DREnvironment.doc.docVIP

P T SHUKUR, MELMURI B Tech. Mech, MBA DR PROCESS Direct Reduction of Iron Oxide is the Chemical reaction of Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide with Iron Oxide to produce Metallic Iron. DR Process can be summarized as follows: Reforming, Reduction and Carburization. Reforming: The Reforming is a process by which the reduction gases - CO and H2 - are produced by reforming natural gas with steam and CO2 at elevated temperatures. Natural gas is principally CH4. The following are the basic reforming reactions. CH4 + H2O ( CO + 3H2 CH4 + CO2 ( 2CO + 2H2 H2O and CO2 in these reactions are the byproducts of DR process, which is recycled after getting cleaned at top gas scrubber, compressed, mixed with natural gas and then passed through catalyst-filled tubes inside the reformer. Reformer is a refractory-lined furnace. Reforming causes an approximate 30% increase in gas volume. This excess gas, after passing through the reduction zone, is mixed with natural gas and used to fuel the Reformer Burners. There must always be some excess of H2O and CO2 in the mixture being reformed to avoid Carbon deposition problems. The best process gives about 95% CO plus H2 and 5% CO2 plus H2O in the hot reformed gas. Nickel or Cobalt catalyst is used to reform NG catalytically in a temperature range of about 900°C to 1000°C. Reduction: Reduction is a chemical process by which the oxygen got removed form the Iron Oxide. It occurs in the Reducing furnace at its upper portion known as Reduction Zone. The reactions at Reduction Zone are: Fe2O3 + 3H2 ( 2Fe + 3H2O Fe2O3 + 3CO ( 2Fe + 3CO2 The reducing gas flows up towards the stockline, counter to the flow of Oxide. As the gas moves, the feed material is gradually reduced to metallic iron. Meantime, the Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen are gradually converted into Carbon Dioxide and Water Vapor. The rate at which these reactions occur determines the residence time needed to metallize the product (typically 4 to 6 hours) and hence establish