Reduction reactor and process of effecting reduction of iron ore material to reduced iron material. The process includes feeding iron ore material into a reduction reactor at a top portion thereof, creating a gravitational flow of the material in the reduction reactor from the top portion, axially downwards towards a bottom portion of the reduction reactor; feeding a heated reduction gas into the reduction reactor at the top portion of the reduction reactor, such that the reduction gas creates a co-current flow with the gravitational flow of the material in the reduction reactor; and by means of the reduction gas reducing the iron ore material to reduced iron material in the reduction reactor.

The present invention relates to a method for producing iron fuel from metal oxide containing charge materials via reducing the metal oxide containing charge materials. An object of the present invention is to produce iron in a specific powder form having a particle size distribution and specific surface area, wherein the iron powder is to be used as a starting material for iron fuel combustion.

The present invention relates to a process for the smelting of a metalliferous feedstock material. The process includes the steps of: (i) feeding an agglomerate comprising of a fine metalliferous feedstock material and a fine reductant to a reactor, the agglomerate forming a packed bed within the reactor; (ii) smelting the agglomerate by passing a hot reducing gas counter current through the packed bed to form a molten material comprising a partially reduced metalliferous constituent, an intermediate slag constituent and entrained unreacted reductant constituent; and (iii) channeling the molten material to flow into a vessel to form a metal product and a slag product.

A process for producing DRI from iron ores, utilizing a gas produced from fossil fuels, containing sulfur compounds and BTX, heating said gas in a heater, preferably a regenerator, wherein heat is transferred from a previously-heated solid material to the gas. Flowing the hot gas through a bed of DRI particles, iron oxides or other equivalent material, outside of the reduction reactor, where said material adsorbs sulfur compounds and destroys BTX. The resulting gas, free from sulfur compounds and BTX, is combined with a reducing gas stream from the reduction reactor after H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2 is at least partially removed for regenerating its reducing potential, with or without undergoing previous cleaning, is used for producing DRI. One inventive embodiment comprises producing DRI at high temperature giving advantageously higher productivity and energy savings when using hot DRI in an electric arc furnace lowering the capital and operational costs of steelmaking.

The invention relates to a process for direct reduction of iron ore to afford direct reduced iron, wherein the iron ore sequentially passes through a reduction zone for reducing the iron ore to direct reduced iron and a cooling zone for cooling the direct reduced iron, wherein in the reduction zone the iron ore is subjected to a flow of a reduction gas and wherein in the cooling zone the direct reduced iron is subjected to a flow of a cooling gas. The cooling gas in the cooling zone comprises H2 and CO2, wherein the ratio of the mole fractions of H2 to CO2 is greater than 1.8 and the mole fraction of CO2 is greater than 20 mol %.

In a process of reducing iron ore powder by fluidized bed reduction furnaces and a smelting reduction furnace, CO.sub.2 emissions are significantly reduced and stable operation is possible regardless of fluctuations in various conditions. A method of reducing iron ore powder, the method including: a fluidized bed reduction process of fluidizing and reducing iron ore powder in a fluidized bed reduction furnace using a first reducing gas to produce partially reduced iron; and a smelting reduction process of reducing the partially reduced iron in a smelting reduction furnace using a second reducing gas. Fluidized bed reduction furnace top gas discharged from the top of the fluidized bed reduction furnace is used for synthesis of methane and reforming of methane-containing gas.

Proposed is a system for carbon dioxide capture and carbon recycling for a steel mill. The system includes a fluidized bed reduction furnace configured to reduce fine iron ore to reduced iron by using a reducing gas, a first discharge means configured to discharge an exhaust gas generated from the fluidized bed reduction furnace, a melting furnace configured to manufacture molten iron, a second discharge means configured to discharge an exhaust gas generated from the melting furnace, and a reactor configured such that when the reactor receives the exhaust gas discharged from the fluidized bed reduction furnace and the melting furnace as the reducing gas, the reactor captures carbon dioxide in the reducing gas by reacting the reducing gas with a basic alkaline mixture solution, and then collects a reactant and injects, into the fluidized bed reduction furnace, the reducing gas from which carbon dioxide is removed.

The invention relates to a process for direct reduction of iron ore to sponge iron, wherein the iron ore passes through a reduction zone for reducing the iron ore to sponge iron. The reduction zone is subdivided into a pre-reduction zone supplied with a first reduction gas and into an end-reduction zone supplied with a second reduction gas. The first reduction gas has a different gas composition compared to the second reduction gas. A first reduction gas has a hydrogen proportion at least 5% by volume higher compared to the second reduction gas.

An arrangement and process for charging iron ore to a direct reduction shaft, as well as an arrangement and process for discharging sponge iron from a direct reduction shaft. The processes each include the steps of evacuating gas from a vessel by application of vacuum followed by refilling the vessel with a process gas from the direct reduction shaft. Also provided is a system for the production of sponge iron including such an arrangement for charging iron ore and/or discharging sponge iron. Further provided is a process for direct reduction of iron ore, wherein the process includes introducing a process gas from direct reduction to a direct reduction shaft in conjunction with charging iron ore and/or in discharging sponge iron.

A process for direct reduction of iron ore to sponge iron is disclosed. The iron ore passes through a reduction zone for reducing the iron ore to sponge iron. A reduction gas is passed through the iron ore in the reduction zone. The reduction gas introduced into the reduction zone comprises at least one compound of carbon and hydrogen and/or at least one compound of carbon and oxygen and/or hydrogen. The process gas discharged from the reduction zone comprises hydrogen and at least one compound of carbon and oxygen and/or at least one hydrogen-containing compound. The process gas is supplied to at least a first process step in which at least one compound of the process gas and/or at least portions of the unavoidable impurities are separated and/or removed. After the first process step the process gas is subjected to processing such that hydrogen is obtained as a byproduct.