US 11,203,791 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for producing direct reduced iron utilizing a catalytical pretreatment of hydrocarbons as a source of reducing gas

AssigneesDanieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA, Hyl Technologies, S.A. De C.V.

InventorsMichele Condosta, Daniela Dalle Nogare, Alessandra Primavera, Alessandro Martinis, Eugenio Zendejas Martinez

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for producing direct reduced iron using a pre-treated make-up gas as a reducing agent in a direct reduced iron reactor are provided. The method involves pre-treating a stream of make-up gas containing heavy hydrocarbons by subjecting the stream to low temperature adiabatic reforming at a temperature between 300° C. and 600° C., prior to using the stream of make-up gas as a reducing agent for producing direct reduced iron. The method also involves adjusting the humidity content of the stream of make-up gas after the low temperature adiabatic reforming by bypassing the stream to selectively split it into a first part of the stream of make-up gas and a second part of the stream of make-up gas, subjecting the first part to water separation, and then mixing the first part with the second part to obtain a reducing stream to be sent to direct reduced iron production.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for producing direct reduced iron, said method comprising:

pre-treating a stream of make-up gas containing heavy hydrocarbons by subjecting the stream of make-up gas to a low temperature adiabatic reforming at a temperature comprised between 300° C. and 600° C. to form a stream of pre-treated make-up gas to be used as a reducing agent for producing direct reduced iron;
subjecting said stream of pre-treated make-up gas to adjust humidity content of said stream of pre-treated make-up gas after said low temperature adiabatic reforming by bypassing said stream of pre-treated make-up gas to selectively split said stream of pre-treated make-up gas into a first part (128) of said stream of pre-treated make-up gas and a second part (130) of said stream of pre-treated make-up gas and subjecting only said first part (128) to a water separation in a water separation unit (136) and then mixing said first part (128) to said second part (130) to obtain a reducing stream (146);
sending said reducing stream (146) to a direct reduced iron reactor (10) and carrying out a zero-reformer process in which catalytic reformation of the pre-treated make-up gas is carried-out in situ within the direct reduced iron reactor (10) to produce direct reduced iron, wherein the pre-treated make-up gas is not subjected to any further catalytic reaction besides the catalytic reactions that occur inside said direct reduced iron reactor (10).

An apparatus for producing direct reduced iron, said apparatus comprising:

a direct reduced iron equipment (400) comprising a direct reduced iron reactor (10);
wherein said direct reduced iron equipment (400) is configured for carrying-out a zero-reformer process in which catalytic reformation of the pre-treated make-up gas is carried-out in situ within the direct reduced iron reactor (10) such that the pre-treated make-up gas is subjected to no further catalytic reaction besides the catalytic reactions that occur inside said direct reduced iron reactor (10),
wherein said apparatus comprises a low temperature adiabatic reforming section (300) comprising a low temperature adiabatic reforming reactor (122) configured for subjecting a stream of make-up gas containing heavy hydrocarbons to a low temperature adiabatic reforming at a temperature comprised between 300° C. and 600° C., prior to using said stream of make-up gas as a reducing agent for producing direct reduced iron in said direct reduced iron equipment (400), in order to obtain a pre-reformed gas suitable for use as a reducing agent for producing direct reduced iron in said direct reduced iron equipment (400);
and in that it comprises a humidity adjustment unit (500) configured for adjusting humidity content of said stream of make-up gas after the low temperature adiabatic reforming reactor (122), said humidity adjustment unit (500) comprising:
a bypass (131) located downstream of the low temperature adiabatic reforming reactor (122) and provided with a first branch (137) and a second branch (138) to selectively split said stream of make-up gas into a first part (128) of said stream of make-up gas and a second part (130) of said stream of make-up gas;
a water separation unit (136) associated to said first branch (137) and configured for subjecting said first part (128) to a water separation to be then mixed with said second part (130) to obtain a reducing stream (146) to be sent to said direct reduced iron equipment (400).

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/322,689Filed 2 Aug 2017
Priority: IT 1020160000818513 Aug 2016
Published: US 2021/0032712 A14 Feb 2021
Granted: 21 Dec 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

C21B 13/0073
Making spongy iron or liquid steel, by direct processes: selection or treatment of the reducing gases
C21B 13/14
Making spongy iron or liquid steel, by direct processes: multi-stage processes processes carried out in different vessels or furnaces
C21B 13/02
Making spongy iron or liquid steel, by direct processes: in shaft furnaces
C21B 2100/282
By separation: of carbon dioxide