Iron powder as fuel: developing a circular energy installation

What if fuel could be made fully circular? RIFT, Renewable Iron Fuel Technology, is developing an innovative technology that uses iron powder as a circular fuel. Combustion releases energy without direct CO₂ emissions and leaves behind rust, or iron oxide, which can be converted back into new fuel using sustainably produced hydrogen.

RIFT is working to realise this closed fuel cycle in a pilot installation at Cleantech Park Arnhem. Iv is helping translate this concept into a technically feasible design for the installation.

The challenge in this project was to design an installation capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and material behaviour that had not previously been applied at this scale. During development of the pilot installation, a hopper beneath the boiler was found to deform due to the heat from the released iron oxide. With no existing design guidelines or reference projects available, this called for a new, multidisciplinary design approach.

Iv redesigned the component, combining expertise from several disciplines to arrive at a robust and manufacturable design. By carefully addressing material selection, thermal management and structural design, Iv delivered a solution capable of withstanding the extreme conditions.

The energy transition calls for designs that go beyond optimisation. Using iron powder as a circular fuel marks an important step towards a circular energy system. Iv is helping translate this innovative technology into a robust and technically feasible design. In doing so, we are helping bring RIFT’s concept from theory to realisation and contributing to the development of a new circular energy carrier for industry and shipping.