Page 14 - Best of 2019 English

160 million
balloons could be filled with the hydrogen currently consumed per month at the Salzgitter steelworks. That would be 62 balloons per second
future: the model of a hydrogen economy is being put forward as a promising blueprint for a mod- ern, sustainable industry. There are two reasons for this: Firstly, hydrogen does not present any problems as a fuel, and secondly it is an excellent source of energy.
Hydrogen is considered unproblematic due to its high availability and environmental compatibility – theoretically speaking at least. When combusted, apart from negligible quantities of nitrogen oxides, it does not emit any environmentally harmful exhaust gas – only water. This is why Salzgitter AG, as a pioneer – along with other steel producers who are now following suit – has chosen to opt for hydrogen as a substitute for coal in the produc- tion of pig iron so as to significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
What is more, hydrogen’s very high calorific value makes it an effective energy source. It makes
sense to generate hydrogen on site where it is required, as Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH is planning to do at its steelworks. Since there is no need for transportation, more of the energy produced is retained. Electroly- sis plants with a higher degree of efficiency also improve energy efficiency. In the GrInHy2.0 project, Salzgitter AG is testing this method in collaboration with other partners.
This project and similar ones demon- strate the following: as wide-ranging technical solutions are being tested and well-established partners are intensely involved in the production and use of hydrogen, hydrogen has clearly become a beacon of hope for a climate-neutral energy sector and industry – and that includes sustainable steel production.
70.8 g
14 HYDROGEN
70.8 g is the weight of one liter of hydrogen. This is just under 7 % of the weight of air. One cubic meter of liquid hydrogen weighs just 70 kg – which means it is only slightly heavier than polystyrene
Crash, bang, boom: explosive gas experiment at school
1liter
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