Abstract
Pig iron nuggets were produced in a laboratory-scale furnace at Michigan Technological University. The process was intended to replicate Kobe Steel’s ITmk3 direct ironmaking process. These nuggets were produced from pellets that were made from a mixture of iron oxide, coal, flux and a binder and heated in a furnace with a chamber temperature of 1,450°C. The pellets then self-reduced to produce a solid, high-density, highly metallized (96.5% Fe) pig iron. During the nugget production process, a separate liquid slag phase formed that cleanly separated from the molten metal. The physical and chemical properties of the pig iron nuggets were similar to pig iron produced by blast furnaces, which is distinct from direct reduced iron (DRI).
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Anameric, B., Kawatra, S.K. Laboratory study related to the production and properties of pig iron nuggets. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 23, 52–56 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403336
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403336
Key words
- Iron nuggets
- Pig iron
- ITmk3 ironmaking process