Method and apparatus for reducing particulate metal ore, e.g., iron ore, to metal particles, e.g., sponge iron, in a vertical shaft, moving bed reactor having a reduction zone and a cooling zone wherein separate streams of reducing gas and cooling gas are used in the reduction and cooling zones, respectively, and means are provided for minimizing commingling of the two gas streams. In one embodiment a differential pressure controller is used to maintain substantially equal the gas pressure at the bottom of the reduction zone and the gas pressure at the top of the cooling zone. In another embodiment the flows of inlet gas to and outlet gas from the cooling zone are controlled to maintain these two flows substantially equal. Either or both of the reducing gas and cooling gas may be recycled in a closed loop.

Method and apparatus for the gaseous reduction of iron ore to sponge iron

The present invention relates to a pressure swing adsorption process for direct reduction of iron wherein a portion of spent reducing gas withdrawn from the direct reduction reactor is subjected to a PSA process for the removal of carbon dioxide from the spent reducing gas. An improved CO 2 -rejection method using an external natural gas purge stream after depressurization and before the product purge step is described. The PSA process comprises an external purge step with a non-adsorbable gas, which surprisingly reduces the adsorbent regeneration requirements to maintain the selective adsorption of carbon dioxide from the spent reducing gas. The external natural gas purge results in a cleaner bed before the start of each adsorption cycle. Consequently, significantly more CO 2 can be rejected and/or higher hydrogen and CO recoveries can be attained. The external purge stream is fully integrated into the DRI production scheme.

Process for removal of carbon dioxide for use in producing direct reduced iron

A method of producing iron particles in a generally vertical furnace in which a gravitational flow of particulate material is reduced in a reducing zone by a countercurrent flow of a reducing gas containing a reductant, the spent reducing gas is removed and cooled and a portion is introduced as cooling gas in a cooling zone near the bottom of the furnace, and a portion of the cooling gas is upgraded in reducing potential and introduced to the reducing zone as reducing gas. Apparatus is also provided for carrying out the method.

Method for producing metallic iron particles

Apparatus is provided for efficiently cooling a moving bed of gas permeable particles descending downwardly through a converging bin. The apparatus includes a support mechanism and an especially configured gas distributor depending downwardly therefrom within the bin. The distributor includes a plurality of tiered gas units in nested relationship with one another and arranged in progressively smaller sizes from the top of the distributor. Each gas unit contains a predetermined number of peripherally spaced gas outlet ports to provide streams of cooling gas under sufficient pressure at each unit to effectively cool the bed of particles.

Apparatus for cooling a moving bed of solid, gas permeable particles

An economical process is provided for the direct reduction of iron ore by the efficient production of a reducing gas when the external source of fuel used in the process is a liquid or solid. A gasifier facility converts a minimal amount of fuel to a gas comprised principally of reductants which is supplemented with reductants reclaimed from the reacted off-gas produced in the reduction process. A controlled amount of water vapor is added to the gas mixture which is heated to approximately reduction furnace temperature before undergoing a shift reaction to equilibrium externally of the furnace to produce a reducing gas having a preferred gas composition.

Process for reducing iron oxide to metallic sponge iron with liquid or solid fuels

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing iron oxide to metallic iron, utilizing a continuous process employing a reducing gas with a high H2 and CO content made by catalytically reforming a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbon and reacted off-gas from the reduction process. The CO2 plus H2O present in the reacted off-gas are utilized as the hydrocarbon reforming oxidant, without the addition of reforming oxidant from an external source.

Scarlett J

Papers

Method of and apparatus for reducing iron oxide to metallic iron