System and method for process water and oxide coating recovery and distribution

Abstract

A system and method for process water and oxide coating recovery and distribution in a direct reduction system, such as a system for producing direct reduced iron. A warm lime softener is used to remove (recover) calcium, alkalinity, and other constituents from the process water system and to produce an effluent that can be further processed and returned as makeup to the process water system. The lime softening process requires lime (or similar material) to be added to the influent, thereby increasing the calcium and pH levels until they become supersaturated and precipitate. This chemical process results in effluent that is low in calcium, alkalinity, and total suspended solids.

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