Process for treating a particulate material within a rotating retort

A process for removing oxygen and carbon from iron powder, said process comprising:

• placing iron powder to be treated in a retort mounted for rotation and having walls containing an initial particulate material;
• rotating said retort at a predetermined rate for fluidizing said iron powder within said retort to transfer a change in temperature rapidly between particles of said iron powder and initial particulate material and the walls of said retort;
• heating said retort to a predetermined temperature between about 920 K and 1075 K;
• holding said retort at a constant temperature until substantially all of the carbon within the iron powder has reacted with some of the oxygen in said iron powder and is exhausted from the retort as a gaseous combination of carbon and oxygen;
• injecting into said retort a gaseous atmosphere which is inert to iron powder, oxygen or carbon;
• injecting additional carbon into said retort after the carbon within said powder within said retort has reacted with a portion of the oxygen contained in said powder;
• monitoring the effluent from said retort and adjusting the input of additional carbon in response to measurement of the contents of said effluent;
• and
• continuing the injection of additional carbon until effluent analysis indicates substantially all oxygen has been removed.

A method for removing oxides and carbon from a metallic particulate material in a retort mounted for rotation, said method comprising:

• loading the metallic particulate material into the retort from a first conduit connected to the retort at one end;
• heating said retort to a temperature whereby metal oxides on the surface of said metallic particulate material react with carbon, said temperature being of sufficient magnitude that any carbon present within said metallic particulate material diffuses to the surface thereof to react with said metal oxides;
• monitoring the gas exiting from said retort;
• injecting an inert gas through said first conduit into said retort;
• injecting carbon into said retort;
• and
• controlling the injection of said carbon in response to measurement of oxygen in the effluent from said retort so as to react carbon with the majority of the oxides on said metallic particulate material without diffusing or reacting substantial amounts of carbon with said metallic particulate material.

A process for removing carbon and oxygen from metal powder within a retort mounted for rotating about an axle having a pair of rotating conduits connected to said retorts;

• said process comprising:
• heating said retort to a temperature whereby metal oxides on the surface of said metal powder react with carbon, said temperature being of sufficient magnitude that carbon present within said metal powder diffuses to the surface thereof to react with said metal oxides;
• injecting hydrogen into said retort for reacting with any oxygen remaining after reaction of said carbon and said metal oxides;
• heating said retort to a temperature of at least 1100 K;
• and
• drawing a vacuum of at least 25 inches of mercury on one of said rotating conduits for directing fluids away from said retort.