Mathematical Modeling of the Kinetics of Carbothermic Reduction of Iron Oxides in Ore-Coal Composite Pellets

The kinetics of the carbothermic reduction of iron oxides in a composite pellet made of taconite concentrate and high-volatility coal has been studied by means of mathematical modeling that simultaneously takes into account the transfer rates of both the mass and the heat, and the rates of chemical reactions. The computational results, which have been validated with experimental data in the literature, confirm that the overall rate of the carbothermic reduction, which is strongly endothermic, is limited by heat-transfer steps. From a kinetics viewpoint, the optimum composition of the composite pellet is approximately in accordance with the stoichiometry, when CO is assumed to be the sole oxide of carbon in the gas. To raise the temperature of the pellet from its ambient value to furnace temperature, the heat required is greater than that needed for sustaining all chemical reactions, including the Boudouard reaction. The gaseous product consists mainly of CO and H(2), except in the very initial stage. The overall observable reaction rate, in terms of the volumetric rate of the generation of gases, peaks at approximately 30 seconds of reaction time.