Traditional iron smelting relies on coke, a coal derivative that creates heat and releases carbon monoxide to strip oxygen from iron ore. This reaction generates massive amounts of CO2, which is typically vented into the atmosphere. Helix Carbon proposes using specialized electrolyzers to split oxygen atoms from the exhaust stream, allowing the resulting carbon monoxide to be reinjected into the furnace. Unlike standard electrolyzers that require highly purified gas, Helix claims its hardware is rugged enough to process raw industrial exhaust directly.
Helix Carbon targets blast furnace emissions to lower iron production costs
Steel production remains a massive carbon emitter, but startup Helix Carbon argues that replacing century-old blast furnaces is the wrong strategy. Instead, the company is developing a method to capture exhaust carbon dioxide and recycle it back into the furnace as carbon monoxide, aiming to reduce both pollution and costs.
By substituting a portion of the coke supply with recycled carbon monoxide, the company estimates iron producers could save $14 per ton. While estimates on total coke reduction vary from 30% to 90%, Helix is targeting an initial 33% replacement rate. Because the steel industry is characterized by equipment with century-long lifespans, the startup plans to gain early traction by selling its technology to the specialty chemicals sector. Helix Carbon debuted its proposal during the Startup Battlefield competition at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco.
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