Abstract: Examples herein generally relate to sinter blend compositions for use in a sintering process that do not contain coke breeze (0.0% coke breeze), or contain only very small amounts of coke breeze. In particular, these sinter blend compositions are capable of repurposing mixture of iron-making reverts, having high total and metallic iron levels that re-oxidize so as to become a replacement fuel source for the coke breeze typically used in sinter blend compositions for use in a sintering process, while still managing to produce a sinter with sufficient ISO tumble strengths.

Abstract: Method of reclaiming and inhibiting activation of DRI fines is disclosed comprising the steps of forming a moving stream or pile containing DRI pellets and DRI fines, coating the moving stream or the pile of DRI pellets and DRI fines with a coating material comprising an alkane mixture in the C15 to C40 range to form a coating on the DRI pellets and DRI fines and cause DRI fines to adhere together and to the DRI pellets to form a plurality of agglomerates, and moving the agglomerates of coated DRI pellets and coated DRI fines to a facility for use in making steel. The coating material may be applied to coat the DRI pellets and DRI fines at a rate between 0.2 and 2.0 gallons per ton of DRI processed. The coating material may be mineral oil.

Abstract: A processed DRI material having an average surface roughness (Ra) of less than 1.5 ?m is disclosed. A method and system for making processed DRI are also disclosed. One embodiment of the method and system may include assembling a rotatable chamber having an internal screen capable of supporting DRI during tumbling, with at least one opening in the chamber to permit fines to exit the chamber during tumbling, and delivering DRI into the chamber to tumble the DRI on the screen to remove fines from the DRI. Another embodiment of the method and system may include assembling a rotatable chamber having a feed end and an exit end, and having a screen therein capable of supporting DRI as the DRI moves through the chamber, and delivering DRI to the chamber and rotating the chamber to tumble the DRI while removing fines.

Abstract: A method of patching asphalt and concrete road beds is disclosed comprising the steps of removing debris from a hole in the road bed, filling the hole with a patching material comprised of at least 40% iron metallurgical material having a size of at least 50% between ?6 and +100 mesh, and a dilute acidic activator comprised of phosphate anions between 30% and 75%, and combining the iron metallurgical material and the dilute acidic activator to form iron ceramic material.

Abstract: A method of reclaiming and inhibiting activation of DRI including forming a moving stream or pile containing DRI pellets and DRI fines and applying to said DRI material a coating material optionally having a melting point between 70 and 200° F. and comprising at least one antioxidant and at least one a carboxylic material with at least one selected from the group consisting of coatable fatty acid and an esterified derivative thereof, forming a coating on the DRI pellets and DRI fines to cause the fines to adhere together and to the pellets to form a plurality of DRI agglomerates. The coating material may be selected from the group consisting of palm oil, coconut oil, combinations thereof, and ester derivatives thereof. The antioxidant in the coating material is selected from the group consisting of at least one of butylated hydroxytoluene, carotenoid, phytosterol, squalene, vitamin E, tocopherols, tocotrienols, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method and system for making metallic iron nodules with reduced CO2 emissions is disclosed. The method includes: assembling a linear hearth furnace having entry and exit portions, at least a conversion zone and a fusion zone, and a moving hearth adapted to move reducible iron bearing material through the furnace on contiguous hearth sections; assembling a shrouded return substantially free of air ingress extending adjacent at least the conversion and fusion zones of the furnace through which hearth sections can move from adjacent the exit portion to adjacent the entry portion of the furnace; transferring the hearth sections from the furnace to the shrouded return adjacent the exit portion; reducing reducible material in the linear hearth furnace to metallic iron nodules; and transporting gases from at least the fusion zone to the shrouded return to heat the hearth sections while in the shrouded return.

Abstract: A method of production of metallic iron nodules comprises assembling a hearth furnace having a moveable hearth comprising refractory material and having a conversion zone and a fusion zone, providing a hearth material layer comprising carbonaceous material on the refractory material, providing a layer of reducible material comprising and iron bearing material arranged in discrete portions over at least a portion of the hearth material layer, delivering oxygen gas into the hearth furnace to a ratio of at least 0.8:1 ponds of oxygen to pounds of iron in the reducible material to heat the conversion zone to a temperature sufficient to at least partially reduce the reducible material and to heat the fusion zone to a temperature sufficient to at least partially reduce the reducible material, and heating the reducible material to form one or more metallic iron nodules and slag.

