Background information
The steel industry is one of the most energy- and carbon-intensive industrial sectors. Traditional blast furnace routes rely heavily on fossil carbon as both a reductant and an energy source, resulting in substantial CO₂ emissions. Hydrogen-based Direct Reduction Iron (DRI) represents a promising alternative: hydrogen replaces carbon-based reductants, allowing for nearly carbon-free iron ore reduction.
High-temperature electrolysis (HTE)—powered by renewable electricity—can produce hydrogen at higher efficiencies compared to conventional low-temperature electrolysis. Integrating HTE with a hydrogen-based DRI process creates an opportunity to design a low-carbon or near-zero-carbon steelmaking route, where both the reductant and the power supply can originate from renewable sources.
This internship focuses on the design, simulation, and evaluation of such an integrated DRI–HTE system, including energy efficiency, hydrogen demand, and CO₂ reduction potential.
Assignment Description
You will design and simulate a hydrogen-based DRI steelmaking process combined with high-temperature electrolysis for local hydrogen generation.
Your tasks may include:
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Developing process flow diagrams (PFDs) for the integrated DRI–HTE system
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Implementing and modelling the system in Aspen Plus or another process simulation tool
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Defining thermodynamic and kinetic models for iron ore reduction and HTE
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Conducting material and energy balance calculations for different operating conditions
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Assessing the energy efficiency, hydrogen requirements, and carbon footprint of the system
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Comparing alternative configurations to identify the most promising process setups
Research questions
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How can hydrogen-based DRI steelmaking be effectively integrated with high-temperature electrolysis for on-site hydrogen production?
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Which process configurations and operating conditions provide the highest energy efficiency and lowest CO₂ emissions?
Desired Skills
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Background in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or energy systems engineering
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Understanding of process design, thermodynamics, and reaction engineering
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Experience with, or willingness to learn, Aspen Plus or similar simulation tools
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Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
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Interest in green steel, hydrogen technologies, and sustainable process engineering
Supervision
The internship will be supervised by Dr. Agha Zeeshan Ali. Regular meetings will be held to review progress, analyse simulation results, and provide feedback on modelling approaches and reporting.
Practical Details
Start / End Date
February 2026 – June 2026
Compensation
€350 per month
Working Language
English/Dutch