GB745001A - Improvements in iron recovery - Google Patents

Abstract

745,001. Reducing oxidic iron ores. UDY, M. J. May 11, 1953 [March 10, 1953], No. 13095/53. Class 72. Metallic iron is produced from iron oxide material by placing a finely divided charge comprising iron oxide material, fluxing material and a solid carbonaceous reducing material on the surface of a slag bath maintained at a temperature high enough to provide all the heat required to melt the charge and reduce the iron oxide by combined electric arc and resistance heating and separating the iron produced. The amount of carbonaceous material in the charge may be insufficient to introduce more than 2 per cent of carbon into the iron. As shown, the charge 17 is fed from a hopper 23 by a conveyer 24 down the sides of an electric furnace 10 on to the surface of a bath of slag so that the amount of charge building round the electrodes is kept at a minimum. The electrodes may be maintained between ¢ inch above the surface of the slag and 2 inches below the surface. If the charge contains one or more of the non-ferrous elements As, Ni, Co, Cu, S, and P the amount of reducing agent is controlled to reduce only these non-ferrous elements and a small portion of the iron oxide. The non- ferrous elements are removed in solution in the iron and the remainder of the charge mixed with additional carbonaceous material is further reduced to produce iron. Specification 741,844 is referred to.