According to embodiments, disclosed is a method and system to maintain the soft and sparse slag characteristic favorable for an electric arc to efficiently transfer the energy to molten iron with the power input per furnace area higher than 600 KW/m2 while keeping FeO amount less than 5% in the slag and carbon amount higher than 2.5% in the product hot metal at a DRI melting furnace.

A method for producing a homogenous molten composition and a fluid product is disclosed. For example, the method includes producing a first molten metal composition in an enclosed volume, contacting a hydrocarbon reactant with the first molten metal composition, decomposing the hydrocarbon reactant into at least one fluid product and carbon, forming a metal alloy from a mixture of the carbon and the first molten metal composition, and separating a homogenous second molten composition from the metal alloy.

A method of direct reduction of iron (DRI) is disclosed, the method comprising generating metallic iron by removing oxygen from iron ore using a reducing gaseous mixture with excess carbon monoxide that produces an excess CO.sub.2 by-product is provided. CO.sub.2 by-product is optionally sequestered. A system for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

The invention relates to a method for reducing metal oxides to metallized material by means of contact with reduction gas, wherein an accumulated top gas is dry dedusted and reformed in a raw gas mixture together with gaseous hydrocarbons. The water vapor content of the dry dedusted top gas designated for the preparation of the raw gas mixture is adjusted in a saturator in the countercurrent by means of saturation water, wherein the temperature of the saturation water is adjusted, by mixing cold water with a hot water having a higher temperature than the cold water, in order to produce the saturation water at a target value. The invention further relates to a device for carrying out such a method, having corresponding conduits.

A direct reduction process comprises providing a shaft furnace of a direct reduction plant to reduce iron oxide with reducing gas; providing a direct reduced iron melting furnace; and coupling a discharge chute between a discharge exit of the direct reduced shaft furnace and an inlet of the direct reduced iron melting furnace; wherein direct reduced iron and the reducing gas from the shaft furnace flow through the discharge chute and the reducing gas controls the melting furnace atmosphere to reducing environment.

A direct reduction method/system, including: adding variable amounts of natural gas, hydrogen, and a carbon-free oxidizing gas to a feed gas stream upstream of a reformer; reforming the feed gas stream in the reformer to form a reformed gas stream, and delivering the reformed gas stream to a shaft furnace, where the reformed gas stream is used to reduce a metallic ore material to a direct reduced metallic material. The feed gas stream includes a top gas stream recycled from the shaft furnace. Optionally, the carbon-free oxidizing gas includes steam and the method further includes controlling a steam flow rate of the steam to maintain a maximum k-factor value of the feed gas stream of 0.74 or lower. Optionally, the variable amount of hydrogen is selected to replace 20-90% of the natural gas by fuel value. The variable amount of hydrogen is selected based upon an available supply of hydrogen.

A method for producing a homogenous molten composition and a fluid product is disclosed. For example, the method includes producing a first molten metal composition in an enclosed volume, contacting a hydrocarbon reactant with the first molten metal composition, decomposing the hydrocarbon reactant into at least one fluid product and carbon, forming a metal alloy from a mixture of the carbon and the first molten metal composition, and separating a homogenous second molten composition from the metal alloy.

A process for the production of direct reduced iron (DRI), with or without carbon, using hydrogen, where the hydrogen is produced utilizing water generated internally from the process. The process is characterized by containing either one or two gas loops, one for affecting the reduction of the oxide and another for affecting the carburization of the DRI. The primary loop responsible for reduction recirculates used gas from the shaft furnace in a loop including a dry dedusting step, an oxygen removal step to generate the hydrogen, and a connection to the shaft furnace for reduction. In the absence of a second loop, this loop, in conjunction with natural gas addition, can be used to deposit carbon. A secondary carburizing loop installed downstream of the shaft furnace can more finely control carbon addition. This loop includes a reactor vessel, a dedusting step, and a gas separation unit.

A flash ironmaking system and a flash ironmaking method are provided. The flash ironmaking system includes a pulverized coal gasifier; a drying pre-reduction kiln; and a flash furnace having a horizontal bottom in which a molten iron layer region, a slag layer region and a carburizing bed layer region are sequentially formed, a reduction tower, a concentrate nozzle, and a flue.

The invention relates to the use of off-gas from furnaces (2) for the process of reduction of iron oxide. The bypass duct leads off-gas with reduction atmosphere directly into the reactor, passing through and back to join the main duct of dedusting system using negative pressure of the primary dedusting system. The off-gas directly heats up the iron oxide pellet and maintain the reduction atmosphere in the reactor and allow the reaction to proceed and prevent re-oxidation.