PRODUCTION OF IRON CARBIDE FROM IRON-ORES IN A FLUIDIZED-BED

Utilizing an ordinary bubbling fluidized bed, a batch of hematite ores (0.15 similar to 0.21 cm diameter) was reacted at 923 similar to 1123 K with H-2-CO mixtures to synthesize iron carbide. Sulfur of low pres sures unable to form FeS was added to the mixtures. For almost all the conditions, roughly one hour treatment yielded conversion of some typ es of ores fully to iron carbides as mostly Fe3C, partly accompanying FexC (x is approximately equal to 2.5), dependently of the reaction co nditions. It was proved that small amounts of gaseous sulfur led to ca rbides rather than free carbon or metallic iron as final products. The conditions of high temperature and low sulfur pressure provided high quality iron carbides having nearly 0.03 mass% S as low as conventiona l reduced irons. Their conversion yields seemed to be almost insensiti ve to the H-2/CO mole ratio and ore type. From rate analysis for carbu rization process obtained in a same reactor, it was suggested that thi s process has several times higher reaction rates than those measured in the conventional Iron Carbide Process gas.