Abstract: Method of reclaiming and inhibiting activation of DRI fines is disclosed comprising the steps of forming a moving stream or pile containing DRI pellets and DRI fines, coating the moving stream or the pile of DRI pellets and DRI fines with a coating material comprising an alkane mixture in the C15 to C40 range to form a coating on the DRI pellets and DRI fines and cause DRI fines to adhere together and to the DRI pellets to form a plurality of agglomerates, and moving the agglomerates of coated DRI pellets and coated DRI fines to a facility for use in making steel. The coating material may be applied to coat the DRI pellets and DRI fines at a rate between 0.2 and 2.0 gallons per ton of DRI processed. The coating material may be mineral oil.

Abstract: A method for use in production of metallic iron nodules comprising providing a reducible mixture into a hearth furnace for the production of metallic iron nodules, where the reducible mixture comprises a quantity of reducible iron bearing material, a quantity of first carbonaceous reducing material of a size less than about 28 mesh of an amount between about 65 percent and about 95 percent of a stoichiometric amount necessary for complete iron reduction of the reducible iron bearing material, and a quantity of second carbonaceous reducing material with an average particle size greater than average particle size of the first carbonaceous reducing material and a size between about 3 mesh and about 48 mesh of an amount between about 20 percent and about 60 percent of a stoichiometric amount of necessary for complete iron reduction of the reducible iron bearing material.

Abstract: A method for use in production of metallic iron nodules comprising providing a reducible mixture into a hearth furnace for the production of metallic iron nodules, where the reducible mixture comprises a quantity of reducible iron bearing material, a quantity of first carbonaceous reducing material of a size less than about 28 mesh of an amount between about 65 percent and about 95 percent of a stoichiometric amount necessary for complete iron reduction of the reducible iron bearing material, and a quantity of second carbonaceous reducing material with an average particle size greater than average particle size of the first carbonaceous reducing material and a size between about 3 mesh and about 48 mesh of an amount between about 20 percent and about 60 percent of a stoichiometric amount of necessary for complete iron reduction of the reducible iron bearing material.

Abstract: A method of reclaiming and inhibiting activation of DRI including forming a moving stream or pile containing DRI pellets and DRI fines and applying to said DRI material a coating material optionally having a melting point between 70 and 200° F. and comprising at least one antioxidant and at least one a carboxylic material with at least one selected from the group consisting of coatable fatty acid and an esterified derivative thereof, forming a coating on the DRI pellets and DRI fines to cause the fines to adhere together and to the pellets to form a plurality of DRI agglomerates. The coating material may be selected from the group consisting of palm oil, coconut oil, combinations thereof, and ester derivatives thereof. The antioxidant in the coating material is selected from the group consisting of at least one of butylated hydroxytoluene, carotenoid, phytosterol, squalene, vitamin E, tocopherols, tocotrienols, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method of recovering metallic iron from iron-bearing metallurgical waste in steelmaking comprising steps of providing an iron-bearing metallurgical waste containing more than 55% by weight FeO and FeO equivalent and a particle size of at least 80% less than 10 mesh, mixing the iron-bearing metallurgical waste with a carbonaceous material to form a reducible mixture where the carbonaceous material is between 80 and 110% of the stoichiometric amount needed to reduce the iron-bearing waste to metallic iron, and as needed additions to provide a silica content between 0.8 and 8% by weight and a ratio of CaO/SiO2 between 1.4 and 1.8, forming agglomerates of the reducible mixture over a hearth material layer to protect the hearth, heating the agglomerates to a higher temperature above the melting point of iron to form nodules of metallic iron and slag material from the agglomerates by melting.

Abstract: A hearth furnace for producing metallic iron material has a furnace housing having a drying/preheat zone, a conversion zone, a fusion zone, and optionally a cooling zone, the conversion zone is between the drying/preheat zone and the fusion zone. A moving hearth is positioned within the furnace housing. A hood or separation barrier within at least a portion of the conversion zone, fusion zone or both separates the fusion zone into an upper region and a lower region with the lower region adjacent the hearth and the upper region adjacent the lower region and spaced from the hearth. An injector introduces a gaseous reductant into the lower region adjacent the hearth. A combustion region may be formed above the hood or separation barrier.

Abstract: A processed DRI material having an average surface roughness (Ra) of less than 1.5 ?m is disclosed. A method and system for making processed DRI are also disclosed. One embodiment of the method and system may include assembling a rotatable chamber having an internal screen capable of supporting DRI during tumbling, with at least one opening in the chamber to permit fines to exit the chamber during tumbling, and delivering DRI into the chamber to tumble the DRI on the screen to remove fines from the DRI. Another embodiment of the method and system may include assembling a rotatable chamber having a feed end and an exit end, and having a screen therein capable of supporting DRI as the DRI moves through the chamber, and delivering DRI to the chamber and rotating the chamber to tumble the DRI while removing fines.

