Abstract: A two stage reaction for the production of steel from iron carbide is carried out in two separate but interrelated reactors. In the first reactor, iron, carbide, with slag formers, is fed into a feed end and the reaction is well-mixed by the vessel geometry, the stirring action below-surface injection of oxygen and iron carbide feed, and the evolution of gases from the liquid metal bath. The product, containing about 0.5-2% carbon, is fed into the second reactor where it is refined with subsurface-injected oxygen. The second reaction is autogenous, and the evolved carbon monoxide is fed to the first reactor where it is burned with oxygen in a foamy slag, which, with post-combustion burning in the slag of CO evolved in the first reactor, and with iron carbide preheating with the sensible heat of the off-gas from the first reaction, makes that reaction also essentially autogenous.

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 two stage reaction for the production of steel from iron carbide is carried out in two separate but interrelated reactors. In the first reactor, iron carbide, with slag formers, is fed into a feed end and the reaction is well-mixed by the vessel geometry, the stirring action below-surface injection of oxygen and iron carbide feed, and the evolution of gases from the liquid metal bath. The product, containing about 0.5-2% carbon, is fed into the second reactor where it is refined with subsurface-injected oxygen. The second reaction is autogenous, and the evolved carbon monoxide is fed to the first reactor where it is burned with oxygen in a foamy slag, which, with post-combustion burning in the slag of CO evolved in the first reactor, and with iron carbide preheating with the sensible heat of the off-gas from the first reaction, makes that reaction also essentially autogenous.