Abstract: The present invention is a process for the rapid conversion of iron oxide-containing material into iron carbide. The process includes a first step in which the iron oxide-containing material is contacted with a reducing gas that contains a high concentration of hydrogen gas to form a metallic iron-containing intermediate product and a second step in which the metallic iron-containing product is contacted with a carburizing gas having high concentrations of hydrogen and carbon monoxide gas to produce iron carbide. The unused carbon monoxide in the off-gas from the second step is not recycled to the second step but is used as a fuel source.

Abstract: A process for producing iron carbide in a fluid bed reactor in which the pressure is maintained in excess of the pressure at which the mole fraction of hydrogen in the process gas begins to decrease. The hydrogen concentration may also be increased above the equilibrium concentration for hydrogen at the temperature and pressure in the reactor. Further improvements are gained by preheating a iron ore reactor feed in which the iron oxide is primarily in the form of hematite under a reducing atmosphere, and using at least two fluid bed reactors in series.

Abstract: A process for converting iron oxide to iron carbide using hydrogen as a reducing gas. Water is generated by the reduction of the iron oxides using hydrogen. The amount of water present in the reactor system is controlled and the water is contacted with methane in order to internally generate carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide gas. The carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide is subsequently employed to carburize the iron to iron carbide.

Abstract: A process for controlling the conversion of reactor feed to iron carbide is disclosed. The reactor feed is subjected to a process gas in a fluidized bed reactor (10), and the off-gas from this reaction is analyzed (56) to determine its composition and the temperature (64) and pressure (66). A stability phase diagram is generated based on the temperature. Different regions of the stability phase diagram are representative of different products being formed by the conversion of the reactor feed. Based on relative concentrations of the individual gases in the off-gas and the total pressure, a point is plotted on the stability phase diagram indicative of the favored reaction product. The process parameters can then be adjusted to insure that iron carbide can be produced from the reactor feed based on the stability phase diagram. In one embodiment, the rate of conversion of the reactor feed into iron carbide is controlled.

Abstract: A novel process for the conversion of reactor feed to iron carbide is provided. The process includes the step of preheating the reactor feed in an oxidizing atmosphere. The iron carbide produced by the process is particularly useful in the production of steel.

Abstract: A novel design for a fluidized bed reactor is provided. The fluidized bed reactor includes a baffle system to ensure the proper residence time of the feed materials. The fluidized bed reactor also provides a novel method for reducing the negative effects of thermal expansion in the reactor.

Abstract: A method of controlling product quality in a conversion of reactor feed to an iron carbide-containing product in a fluidized bed reactor. A Mossbauer analysis is performed on product samples leaving the fluidized bed reactor, and a regression analysis is performed on the Mossbauer data. Depending upon the results of the regression analysis, process parameters are adjusted in order to obtain a product having a desired composition. Adjustments are made to the temperature and pressure in the fluidized bed reactor, rate of feed to the fluidized bed reactor, and the composition of the process gas which reacts with the reactor feed in the fluidized bed reactor, dependent upon the analysis results.

Abstract: The present process involves an improvement in the hydrometallurgical recovery of metal values from metal bearing sources such as ores and the like. When subjecting a metal bearing source to a reductive roast in a reducing atmosphere followed by cooling the reduced metal bearing source, extracting the cooled source and recovering the resultant nickel value, it is possible to utilize a smaller amount of an additive which assists in the recovery of metal values by scrubbing the off-gases from the reductive roast utilizing a fresh metal bearing source feed as the scrubbing material.