The search for an economical and environmentally friendly ironmaking process

The scope of the present work is limited to coal-based processes. For envir onmental and economical considerations, it is desirable to use iron ore con centrates directly without agglomeration and coal directly without coking f or ironmaking. The energy efficiency of blast furnace ironmaking, which is improving constantly, is the moving target to overtake. Laboratory data on kinetics and mechanisms of iron oxide reduction in ore/c oal mixtures will be reported. These data include the reduction of green pe llets of ore/coal mixtures in air atmosphere in a muffle furnace. The advan tages of high temperature and tall bed will be discussed. The idea of integration of a rotary hearth furnace with a heat source of ve ry high temperatures such as a smelting reduction vessel mainly for melting and slag-metal reactions will be presented.