Direct Reduction (DR) Processes - First No Coke Option for Iron Making

19-Dec-2009

The first no coke method of iron making units is Direct Reduction (DR Process). Direct reduction processes can be divided into those using non-coking coal (as in rotary kiln and rotary hearth furnace based processes) and those using natural gas (as in shaft furnace, fluidized bed furnace, and fixed bed furnace based processes). DR processes using coal have been found to be more suitable in areas, which have local sources of coal and ore but no natural gas. On the other hand in gas-rich areas, gas-based DR (larger in size and more energy efficient) is the automatic choice.

A large number of DR (direct reduction) processes are available today, which can be grouped as follows:

• Coal based direct reduction (DR processes) using rotary kilns such as SL/RN, DRC, TDR, Jindal, Codir, Accar, SIIL and OSIL. 
• Coal based direct reduction (DR processes) using rotary hearth furnaces such as Fastmet, Inmetco, Circofer and Sidcomet etc. 
• Batch type gas based processes using retorts - HyL I. 
• Continuous processes in a shaft furnace using reformed natural gas as the reductant such as Midrex and HyL III. 
• Gas based processes using a fluidized bed - Fior, Finmet, Circored.  
• Special processes for treating waste oxides such as Primus using a multi-hearth furnace.

We have described most of these DR (Direct Reduction) processes separately and individually in this Blog since, it will be too lengthy to put all of them at one place. To know more about each of the DR processes simply type the name of the process in the search box placed near the top of this Blog and search. Alternatively you may select and click on the name of the process from the list of KEYWORDS given in the sidebar.