DIRECT REDUCTION METHOD FOR IRON OXIDES WITH CONVERSION TO IRON CARBIDE

摘要

Method and plant for the direct reduction of metallic material for the production of iron carbide starting from iron oxides, which provide a step to pre-reduce the iron oxides in a first upper zone (12) of a reactor (10), a reduction step in a second intermediate zone of the reactor (10) and a step to deposit the carbon as Fe3C in a controlled manner on the surfaces of the metallic material in a third lower zone (16) of the reactor (10), using natural gas and/or process gas as a source, wherein said controlled deposit step provides to introduce into the lower zone (16) a gassy current consisting of a mixture containing natural gas and to maintain the metallic material in said lower zone (16) at a temperature of between 550 DEG and 750 DEG C for a time of between 30 and 90 minutes.