Effect of composition and processing conditions on the direct reduction of iron oxide pellets

In this paper, HSC software is used to estimate the effects of composition and processing conditions on the reduction behavior of iron oxide pellets, i.e., hematite (Fe2O3), magnetite (Fe3O4), wustite (FeO), pure iron (Fe), and iron carbide (Fe3C), in a wide temperature range from room temperature (RT) to 1000°C in the presence of H2 and CO mixtures. The reducibility of iron ores, in particular Fe2O3, Fe3O4, FeO, Fe is discussed. The choice of reducing agents CO and H2 is explained, with CO proving to be the more effective reducing agent at high temperatures from a thermodynamic point of view. However, the free Gibbs energy of iron reduction is lowest in the presence of a 100% H2 atmosphere. In addition, H2 reduces tortuosity and increases porosity by reducing it at cooler temperatures and promoting diffusion. In contrast, CO increases tortuosity and reduces initial porosity because it requires higher temperatures for effective reduction and causes structural changes. The presence of impurities other than iron oxides has been shown to impair the activity of reduced pure iron by acting as catalyst poisons or participating in competing reactions. CaO accelerates the reduction of FeO, which is due to the formation of calcium ferrite, but the effect decreases at higher temperatures. MgO can either promote or hinder reduction, depending on its concentration and its influence on pellet porosity. The presence of several non‑iron oxides has been shown to affect the overall direct reduction of iron ore pellets, resulting in a significant impact of the overall process.