Direct reduction process and apparatus

A direct reduction process for a metalliferous material comprising:

• supplying a solid carbonaceous material, an oxygen-containing gas and a fluidizing gas to a first vessel for maintaining a fluidized bed in the first vessel and generating heat by reactions between the oxygen-containing gas and the solid carbonaceous material and any other oxidizable solids and gases in the fluidized bed and discharging a hot off-gas stream containing entrained solids,
• supplying the metalliferous material and a fluidizing gas to a second vessel for maintaining a fluidized bed in the second vessel and supplying the hot off-gas stream containing entrained solids from the first vessel to the fluidized bed in the second vessel and at least partially reducing the metalliferous feed material in the solid state in the fluidized bed and discharging a product stream of at least partially reduced metalliferous material and an off-gas stream containing entrained solids, and
• supplying an oxygen-containing gas into the second vessel.

A direct reduction apparatus for a metalliferous material comprising:

• (a) a first vessel for generating a hot off-gas stream containing entrained solids, the first vessel comprising an inlet means for supplying a solid carbonaceous material, a fluidizing gas, and an oxygen-containing gas into the first vessel and maintaining a fluidized bed in the vessel and producing the hot off-gas stream containing entrained solids, and an outlet means for discharging the hot off-gas stream containing entrained solids from the vessel;
• and
• (b) a second vessel for at least partially reducing metalliferous material in a solid state in a fluidized bed in the second vessel, the second vessel comprising an inlet means for supplying the metalliferous material, the hot off-gas stream containing entrained solids from the first vessel, and a fluidizing gas into the second vessel and maintaining the fluidized bed in the vessel, an outlet means for discharging a predominantly solids stream of at least partially reduced metalliferous feed material from the second vessel, and an outlet means for discharging a stream of an off-gas and entrained solids from the second vessel.