Iron smelting - using low-grade ores and coal in low-cost appts

摘要

A rotary furnace is charged with iron ore, carbon-based reducing agents and slag-formers, and the ore reduced in the presence of hot combustion gas at 600 degrees-1300 degrees C to produce a solid to pasty mass of spongy iron and gangue consisting of the principal solid ingredients of the furnace effluent. - This effluent is fused and the resultant slag floats towards the top in the fusion zone and is separated from the fused effluent, while molten iron deposit moves towards the base. - The molten iron is refined if necessary and recovered from the fusion zone. The process requires comparatively low capital investment and can easily cope with a wide variety of starting materials, e.g. low-quality ores and non-coking coal.