CARBURIZATION OF DIRECTLY REDUCED IRON DURING REDUCTION OF IRON-ORE FINES BY COAL FINES

In a direct reduction process, if iron ore is reduced by solid carbonaceous material, then there is some carburisation of the reduced mass. This carburisation of DRI (directly reduced iron) produced under different experimental conditions has been studied. The DRI, which is produced by reduction of iron ore with coal, contains a substantial amount of free carbon at the initial stages, which is consumed gradually in the later stages. At the later stages of reduction, carbon is present mainly in the combined state. Volatile matter has little influence in governing the combined carbon content. Carbonates increase the combined carbon content of DRI.