Ferrochrome alloys are mainly produced in submerged-arc furnaces. Reductants used in ferrochrome production include coke, anthracite, and char. However, it is still unclear what happens after charging carbon in stoichiometric amount or in amounts lower or higher than that. The phase formation and phase transformations of products at different reducing temperatures in the presence of stoichiometric amount of a reductant are studied. The experiments were conducted at 1200, 1300, and 1550°C. Anthracite and coke were used as reductants. The steps, extent, and mechanisms of reactions for coke and anthracite at the same temperature and soaking time are discussed. Reductants are characterized using different analytical techniques to identify the changes in the morphology of reductants and phases associated with changes in the temperature.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Y. Xiao, Y. Yang, L. Holappa, and R. Boom, ”Microstructure changes of chromite reduced with CO gas,” in: Proc. INFACON XI, New Delhi, India, Feb. 18–21, 2007, pp.133–144.
A. Bhalla, The Reducibility of Chromite Ore and Reactivity of Carbonaceous Reductants: Witwatersrand Univ. Submis. for Master’s Degree, Johannesburg (2012), pp. 34–35.
Y. Yang, Y. Xiao, and M.A. Reuter, ”Analysis of transport phenomena in submerged arc furnace for ferrochrome production,” in: Proc. 10th Int. Ferroalloys Congr., Cape Town, South Africa, Feb. 1–4, 2004, pp. 15–25.
V. Sahajwalla, M. Dubikova, and R. Khanna, ” Reductant characterization and selection: Implications for ferroalloys processing,” ibid., pp. 351–362.
S. Kamalpour and W. J. Rankin, ”The behaviour of coke in submerged arc furnace smelting of ferromanganese,” ibid., pp. 381–391.
A. Barnes and R. Eric, “The relative irreducibilities of chromite ores and relative reactivity of carbonaceous reductants,” in: Proc. INFACON VII, Trondheim, June 11–14, 1995, pp. 231–238.
A. V. Roschin, V. N. Karnoukhov, V. E. Roschin, and N. V. Malkov, ”New findings in the research of solid phase reactions in the chromite ore reduction processes,” in: Proc. 10th Int. Ferroalloys Congr., Cape Town, South Africa, Feb. 1–4, 2004, pp. 333–342.
G. Makhoba and E. R. Hurman, ”Reductant characterisation in ferroalloys: aspects of submerged arc furnace smelting of ferrochrome and reductant selection,” in: Proc. INFACON XII, Helsinki, Finland, June 6–9, 2010, pp. 359–366.
X. Pan, ”Effect of South African reductants on ferrochrome production,” in: Proc. 14th Int. Ferroalloys Congr., Kiev, Ukraine, May 31–June 4, 2015, pp. 382–389.
R. Falcon, V. du Cann, D. Comins, et al., ”The characterisation of carbon reductants in the metallurgical industry: Case study,” in: Proc. 10th Int. Ferroalloys Congr., Cape Town, South Africa, Feb. 1–4, 2004, pp. 363–376.
J. Basson, T. R. Curr, and W. A. Gericke, “South Africa’s ferro alloys industry–present status and future outlook,” in: Proc. INFACON XI, New Delhi, India, Feb. 18–21, 2007, pp. 3–24.
V. Alain, Extractive Metallurgy 2: Metallurgical Reaction Processes, John Wiley and Sons, London (2011), pp. 168–182.
M. H. Farjadi and J. Azari, “Effect of chrome ore quality on ferrochrome production efficiency,” in: Proc. INFACON X, Cape Town, South Africa, Feb. 1–4, 2004, pp. 103–107.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Translated from Metallurg, No. 2, pp. 56–61, February, 2017.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mosoma, W., Kalenga wa Kalenga, M. & Pan, X. Effect of Stoichiometric Reductants on the Process of Ferrochrome Production at 1200–1550°C. Metallurgist 61, 132–138 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11015-017-0466-0
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11015-017-0466-0