Desulfurization Technology in the Blast Furnace Raceway by MgO–SiO₂ Flux Injection

Abstract

This paper presents a study on desulfurization technology in the steel industry, with attention focused on the removal of sulfur that forms acid rain, which has been creating various global problems. The study was confined to the technology that injects a mixture of serpentine and pulverized coals. Thermodynamically, a magnesium gas producing reaction occurs when magnesium oxide is turned into a hot strongly reducing atmosphere and the resulting magnesium gas forms magnesium sulfide by reaction with the sulfur in the molten iron. By dividing this desulfurization process into a magnesium gas producing reaction and a desulfurization reaction by the magnesium gas, the desulfurization effect of the magnesium oxide flux was confirmed through laboratory experiment. A thermodynamic study on the desulfurization reaction in which SiO gas resulting from the reduction of SiO₂ produces a silicon sulfide gas by reaction with the sulfur in the molten iron revealed that the possibility of desulfurization of the molten iron by the silicon sulfide gas is not negligible.