摘要 |
A method for reducing particulate iron oxide and/or other iron units to molten iron utilizing gaseous hydrogen as reductant in a reducing furnace, in which the ore freely falls during the melting and reduction process. Reacted top gas is purified and recirculated through the reduction furnace, establishing a counter-flow relationship to the particulate iron oxide, thereby heating and reducing the oxide. The heat for reduction is generated by combusting a fraction of the hydrogen reductant with oxygen. Heat may also be supplied via the use of electric arc heating. Oxygen may be partially or wholly replaced with water in order to maintain reaction oxidizer ratios while reducing heat supplied to the reaction. |