A CFD Based Algorithm for Kinetics Analysis of the Reduction of Hematite Concentrate by H2 + CO Mixtures in a Drop Tube Reactor

A novel flash ironmaking process is under development at the University of Utah. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach, coupled with experimental results, was developed for the analysis of the kinetics of reduction of hematite concentrate by H-2 + CO mixtures at 1150-1350 degrees C in a drop tube reactor. Rate expressions of hematite concentrate reduction by single gases (H-2 or CO) were used in the analysis of the experimental data under H-2 + CO mixtures. Synergistic effects, which were found in the H-2 + CO mixture experiments compared with simple summation of contributions of component gases, was considered in this paper. The gas phase was treated as a continuum in the Eulerian frame of reference, and the particles are tracked using a Lagrangian approach in the evaluation of the particle residence time and temperature profile inside the reactor. The calculated reduction degrees based on this approach are in good agreement with the experimental values.