Introduction:
Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) is a premium form of DRI that has been compacted at a temperature greater than 650° C at time of compaction and has a density greater than 5,000 kilograms per cubic metre (5,000 kg/m3).

HBI was developed as a product in order to overcome the problems associated with shipping and handling of DRI - due to the process of compaction it is very much less porous and therefore very much less reactive than DRI and does not suffer from the risk of self-heating associated with DRI.

The principle market for HBI is electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking, but HBI also finds application as a trim coolant in basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking and as blast furnace feedstock.

Steel production in the EAF continues to grow both in North America and worldwide.The past 5 years have seen increases in the supply and use of Pig Iron, Direct ReducedIron (DRI), and Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) in the EAF.
HBI should not be considered as a scrap substitute but rather as a source of clean ironunits that can be used to supplement and enhance the scrap charge
HBI is a high Fe, low residual metallic material for producing high quality iron and steelproducts in a wide variety of furnaces
The value-in-use of HBI is different for each melt shop and will depend on local scrap supply, production facilities, metallurgical practice and steel product mix.

Specification:

Applications:
Very low residual element content enables production of high quality steel products oruse of higher percentage of lower cost scrap in the charge mix

Known and consistent chemistry, certified by analysis, assists melt consistency

Consistent shape and form enable efficient material handling and storage

High density can reduce the number of bucket charges, allows for increased use of lowercost, less dense feedstock and reduces storage space requirements

Can be continuously charged to the furnace

Acts as N scavenger = low N content in steel