| Abstract: | Corex process is a smelting reduction process to produce hot metal of blast-furnace quality. Coal is used instead of coke, and this replacement makes production costs of hot metal decrease. Iron ore reduction and melting is separated into two steps: in a melter gasifier reducing gas is generated and melting energy is produced by coal gasification; iron ore is reduced in a shaft furnace. Due to this separation, a great variety of untreated coals can be used. The Corex process is designed to operate under elevated pressure, up to 5 bar. Reducing gas is generated in a fluidized bed by partial oxidation of coal. After leaving the melter gasifier, the gas is mixed with cooling gas to obtain a temperature suitable for direct reduction, i.e. approximately 850–900°C. The fines captured in a hot cyclone are re-injected into the gasifier. Reducing gas is fed into the reduction furnace and ascends through the iron burden according to the counterflow principle. The hot DRI having a temperature of 800–900°C is continuously charged into the melter gasifier, where further reduction is effected and melting occurs. Hot metal and slag drop to the bottom of the melter-gasifier. Analogous to blast-furnace practice hot metal and slag are discharged by conventional tapping. |
