Reduction of Ferric Oxide Pellets by Pure Methane

Abstract

Two kinds of pellets, of about 10 mm, made of ferric oxide powder and of Marcona powdery ore, were reduced to some extent by pure methane at temperatures of 770 1, 000°C, and the composition of exhaust gas was analysed.
For pellets of ferric oxide powder (hematite), fractional conversion of reduction was found to be nearly 95 per cent at 870°C, and carbon deposition was negligible before the total conversion attained 90 per cent. Conversion of methane of nearly 10 per cent was observed in the above case.
In case of 13.2 mm pellets of Marcona powdery ore, on the other hand, carbon deposition increased very much after total conversion of the pellet exceeded 55 per cent, and then nearly 45 per cent of methane was converted to carbon, carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
Difference of reduction behavior between the two kinds of pellets is discussed briefly, taking account of the difference of size distribution for the original fine powder.