is chemical decomposed in the feedstock gas reactor using heat of combustion generated from the combustion of a combustible gas. A mixed product stream is extracted from the feedstock gas reactor. The mixed product stream comprises hydrogen, carbon, and water. At least a portion of the one or more combustion product gases are vented from the combustion chamber. At least some of the carbon is activated using the vented one or more combustion product gases. At least some of the activated carbon is recycled to the feedstock gas reactor.

A compacted ‘green’ briquette between 5 cm.sup.3 and 20 cm.sup.3 including, prior to reduction in a direct reduction process, a composition including at least 30% lignocellulosic biomass material by dry weight and at least 55% iron ore fines by weight, a density of between 1.4 g/cm.sup.3 and 2.0 g/cm.sup.3, and a compaction strength of at least 500N. A direct reduced iron briquette suitable for the production of iron and/or steel including at least 85% iron by weight and at least 1% fixed carbon by weight, and a volume of between 7.5 cm.sup.3 and 30 cm.sup.3, wherein the briquette has, prior to reduction (i.e. as a ‘green’ briquette), the above composition.

A method for producing a homogenous molten composition and a fluid product is disclosed. For example, the method includes producing a first molten metal composition in an enclosed volume, contacting a hydrocarbon reactant with the first molten metal composition, decomposing the hydrocarbon reactant into at least one fluid product and carbon, forming a metal alloy from a mixture of the carbon and the first molten metal composition, and separating a homogenous second molten composition from the metal alloy.

This invention provides processes and systems for converting biomass into high carbon biogenic reagents that are suitable for a variety of commercial applications. Some embodiments employ pyrolysis in the presence of an inert gas to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, followed by separation of vapors and gases, and cooling of the hot pyrolyzed solids in the presence of the inert gas. Additives may be introduced during processing or combined with the reagent, or both. The biogenic reagent may include at least 70 wt %, 80 wt %, 90 wt %, 95 wt %, or more total carbon on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may have an energy content of at least 12,000 Btu/lb, 13,000 Btu/lb, 14,000 Btu/lb, or 14,500 Btu/lb on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may be formed into fine powders, or structural objects. The structural objects may have a structure and/or strength that derive from the feedstock, heat rate, and additives.

Provided is a steelmaking line contributing to the realization of a method that achieves energy saving and CO.sub.2 emission reduction when producing reduced iron from iron oxide. The steelmaking line comprises: a blast furnace configured to reduce iron oxide; a reducing furnace configured to reduce iron oxide; a methane synthesizer configured to synthesize methane from blast furnace gas and/or furnace top gas, and hydrogen gas; a blower configured to blow the methane gas synthesized by the methane synthesizer into the blast furnace; a heat-reformer configured to heat or heat-reform the blast furnace gas and/or the furnace top gas, and the methane gas synthesized by the methane synthesizer, to generate reducing gas; a reducing gas blower configured to blow the reducing gas into the reducing furnace; and a supply path configured to supply the furnace top gas to the methane synthesizer and/or the heat-reformer.

A method for producing reduced iron that produces reduced iron by reducing iron oxide charged in a shaft furnace, in which a gas mixture which contains a reducing gas and a nitrogen gas, and has a predetermined temperature, is blown into the shaft furnace. The reducing gas contains 90 volume% or more of a hydrogen gas.