Abstract: A method and an apparatus method for producing direct reduced iron (DRI) from iron ore using biomass as a source of reductant and as a heating source of the iron ore and electromagnetic energy as a further heating source in a furnace having multiple zones. The zones include a preheat zone and a reduction zone between an inlet for briquettes of iron ore and biomass and an outlet for direct reduced iron. The method includes counter-current movement of (a) briquettes of iron ore and biomass in a direction from the inlet to the outlet and (b) combustible gases in an opposite direction in the furnace.

Abstract: A method for producing direct reduced iron (“DRI”) from iron ore and biomass is disclosed. The method includes heating a batch of iron ore and biomass in each oven chamber of a non-recovery batch oven by a combination (i) the thermal mass of a lining of the oven chamber and (ii) combustion of a fuel gas from at least one other oven chamber and at least partially reducing the iron ore and forming DRI. The method also includes discharging gases from the oven chamber through passageways in a wall and a floor of the oven chamber and further combusting combustible gases and transferring heat to the wall and the floor of the oven chamber as the gases move through the passageways. The method also includes discharging at least a portion of gases from the oven chamber, without passing the gases through passageways in the floor of the oven chamber, and using these gases as a fuel gas in subsequent combustion heating in other batch oven chambers when a first predetermined trigger point is reached.

Abstract: A method of cold starting a molten bath-based direct smelting process for producing molten iron in a vessel (3) is disclosed. The method includes a step of preheating the vessel before supplying solid feed materials into the vessel. The method also includes a subsequent step of supplying an oxygen-containing gas and solid feed materials including material for forming slag, iron-containing feed material, and carbonaceous material into the vessel and generating heat and forming a bath of molten material that includes molten iron and molten slag in the vessel. This step includes supplying feed materials to promote formation of molten slag over molten iron in an early stage of developing the molten bath.

Abstract: A method of cold starting a molten bath-based direct smelting process for producing molten iron in a vessel (3) is disclosed. The method includes a step of preheating the vessel before supplying solid feed materials into the vessel. The method also includes a subsequent step of supplying an oxygen-containing gas and solid feed materials including material for forming slag, iron-containing feed material, and carbonaceous material into the vessel and generating heat and forming a bath of molten material that includes molten iron and molten slag in the vessel.