Morphology and reduction kinetics of fluxed iron ore pellets

Abstract

The present paper describes studies of the reduction and sintering behaviour, followed by examination of the structural changes taking place, during direct reduction of fluxed composite (ore plus coal) pellets. The kinetics and morphological aspects of the direct reduction of fluxed composite pellets are compared with those for the gaseous reduction of fluxed ore pellets without carbon addition. It is shown that the chemical reaction is the rate limiting factor for fluxed composite pellets, and the mass transport of reactant gas through the reaction product iron layer governs the overall reduction process in the case of fluxed ore pellets. Microscopic analysis of the fluxed composite pellets has indicated no tendency to form a reduction inhibition iron shell towards the end of the reduction, as found in the case of gaseous reduction of fluxed ore pellets under identical reduction process conditions. The effects of basicity, Fe/C, temperature, and other variables on morphological and microstructural changes in the directly reduced fluxed composite pellets have been experimentally investigated in the present work.