Abstract: Method and system for producing metallic nuggets includes providing reducible mixture of reducing material (such as carbonaceous material) and reducible iron bearing material (such as iron oxide) that may be arranged in discrete portions, such as mounds or briquettes, on at least a portion of a hearth material layer (such as carbonaceous material). A coarse overlayer of carbonaceous material may be provided over at least some of the discrete portions. Heating the reducible mixture to 1425° C. or 1400° C. or 1375° C. results in formation of an intermediate product of one or more metallic iron nuggets, which may have a sulfur content of less than 0.03%, and slag, which may have less than 5% mass MgO, which may have a ratio of percent by weight sulfur in the slag over percent by weight sulfur in the metallic nuggets of at least about 12 or at least about 15.

Abstract: A battery of stationary hearth furnaces, and method for using, for producing metallic iron nodules having a furnace having a stationary hearth, an inlet and an outlet; a heating chamber beneath the stationary hearth having heated fluids circulated thereto and heating reducible material on the stationary hearth; passageways circulating fluids, through ports from the furnace housing above the reducible material to the heating chamber beneath; burners and air inlets in the furnace and optionally in at least one passageway and a heating chamber for drying and heating the reducible material, driving off and burning volatile material, and forming metallic iron nodules; a loading device for loading reducible material and optionally hearth material onto the stationary hearth through the inlet; and a discharging device capable of discharging metallic iron nodules and optionally related material from the stationary hearth through the outlet.

Abstract: A method and system for producing metallic iron nuggets may include providing multiple layers of agglomerates, such as briquettes, balls and extrusions, of a reducible mixture of reducing material (such as carbonaceous material) and of a reducible iron bearing material (such as iron oxide) on a hearth material layer (such as carbonaceous material) and providing a coarse overlayer of carbonaceous material over at least some of the agglomerates. Heating the agglomerates of reducible mixture to 1425° C. or 1400° C. or 1375° C. results in formation of an intermediate product of one or more metallic iron nuggets, which may have a sulfur content of less than 0.03%, and slag, which may have less than 5% mass MgO, which may have a ratio of percent by weight sulfur in the slag over percent by weight sulfur in the metallic nuggets of at least about 12 or at least about 15.

Abstract: A method of producing metallic iron nuggets includes providing a hearth with refractory material, and providing a reducible mixture above at least a portion of the hearth, where the reducible mixture includes reducible iron bearing material, reducing material such that the reducible mixture has a quantity of reducible iron bearing material and between about 65% and about 90% of a stoichiometric amount of reducing material necessary for complete iron reduction of the reducible iron material, between about 1% and 4% by weight manganese oxide, between about 1% and 3% by weight fluorspar, and additives providing a slag basicity ratio of CaO/SiO2 between 1.2 and 1.7. Then the method includes thermally treating the reducible mixture in the presence of other carbonaceous material separate from the reducible mixture forming one or more metallic iron nuggets by melting.

Abstract: A method for producing metallic iron including providing a hearth furnace having an entry end and a discharge end, a moveable hearth, and an exhaust stack positioned toward the entry end of the furnace, providing a carbonaceous hearth layer above the hearth, providing a layer of reducible material comprising reducing material and iron bearing material, delivering a flow of gases into the hearth furnace through burners, gas injection ports, or a combination thereof directing a flow of gases toward the entry end selected from combustible fuel, oxygen and carbon dioxide, oxygen and flue gas, oxygen and air, or a combination thereof to heat the furnace to a temperature sufficient to at least partially reduce the reducible material, increasing the velocity of the flow of gas to greater than 4 feet per second along the furnace, and heating the layer of reducible material to at least partially reduce the reducible material.

Abstract: A method for use in production of metallic iron nodules comprising providing a reducible mixture into a hearth furnace for the production of metallic iron nodules, where the reducible mixture comprises a quantity of reducible iron bearing material, a quantity of first carbonaceous reducing material of a size less than about 28 mesh of an amount between about 65 percent and about 95 percent of a stoichiometric amount necessary for complete iron reduction of the reducible iron bearing material, and a quantity of second carbonaceous reducing material with an average particle size greater than average particle size of the first carbonaceous reducing material and a size between about 3 mesh and about 48 mesh of an amount between about 20 percent and about 60 percent of a stoichiometric amount of necessary for complete iron reduction of the reducible iron bearing material.