Producing iron from solid iron carbide

摘要

A method of producing iron from iron carbide is disclosed. Solid iron carbide is injected into a molten bath comprising molten iron and slag and dissolves in the molten bath. An oxygen-containing gas is injected into a gas space above the surface of the molten bath to cause combustion of at least a portion of combustible material in the gas space. In addition splashes and/or droplets of molten iron and/or slag are ejected upwardly from the molten bath into the gas space above the quiescent bath surface to form a transition zone. The transition zone is a region in which heat generated by combustion of combustible material is transferred to the splashes and/or droplets of molten iron and/or slag and thereafter is transferred to the molten bath when the splashes and/or droplets of molten iron and/or slag return to the molten bath.