Sponge iron production by DRI Lec-16

Introduction
➢ During the process of direct reduction of iron oxide to DRI, the entire oxygen in
iron oxide is removed.
The final product having a high degree of metallisation exhibits a honeycomb
structure under a microscope
Metallisation = (Metallic Fe in percentage/Total Fe in percentage) X 100
Density of lump of DRI is 3.5 g/cm3, while iron is 7.8 g/cm3

Micrograph of direct reduced iron

Thermodynamic and kinetics of iron oxide reduction

Systems employing solid and gaseous reductants

A solid-solid reaction is always slower because
1. solid-solid contact area is limited
2. Solid-state diffusion is much slower

Overall reaction during the reduction of iron oxide occurs in

two stages Complete set of reactions in
MFexOy (s) + pCO(g) = nFe2Ow(s) + rCO2(g) Direct reduction process
and gasification of carbon:
C(s) + CO2(g) = 2CO(g)

Solid-state direct reduction

temperature range: 900-1100C
Total heat requirement of any DR process for
1. Heating the charge
2.Carrying out endothermic reduction
reactions
Steps involve in iron oxide reduction
Steps involved in iron oxide reduction include the following:
1. Heat transfer to the reaction interface
2. Mass transfer between the bulk gas and the solid oxide surface involving diffusion of
the reducing agents from the bulk gas to solid surface or of the gaseous reduction
products from the surface to the bulk gas, passing through a stagnant gas film
3. Mass transfer between solid oxide surface and the internal reaction interface through
the layer of solid reduction products which is influenced by
a. inter-particle diffusion of reducing agents of gaseous reduction products through a
porous layer of the solid reductant
b. Solid-state diffusion through a dense layer or lower oxides and/or through a dense
layer of reduced iron
4. Chemical reaction involving oxygen removal at the reaction interface
5. Nucleation and growth of the metallic iron phase
Nucleation and growth of iron

▪ The reduction of Fe2O3 to FeO and further to Fe with solid carbon , a minimum reaction
rate has been observed before the nucleation of iron.

▪ Nucleation time of Fe from FeO depends on the initial O present in the oxide

▪ Fe nucleated on FeO grows linearly with time for reduction with both H and CO
▪ Growth rates of Fe on FeO is forty times higher for H than for CO at 800C, because H forms
a thin and cohesive layer furing H reduction while in case of CO, the layer is thick and
porous.

▪ Retarding effect on nucleation occurs only in the FeO-Fe step, not in the formation stage
of Fe3O4 and FeO from Fe2O3

▪ The reduction and growth processes of iron oxides control the structure which in turn
affects the subsequent reduction rate
Mechanism of iron oxide reduction in coal-based processes

▪ Reactions between carbon and iron oxide particles begin on the points of contact
and form metallic Fe as intermediatory phases.
▪ Then reduction can proceed only by the diffusion of C through metallic iron layer to
the residual oxide
▪ Thus DR process, the solid and liquid reductant should be converted to a reducing
gas
▪ In rotary kiln based on coal the reduction of iron oxide involved
Mechanism of iron oxide reduction in gas-based processes

Unit steps in shaft furnace