Iron Production – Direct Process

Metallurgical Engineering Refresher

References: Moniz, Avner, UP Slides
CONTENTS
1 Ferrous Alloys Classification 1 hr 30 mins

2 Iron Production – Indirect Process 1 hr 20 mins

3 Steelmaking Process 1 hr 20 mins

4 Iron Production – Direct Process 1 hr 30 mins

Iron Reduction Process
Indirect Process Direct Process
Reduction of metal in the Reduction of metal without
molten state passing through the molten
state
Around 95% of world iron
production is produced by Product: Sponge Iron or DRI
indirect process (Blast
Furnace)
Around 6% of world’s hot
iron metal produced is via
direct process
Predecessor of Modern Iron Reduction Process

Bloomery

Wrought Iron

Less than Bloom

1000 C • Spongy Iron
• Slag is squeezed out
CHARGE:Ore + Coal and almost pure iron is
obtained
Fe2O3 + C  2Fe + 3CO
 Iron Direct Reduction Process
Lower process
or reduction  Does not require
temp coke as a heat
source and
reductant

low carbon
content

Operates at a  Less amount of tramp

smaller scale elements
(smaller cap (Cu, Sn, As, Sb, Bi, Zn, and Pb)
reqments)
 COAL

COKING
COAL

NONCOKING
COAL
COKE
• Porous coal The Coke
• Used in BF Issue
 Iron Direct Reduction Process
Gas

FIOR
MIDREX
FINMET
HYL
CIRCOFER
Lump Ore
Fine Ore
Pellets

INMETCO SL/RN
FASTMET COREX

Coal
Comparison between Gas and Coal Reduction
Iron Direct Reduction Process

CO & H2 used
Gas-Based
as Reductant! Coal-Based

Natural Gas – Coal –

REFORMER GASIFICATION
(Synthesis Gas) (Coal Gas)
 Source of
REDUCING
GAS
Source of Reducing gases – Natural Gas
Gas Reforming
CO and H2 gases are obtained by reforming natural gas (nickel
catalyst) and the reactor top gas, CO2 and H2O

CH4 + H2O = CO + 3H2 (endo) H2O reforming

CH4 + CO2 = 2CO + 2H2 CO2 reforming
H2O + CO = H2 + CO2 (exo) Water gas shift

Is CO2 and H2O expected

together with CO and H2 60
when it enters furnace? %

40
%
Typical Reformer Product Composition

METHANE
SLIP
TRIVIA!!!

“Synthesis gas or Syngas”

Product of natural gas reforming, fuel gas mixture
consisting primarily of CO an H2

“Coal gas”
Product of natural gas reforming, fuel gas mixture
consisting primarily of CO an H2
Source of Reducing gases – Coal
Coal Gasification

Exothermic
Producer gas Reaction

Endothermic
Water gas Reaction

Exothermic
Water gas shift reaction
 Iron Direct Reduction Process
Gas

FIOR
MIDREX
FINMET
HYL
CIRCOFER
Lump Ore
Fine Ore
Pellets

INMETCO SL/RN
FASTMET COREX

Coal
 MIDREX Process

• Reduces iron ore using a

reforming gas made
from natural gas
• Developed by Midland
Ross Corp of Cleveland,
Ohio, USA (1967)
• 67% of world DRI
production
• Uses shaft furnace
similar to BF
Hadeed Steel
1.76 MT/year
 MIDREX
GASIFICATION REDUCTION
PLANT PLANT
 MIDREX
‘SHAFT
FURNACE’

Counter
Current flow of
gas and ore

H2/CO = 1.5 to 2 Pressure = 100 KPa

‘HOT’ = 900 C Energy = 10.5 GJ/ton

WHAT
GOES IN?
 Pre-heat
zone

Fe2O3 HRZ

Reduction Fe3O4 MRZ

Zone
FeO WRZ
Transition
zone
Fe
Cooling Predict the
Zone reactions
taking place
Discharge in RZ!
zone
 Chemistry of DRP

• 3Fe2O3 + CO/H2 = 2Fe3O4 +CO2/H2O

• 2Fe3O4 + 2CO/2H2 = 6FeO +2CO2/2H2O
• 6FeO + 6CO/6H2 = 6Fe + 6CO2/6H2O

3Fe2O3 + 9CO = 6Fe +9CO2

 • Why are there
MIDREX
CO and H2 in the
‘SHAFT top gas?
FURNACE’ • Whyare there
CO2 and H2O?

