Method of inhibiting rusting of sponge iron
AssigneeMidrex Corporation
InventorsWilliam A. Ahrendt, David C. Meissner
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Abstract
A method for inhibiting rusting of sponge iron or any form of directly reduced iron when contacted by air, water, or other oxidant, by treating the sponge iron with a water soluble alkali metal silicate solution. The resulting product, a sodium silicate treated, rust-resistant metallized iron pellet, is also disclosed.
Claims38
A method of inhibiting oxidation of sponge iron consisting of contacting said sponge iron with a solution consisting of an aqueous solution of alkali metal silicate.
A method of preventing the generation of hydrogen when water contacts directly reduced metallized iron pellets consisting of treating said pellets with a water soluble alkali metal silicate by immersing said pellets in an aqueous solution of said alkali metal silicate, then removing the pellets from the solution.
A method for preventing oxidation of sponge iron in air consisting of contacting sponge iron with a liquid sodium silicate, then drying said sponge iron under oxidizing conditions at a temperature substantially below the auto-ignition temperature of sponge iron.
A method of manufacturing improved sponge iron consisting of the step of contacting sponge iron with a liquid consisting of an alkali metal silicate.
A method of making improved sponge iron comprising the steps:
- a. reducing particulate iron ore;
- and
- b. contacting the reduced iron of step (a) with a liquid consisting solely of a water soluble alkali metal silicate capable of inhibiting oxidation of said reduced iron.
A method of making a rust-resistant metallized iron pellet consisting of treating a directly reduced iron pellet by contacting said pellet with a solution consisting of an aqueous solution of an alkali metal silicate.
An improved sponge iron consisting essentially of sponge iron and sodium silicate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.