Method for reduction of finely divided metal oxide material

Abstract

In the reduction of finely divided material containing metal oxide in the presence of a carbonaceous material in a reactor, a gas containing molecular oxygen is supplied to the material and a gas mixture containing carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and water is removed from the reactor. Part of the gas mixture is returned to the reactor unchanged, while another part is supplied with steam which is caused to react with the carbon monoxide to form carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalytic material. The carbon dioxide is removed from this part of the gas mixture and this part is returned to the reactor. The amount of steam supplied is sufficient to produce an amount of carbon dioxide in this part of the gas mixture, before the carbon dioxide is removed, which is at least as great as the total amount of carbon dioxide in those parts of the gas mixture removed from the reactor which are returned to the reactor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.