Method of reducing iron oxide

摘要

Iron oxide is reduced with hydrogen at a pressure greater than 200 p.s.i. and temperature less than 1400 DEG F. in a series of superposed vertically spaced fluidized bed reaction zones, the hydrogen being introduced into each bed at a controlled velocity through uniformly spaced nozzles to introduce a pressure drop between the beds of 1 to 5 p.s.i. The nozzles are so constructed that 20-30% in each zone of them introduce gas at a level higher than the remainder. At intervals the whole of each bed is caused to fall to the next lower bed. It is desirable to have a series of vertical baffles in each reaction zone; these are preferably formed by heat exchange elements, the exchange medium being the hydrogen to be subsequently used for reduction.