• What’s the
Scrubber for?

95% Reduction Rate

2.5%C in DRI @ 700C

WHAT GOES
OUT?
 Product of Iron Direct Reduction Process

Fine DRI
oxidizes and
Reduces energy
ignites!!
reqments for
melting!!

Hot Briquetted Hot DRI Charged

Cold DRI to EAF
Iron (HBI)
 REVIEW of DRP

• Earliest Iron production process was direct/indirect

• The product of direct reduction is _____.
• The DRP can either be _______-based or ______-
based process.
• The reducing gases in DRP are ___ &___
• Midrex uses a ____ furnace for DR of ore and is
considered a _____-based process.
• The normal operating temp in DRPs is less than
_____ C.
• Why is there a need to briquette DRI?
 Iron Direct Reduction Process
Gas

FIOR
MIDREX
FINMET
HYL
CIRCOFER
Lump Ore
Fine Ore
Pellets

INMETCO SL/RN
FASTMET COREX

Coal
 SL/RN Process

• Stelco,Lurgi, Republic,
National
• utilizes rotary kiln to
reduce lump ore, pellets
and sand iron with coal

Problem:
• big heat loss and large
facility size
• 2 million tons/year
 Rotary Kiln
(60 m length, 4 m diameter)
 INPUT

REDUCTION
ZONE (50-60%)

Dolomite is
used to PREHEAT
scrub sulfur ZONE(40-50%)
from coal

Rotary
Cooler
 OXIDIZING

REDUCING

PREHEAT ZONE(850-950C) REDUCTION (950-1050C)

• Drying of Charge • Boudouard Reaction
• Devolatilization of Coal (H2) C + CO2 → 2CO (endo)
• Dissociation of Dolomite • Reduction of Iron
Cold Air is injected, therefore where is heat
coming from?
Points to Ponder

FILLING VOLUME IS ONLY 15

TO 20% OF FURNACE

SL/RN suffers from

large heat loss.
Why?
Points to Ponder
As in most
heterogenous
process, mixing is an
important variable in
yielding high quality
product.

How will the speed

of rotation affect
mixing?
 Quiz
• In the SL/RN process, coal is used as a source of
_____ and ______.
• Unconsumed coal which is recycled with the charge is
called ________.
(True or False)
• Hot air is injected into the rotary kiln.
• The kiln has a slight downward gradient to allow
movement of solid materials downstream.
• Air moves countercurrent to the solid charge.
• The large heat loss in the SL/RN process is due to low
filling volume
 Iron Direct Reduction Process
Gas

FIOR
MIDREX
FINMET
HYL
CIRCOFER
Lump Ore
Fine Ore
Pellets

INMETCO SL/RN
FASTMET COREX

Coal
COREX
Ironmaking

Direct Indirect
Reduction Smelting Reduction
Process Reduction Process
Process
 DR happens
here

Coal gas path

Coal enters
gasifier

Where does
DRI go?

Just Like BF!

LIQUID METAL
product
• Drying of Coal (100 oC)
• CO 2 + C = 2CO (Boudouard
Devolatilisation of coal andReaction)
H 2O + C = CO
liberation of +methane
H2 (WaterandGashigher
Reaction)
CO + H2O = CO2(200
hydrocarbons. + Ho2C(Shift Reaction)
to 950oC)

• Decomposition of limestone

Gaseous Free
Board Zone

Coal burns in front

of tuyeres &
CharBed residual oxides
reduced

Melting and
Hearth formation of hot
metal and slag
 Cohesive Zone Issue

ADVANTAGES:
• No need for
COKE!
• Product is
similar to BF
• Any type of
ore feed is ok!
 Quiz

• How is smelting reduction process different from

direct reduction?
• What is the source of reductant gases in COREX?
• When is the FINEX process most applicable to use?
 Review Questions
1. Iron bath smelting process are alternative
methods of producing iron. These consist of a
separate smelter and gasifier. Which of the
following processes belongs to this group?

a.) Midrex and HYL process

b.) Corex and Hismelt process
c.) Krupp Codir and SL/RN process
d.) Fior and Purofer process