Analysis on kinetics of iron ore oxidized pellet by hydrogen plasma smelting reduction
YANG Zhiwen1,2, YU Jianbo1,2, ZHANG Yifan1,2, WANG Jiang1,2, REN Zhongming1,2
1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Special Steel, Shanghai 200444, China; 2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Abstract：Hydrogen plasma smelting reduction has received wide attention as a new technology for CO2 reduction in next-generation hydrogen metallurgy. The effects of gas flow rate and reduction time on the hydrogen plasma smelting reduction process (gas flow rates 5, 8, 10 L/min, H2 volume fraction 10%) were systematically investigated using iron ore oxidized pellet as the experimental material to provide theoretical basis for the hydrogen plasma smelting reduction of iron ore oxidized pellet. The reduction kinetics, evolution of Fe-containing phases, microstructure and impurity content in pig iron were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, Rietveld refinement, scanning electron microscopy and chemical analysis. The results show that the maximum conversion rate of iron oxidized pellet increases from 1.05 g/min at gas flow rate of 5 L/min to 3.60 g/min at gas flow rate of 8 L/min, while continue to increase the gas flow rate to 10 L/min, the maximum conversion rate decreases. The hydrogen plasma smelting reduction is consistent with the phase boundary reaction model with the mechanism function f(α)=3(1-α)2/3, α is conversion ratio of iron, and the corresponding reduction rate constants at different gas flow rate are 2.12×10-4, 7.29×10-4, and 6.62×10-4 s-1, respectively. Apparent activation energy is about 21 kJ/mol, reaction rate equation is ln r=-0.18-2 856/T, r is specific reduction rate, T is reaction temperature. The process of iron ore oxidized pellet reduction reaction is Fe2O3→Fe3O4→FexO→Fe2SiO4→Fe. After complete reduction, the purity of pig iron can reach 3N grade of industrial pure iron.
RAS K D, VIJVER R, GALVITA V V, et al. Carbon capture and utilization in the steel industry: Challenges and opportunities for chemical engineering[J]. Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering, 2019, 26: 81.
REN L, ZHOU S, PENG T, et al. A review of CO2 emissions reduction technologies and low-carbon development in the iron and steel industry focusing on China[J]. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2021, 143: 110846.
[6]
HASANBEIGI A, ARENS M, CARDENAS J, et al. Comparison of carbon dioxide emissions intensity of steel production in China, Germany, Mexico, and the United States[J]. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2016, 113: 127.
WANG R R, ZHAO Y Q, BABICH A, et al. Hydrogen direct reduction (H-DR) in steel industry:An overview of challenges and opportunities[J]. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021, 329: 129797.
[11]
PATISSON F, MIRGAUX O. Hydrogen ironmaking: How it works[J]. Metals, 2020, 10(7): 922.
BOULOS M I. Thermal plasma processing[J]. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 1991, 19(6): 1078.
[20]
张玉文. 冷等离子体氢还原金属氧化物的基础研究[D]. 上海:上海大学, 2005.
[21]
NASERI S M, SCHENK J. Thermodynamic of liquid iron ore reduction by hydrogen thermal plasma[J]. Metals, 2018, 8(12): 1051.
[22]
SABAT K C, MURPHY A B. Hydrogen plasma processing of iron ore[J]. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 2017, 48(3): 1561.
[23]
SABAT K C, RAJPUT P, PARAMGURU R K, et al. Reduction of oxide minerals by hydrogen plasma: An overview[J]. Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing, 2013, 34(1): 1.
[24]
NAKAMURA Y, ITOHIDEKI M, ISHIKAWA H. Reduction and dephosphorization of molten iron oxide with hydrogen-argon plasma[J]. Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing, 1981, 1(2): 149.
[25]
SOUZA F I R, MA Y, KULSE M, et al. Sustainable steel through hydrogen plasma reduction of iron ore: Process, kinetics, microstructure, chemistry[J]. Acta Materialia, 2021, 213: 116971.
[26]
BEHERA P R, BHOI B, PARAMGURU R K, et al. Hydrogen plasma smelting reduction of Fe2O3[J]. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 2019, 50(1): 232.
[27]
NASERI S M, SCHENK J, ZARL M A. Reduction of haematite using hydrogen thermal plasma[J]. Materials (Basel), 2019, 12(10): 1608.
[28]
NASERI S M, SCHENK J, SPREITZER D, et al. Slag formation during reduction of iron oxide using hydrogen plasma smelting reduction[J]. Materials, 2020, 13(4): 935.
[29]
ZARL M A, FARKAS M A, SCHENK J. A study on the stability fields of arc plasma in the HPSR process[J]. Metals, 2020, 10(10): 1349.
[30]
ERNST D, MANZOOR U, SOUZA F I R, et al. Impact of iron ore pre-reduction degree on the hydrogen plasma smelting reduction process[J]. Metals, 2023, 13(3): 558.
[31]
李洋. 铁氧化物氢基熔融还原物相演变及还原动力学研究[D]. 北京:北京科技大学, 2022.
[32]
NAGASAKA T, HINO M, BAN-YA S. Interfacial kinetics of hydrogen with liquid slag containing iron oxide[J]. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 2000, 31: 945.
[33]
HAYASHI S, IGUCHI Y. Hydrogen reduction of liquid iron oxide fines in gas-conveyed systems[J]. ISIJ International, 1994, 34(7): 555.
[34]
BADR K. Smelting of Iron Oxides using Hydrogen Based Plasmas[D]. Leoben: Montanuniversität Leoben, 2007.
[35]
KAMIYA K, KITAHARA N, MORINAKA I, et al. Reduction of molten iron oxide and FeO bearing slags by H2-Ar plasma[J]. Transactions of the Iron and Steel Institute of Japan, 1984, 24(1): 7.
[36]
BAN-YA S, IGUCHI Y, NAGASAKA T. Rate of reduction of liquid Wustite with hydrogen[J]. Tetsu-to-Hagane, 1984, 70(14): 1689.
2023, Vol. 33 
