Abstract
Thermal conductivities of dense pure hematite, magnetite and wustite measured using the laser flash method as reference value have been summarized in the form of an empirical equation k=1/(AT+B). Wustite shows an almost constant and the relatively low thermal conductivity due to the lattice imperfection. Thermal resistivities, 1/k, of three iron oxides appear to change linearly as a function of temperature up to the Tammann temperature.
Effective thermal conductivities of fired, nonfired pellets and sinter, reduced into magnetite, wustite and metallic iron by CO-CO2 or H2 gas, have also been systematically measured in the temperature range from room temperature to 1273 K. The porosity of samples was found to change from 20 to 62% by the reduction from hematite to metallic iron. Measured effective thermal conductivity values of these iron ore agglomerates are remarkably smaller than those of dense materials due to the existence of pore. Effective thermal conductivities of metallic iron and hematite strongly depend on temperature. There is no significant difference in the effective thermal conductivities of reduced samples at the same reduction degree.
The measured effective thermal conductivity values have been well-explained by the modified unit cell model originally proposed by Luikov when considering the structure composed of core part and connecting part in the solid phase. This model also clearly identify the distinction of solid structure in samples originated from the difference in preparation and reduction degree.
