Swedish researchers advance low‑carbon steel and turbine technologies

Researchers at Luleå University of Technology have demonstrated that bio‑char, produced from wood or plant residues, can replace fossil coal in steelmaking. In her thesis, Luna Manuela de los Rios found that bio‑char injected more carbon into molten iron than conventional graphite in initial trials, though the material must be less porous for optimal performance. She will apply these findings as a process engineer at Ovako.

Separately, Swedish scientists have developed a new computational‑experimental method to adapt gas turbines for high‑hydrogen fuel use. Advanced digital models now simulate flame behaviour under hydrogen‑rich mixtures, helping designers mitigate instability, back‑flash, and vibration issues. The approach shortens development cycles and improves turbine safety and efficiency, supporting a future energy system where hydrogen combustion produces no CO₂ and complements renewable electricity generation.