Enhancement of low-temperature gasification and reduction by using iron coke in laboratory scale tests

Iron-coke having various amount of M.Fe were produced in laboratory scale and the influence of M.Fe content in Iron-coke on reaction behavior under the condition simulating blast furnace has been investigated. Cold strength of Iron-coke products was decreased with an increase of mixing ratio of iron ore mostly due to a prevention of dilatation of coal particles by iron ore, resulting in weak bonding of coal particles. Nevertheless formed Iron-coke with iron ore in the fraction up to 30 % would have enough strength for use in blast furnace as nut coke. Both CRI and JIS-reactivity were enhanced by increasing ratio of mixed iron ore, confirming the catalysis effect of M.Fe. The temperature at which carbon consumption started was lowered with an increase of T.Fe in coke. Formed Iron-coke containing 43 % of T.Fe started reaction consuming its carbon at lower temperature than conventional coke by 150 °C. Furthermore, consumed carbon ratio was improved by M.Fe installation to coke due to increasing gasification. Process evaluation with using Iron-coke in blast furnace was performed by BIS test. It was revealed that using formed Iron-coke having 43 % of T.Fe for blast furnace resulted in an increase of shaft efficiency by 6.8%. It was found that to lower the reducing agent rate in blast furnace by decreasing the temperature of thermal reserve zone, lowering the beginning temperature of coke reaction was effective. Usage of Iron-coke having M.Fe catalyst within coke matrix is one of the methods.