Abstract: Ironmaking method and installation with recirculation of exhaust gas as a reduction gas and whereby part of the exhaust gas is purged upstream and/or downstream of a CO/CO2 separation unit, said purged exhaust gas being subjected to a water gas shift reaction for H2 generation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for the production of direct reduced iron, including: removing a top gas from a direct reduction furnace; carbon monoxide shifting the top gas using a carbon monoxide shift reactor to form a carbon monoxide shifted top gas having a reduced carbon monoxide content; adding one of a coal gas, a synthesis gas, and an export gas to at least a portion of the carbon monoxide shifted top gas to form a combined gas; removing carbon dioxide from the combined gas using a carbon dioxide removal unit to form a carbon dioxide lean combined gas; and providing the carbon dioxide lean combined gas to the direct reduction furnace as a reducing gas for producing direct reduced iron after heating to reduction temperature. Optionally, the method includes removing carbon dioxide from the top gas using a carbon dioxide removal unit prior to carbon monoxide shifting the top gas.

Abstract: In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides systems and methods that can convert clean or raw natural gas, clean or dirty coke oven gas, or the like to reducing gas/syngas suitable for direct reduction with minimal processing or cleaning. Hydrocarbons and the like are converted to H2 and CO. S does not affect the conversion to reducing gas/syngas, but is removed or otherwise cleaned up by the iron bed in the direct reduction shaft furnace. Top gas may be continuously recycled or a once-through approach may be employed.

Abstract: A process for producing pig iron or liquid primary steel products in a smelting unit (1), in particular a melter gasifier. Iron-ore-containing charge materials, and possibly additions, are at least partially reduced in at least one reduction unit (R1, R2, R3, R4) by means of a reducing gas. A first fraction of the at least partially reduced charge materials is melted down in the smelting unit (1), while carbon carriers and oxygen-containing gas are supplied, with the simultaneous formation of the reducing gas. The reducing gas is fed to the reduction unit (R1, R2, R3, R4) and, after the reducing gas has passed through the reduction unit, it is drawn off as top gas. A second fraction of the at least partially reduced charge materials is fed to a smelting reduction unit for reducing and smelting.

Abstract: Novel systems and methods are described for reducing iron oxide to metallic iron in an integrated steel mill or the like that has a coke oven and/or an oxygen steelmaking furnace. More specifically, the present invention relates to novel systems and methods for reducing iron oxide to metallic iron using coke oven gas (COG) or COG and basic oxygen furnace gas (BOFG).

Abstract: “A method for producing direct reduced iron in a vertical reactor having an upper reducing zone and a lower cooling zone, the method including: feeding iron oxide feed material to an upper portion of the vertical reactor, the iron oxide feed material forming a burden flowing by gravity to a material outlet portion in a lower portion of the vertical reactor; feeding hot reducing gas to a lower portion of the reducing zone of the vertical reactor, the hot reducing gas flowing in a counter flow to the burden towards a gas outlet port in the upper portion of the vertical reactor; recovering direct reduced iron at the lower portion of the vertical reactor; recovering top gas at the upper portion of the vertical reactor; submitting at least a portion of the recovered top gas to a recycling process; and feeding the recycled top gas back into the vertical reactor, where the recycling process includes heating the recovered top gas in a preheating unit before feeding it to a reformer unit; feeding volatile carbon cont

Abstract: In a method for producing a reduced iron pellet, when a powder formed article including iron oxide and carbon is heated and reduced in a rotary hearth furnace, a formed article produced using a raw material, in which an average diameter of the iron oxide is 50 microns or less and a ratio of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide in a reduction zone is from 0.3 to 1, is reduced at a temperature of 1400° C. or less, thereby producing a reduced iron pellet in which a metallization ratio of iron is 50 to 85% and a ratio of residual carbon is 2% or less.

Abstract: A pretreatment process for solid lump feed material for a gas and pellet/lump-based direct reduction process, comprising preheating feed material to a temperature of from about 200 C to about 500 C, without reduction, in a non-reducing atmosphere prior to charging the feed material to gas-based direct reduction furnace, thereby minimizing the formation of fines within the furnace.

Abstract: A pretreatment process for solid lump feed material for a gas and pellet/lump-based direct reduction process, comprising preheating feed material to a temperature of from about 200 C to about 500 C, without reduction, in a non-reducing atmosphere prior to charging the feed material to gas-based direct reduction furnace, thereby minimizing the formation of fines within the furnace.

