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US 12,618,120 B2Granted
Direct reduction of iron by hydrogen plasma in a rotary kiln reactor
AssigneeUchicago Argonne, LLC
InventorsZuotao Zeng, John P. Kopasz, Theodore R. Krause, Angel Yanguas-Gil, Meimei Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydrogen-plasma rotary kiln furnace reactor and a method of reducing iron ore to iron using the same are disclosed. The hydrogen-plasma rotary kiln furnace includes a rotary kiln furnace and a hydrogen-plasma generator.
Claims20
A method of reducing iron with zero-CO2 emission, the method comprising:
- reducing iron ore or iron ore concentrate to iron at a pressure in a range of 0.9 atm to 1.1 atm in a hydrogen-plasma rotary kiln furnace reactor, wherein the reactor comprises:
- a rotary kiln furnace including a hollow and cylindrical furnace body elongated along a first axis, the furnace body comprising:
- a first zone, a second zone, and third zone, the second zone located between the first zone and the third zone;
- and
- a liner forming an innermost layer of the furnace body;
- a hydrogen-plasma generator, wherein heat dissipated by the hydrogen-plasma generator is reused for further reduction of the iron ore or iron ore concentrate;
- wherein the hydrogen-plasma generator is disposed in the second zone and the liner is disposed around the hydrogen-plasma generator, the hydrogen-plasma generator configured to generate hydrogen plasma, the hydrogen plasma configured to flow towards the third zone;
- and
- wherein the iron ore or iron ore concentrate is configured to move down an incline from the third zone to the first zone, and reduction of the iron ore or iron ore concentrate to iron occurs in the second zone.
6 more elements
A method of reducing iron with zero-CO2 emission, the method comprising:
- reducing iron ore or iron ore concentrate to iron at a pressure in a range of 0.9 atm to 1.1 atm in a hydrogen-plasma rotary kiln furnace reactor, wherein the reactor comprises:
- a rotary kiln furnace including a hollow and cylindrical furnace body elongated along a first axis;
- a hydrogen-plasma generator, wherein heat dissipated by the hydrogen-plasma generator is reused for further reduction of the iron ore or iron ore concentrate;
- a feeder connected to an end cap and configured to feed the iron ore or iron ore concentrate into the furnace body;
- an exhaust gas outlet connected to the end cap;
- a water-hydrogen separator connected to the exhaust gas outlet;
- and
- a sponge iron cooler connected to a kiln hood,
- wherein the water-hydrogen separator is configured to transfer recycled hydrogen to the sponge iron cooler.
6 more elements
A method of reducing iron with zero-CO2 emission, the method comprising:
- reducing iron ore or iron ore concentrate to iron at a pressure in a range of 0.9 atm to 1.1 atm in a hydrogen-plasma rotary kiln furnace reactor, wherein the reactor comprises:
- a rotary kiln furnace including a hollow and cylindrical furnace body elongated along a first axis;
- a hydrogen-plasma generator, wherein heat dissipated by the hydrogen-plasma generator is reused for further reduction of the iron ore or iron ore concentrate;
- an end cap connected to a first end of the furnace body;
- and
- a kiln hood connected to a second end of the furnace body and configured to receive the hydrogen-plasma generator such that the hydrogen-plasma generator is disposed inside the furnace body,
- wherein the second end is opposite to the first end, and
- wherein both the end cap and the kiln hood are fixedly configured such that the end cap and the kiln hood do not rotate while allowing rotation of the furnace body.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.