Production of Metallic Iron from Iron Oxide (Fe₂O₃) Using End-of-Life Rubber Tyre and its Blends with Metallurgical Coke as Reductants

Abstract:

The production of metallic iron from iron oxide using end-of-life tyres (RT) and its blends with metallurgical coke as reductants has been investigated through experiments conducted in a laboratory scale horizontal tube furnace. Composite pellets of iron oxide (96.89 % Fe₂O₃) with RT, coke and coke/RT blends (in four different proportions) were rapidly heated at 1500 °C under high purity argon gas and the off gas was continuously analysed for CO and CO₂ using an online infrared gas analyser (IR). The extent of reduction after ten minutes, level of carburisation of the reduced metal and the total amount of CO₂ emissions were determined for each carbonaceous reductant. The results indicate that metallic iron can be effectively produced from Fe₂O₃ using RT and its blends with coke as reductant. The extent of reduction and level of carburisation are significantly improved when coke is blended with RT. Blending of coke with RT resulted in significant decrease in CO₂ emissions.

• Periodical: International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa (Volume 10)
• Pages: 1-12
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/JERA.10.1
• Online since: July 2013
• Authors: James Ransford Dankwah, Pramod Koshy
• Keywords: Carburisation, End-of-Life Tyres, Extent of Reduction, Fe₂O₃ Reduction, Metallurgical Coke

References

[1] World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Managing End-of-Life Tires, Full Report (2007) 15 pp.

[2] C. Clauzade, End-of-life tyres in electric arc furnaces: an industrial success story, ALIAPUR report (2006) 8 pp.

[3] V. Sahajwalla, M. Zaharia, A. Anthony, J. Lee, S. Darma, R. Khanna, N. Saha-Chaudhury, D. Knights, P. O'Kane, and E. Pretorius, Combustion of organic waste materials for their utilisation in EAF steelmaking, Proceedings of AISTech Conf., Indianapolis, USA (2007) CD-1.

[4] M. Rahman, V. Sahajwalla, R. Khanna, N. Saha-Chaudhury, D. Knights, and P. O'Kane, Fundamental understanding of carbonaceous materials' influence on slag foaming, Proceedings of AISTech Conf., Cleveland, USA (2006) CD-1.

[5] J.R. Dankwah, P. Koshy, N.M. Saha-Chaudhury, P. O'Kane, C. Skidmore, D. Knights and V. Sahajwalla, Reduction of FeO in EAF steelmaking slag by metallurgical coke and waste plastics blends, ISIJ Int. 51 (2011) 498-507.

DOI: 10.2355/isijinternational.51.498

[6] K. Nishioka, T. Taniguchi, Y. Ueki, K. Ohno, T. Maeda, and M. Shimuzu, Gasification and reduction behaviour of plastics and iron ore mixtures by microwave heating, ISIJ Int. 47 (2007) 602-607.

DOI: 10.2355/isijinternational.47.602

[7] T. Murakami and E. Kasai, Reduction mechanism of iron oxide-carbon composite with polyethylene at lower temperature, ISIJ Int. 51 (2011) 9-13.

DOI: 10.2355/isijinternational.51.9

[8] A.A. El-Geassy and V. Rajakumar, Gaseous reduction of wustite with H2, CO and H2-CO mixtures, Trans. ISIJ. 25 (1985) 449-458.

DOI: 10.2355/isijinternational1966.25.449

[9] H. Ono-Nakazato, T. Yonezawa and T. Usui, Effect of water-gas shift reaction on reduction of iron oxide powder packed bed with H-CO mixtures, ISIJ Int. 43 (2003) 1502-1511.

DOI: 10.2355/isijinternational.43.1502

[10] E. Donskoi, D.L.S. McElwain and L.J. Wibberley, Estimation and modelling of parameters for direct reduction in iron ore/coal composites Part II. Kinetic parameters, Metall. Matter. Trans. B 34B (2003) 255-266.

DOI: 10.1007/s11663-003-0012-2

[11] J.Y. Shi, E. Donskoi, D.L.S. McElwain and L.J. Wibberley, Modelling novel coal based direct reduction process, Ironmaking Steelmaking 35 (2008) 3-13.

DOI: 10.1179/174328107x174654

[12] J. Jones: An International Pig Iron Association Technical Report, 2007..

[13] R.J. Fruehan: The rate of carburization of iron in CO-H2 atmospheres: Part I. Effect of Temperature and CO and H2 pressures, Metall. Trans. 4 (1973) 2123-2127.

DOI: 10.1007/bf02643276

[14] J.H. Kaspersma and R.H. Shay, A model for carbon transfer in gas-phase carburization of steel, J. Heat Treating 1 (1980) 21-28.

DOI: 10.1007/bf02833252

[15] O. Karabelchtchikova, PhD Thesis, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, US, 1997.

[16] S. Kongkarat, R. Khanna, P. Koshy, P. O'Kane, and V. Sahajwalla, Use of bakelite as a raw material resource for re-carburisation in steelmaking processes, Steel Research Int. 82 (2011) 1228-1239.

DOI: 10.1002/srin.201100104

[17] T. Matsuda, M. Hasegawa, A. Ikemura, K. Wakimoto and M. Iwase, Utilization of waste plastic for the production of metallic iron, hydrogen and carbon monoxide without generating carbon dioxide, ISIJ Int. 48 (2008) 1188-1196.

DOI: 10.2355/isijinternational.48.1188