FUNDAMENTAL PROCESSES IN BATH SMELTING - REACTIONS OF IRON-OXIDES WITH FE-C MELTS

Reactions of Fe-C melts with wustite, hematite, and partially metallis ed iron oxide pellets were investigated experimentally. Effects of pel let size, shape, initial temperature, and degree of metallisation, as well as bath temperature (1473-1923 K), on the reactions were examined . Flash X-ray equipment was used to obtain several images of the react ing pellet and melt surface. The time for complete reaction t(R) was t he same for both wustite and hematite pellets of equal weight at or ab ove 1723 K, but longer than that for partially metallised pellets. The pellet shape or its initial temperature had no effect on the reaction s. The value of t(R) decreased with increasing melt temperature, but t he rate of reduction for temperatures below 1651 K, the onset of the m elting point of wustite, was 5-100 lower than that for temperatures ab ove 1651 K. The overall reaction of the process (at or above 1723 K) f ollowed nth order reaction rate kinetics, with the order of reactions equalling 0.3-0.4. The apparent rate constant increased with increasin g bath temperature and the calculated apparent activation energy of th e process was 76.2 +/- 27.7 kJ (mol O)(-1).