Abstract: The present invention refers to an equipment for feeding and distributing charge and fuel in furnaces of rectangular cross section, comprising movable feeding tubes to distribute along the longitudinal section and the cross section of the furnace, both a charge comprised of self-reducing agglomerates, ore, scrap or any other metallic material, and solid fuels of any kind.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing iron briquettes and/or cold iron sponge, in which charge materials (3) which contain lumpy material containing iron oxide are introduced into the reduction zone (2) of a reduction reactor (1), then a hot reduction gas introduced in a feed zone below the reduction zone flows through the charge materials, which are reduced to hot iron sponge which passes through a gas feed zone (8), which is downstream of the reduction zone (2). Reduction gas is introduced into the reduction reactor (1). After the gas has flowed through the reduction zone (2), it is extracted from the reduction reactor (1) as a top gas. To produce cold iron sponge, hot iron sponge is cooled by cooling gas in a cooling zone (10) downstream of the gas feed zone (8) and the sponge is discharged from the reactor (1) through a product-discharge zone (11) downstream of the cooling zone (10).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the reduction into metallic iron of iron-oxides-containing particles having a broad range of sizes. Particles, typically within a broad range of sizes of about 0.1 mm to about 50 mm, are reduced by contact with a hot reducing gas, preferably from a horizontal gas distributor which defines the bottom of the reduction zone by supplying a uniform upflow of gas mainly composed of hydrogen (and/or carbon monoxide) within a temperature range of 650° C. to 1050° C. and at a velocity of about 0.5-0.7 m/s to fluidize at least some of the particles of a size of about 1.0 mm or less (when present).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for discharging cold product or a combination of cold and hot products from a continuous supply of hot direct reduced iron (“DRI”) comprising a product cooler connected to a shaft furnace, with downward movement of the hot DRI and upward concurrent flow of cooling gas through the product cooler. The method and apparatus provides for diverting of hot DRI from an upper portion of the cooler for gravitational transfer to an adjacent storage unit located at a lower elevation than the furnace. The product cooler is situated at a lower height in relation to the furnace, for gravity transfer of a continuous supply of hot DRI through an entry point into the cooler. Cooler provides for cooling gas injection into the lower portion of the cooler, with gas flow upward and counter-current to the hot DRI that descends through the cooler. Recovered cooling gas is scrubbed, cooled, and recycled back for injection into the bottom portion of the cooler.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and apparatus for the reduction into metallic iron of iron-oxides-containing particles having a broad range of sizes. Particles, preferably within a broad range of sizes smaller than about 3.2 mm, are reduced by contact with a hot reducing gas, preferably mainly composed of hydrogen and within a temperature range of 700 to 750.degree. C. The reducing gas flows through a descending moving bed of coarser particles and forms an ascending fluidized bed of fines, all in a single reduction reactor, where the particles charged to the reactor are fed into the lower portion of the fluidized bed and the reduced fines are withdrawn from the reactor from the upper portion of the fluidized bed.

Abstract: A process for treating iron-bearing material with a carbonaceous material to form a dry mixture, wherein the amount of carbonaceous material added exceeds the stoichiometric amount required to reduce the metal oxide to elemental metal. In one embodiment, the process also includes blending an organic binder with the dry mixture. The dry mixture is agglomerated to bond the dry mixture and form green compacts. The green compacts are loaded into a heated furnace and heated for about 5-12 minutes at a temperature of between about 2100.degree.-2500.degree. F. to reduce the iron oxide containing compacts to compacts containing elemental iron and an excess amount of carbonaceous material wherein the excess amount of carbonaceous material counteracts re-oxidation of the elemental iron. The reduced compacts are then discharged from the furnace.

Abstract: In a method of producing iron and steel, from iron ores largely composed of iron oxides, wherein a direct reduction process is used to produce a solid particulate intermediate product, generally known as sponge iron or Direct Reduced Iron (DRI); pneumatically conveying the DRI in a closed pipe from the reduction reactor of the direct reduction process to the metallurgical furnaces where liquid iron or steel are produced, for example electric arc furnaces, induction furnaces, basic oxygen furnaces, etc. or to a briquetting press to form DRI briquettes, or simply to a silo or storage bin, or in general to a subsequent processing step for said DRI. When the carrier gas is recirculated for reuse, surprisingly air is preferred as the source of such gas, especially for reactive hot DRI. This method has a superior efficiency and productivity and reduces the overall energy consumption relative to currently used DRI steelmaking plants.