LOW SULFUR IRON REDUCTION PROCESS USING A ROTARY HEARTH FURNACE

摘要

The present invention provides methods for producing direct reduced iron having a low sulfur content in a continuous and efficient fashion, and features in one preferred aspect provided agglomerates of an iron oxide composition and an internal carbonaceous reductant composition having a relatively low sulfur content; positioning the agglomerates onto a rotary hearth furnace (1) in intimate contact with a particulate matrix comprising an external carbonaceous reductant; subjecting the mixture to reducing conditions to reduce a substantial portion of the iron oxide thereby producing sponge iron and a sulfur-containing ash byproduct; discharging the sponge iron and ash byproduct from the rotary hearth furnace (1); and beneficiating the sponge iron to separate it from the high sulfur ash byproduct, thereby yielding a purified sponge iron product.