Effect of composition and density of pellets made of reduced iron powders as well as temperature and carbon content of iron melt on their melting rate into iron melt has been investigated. The following results are obtained:
(1) Considering the oxygen content required to increase the melting rate, a favorable reduction degree of pellets having less than 5% gangue may be 95-98% and that of those having 5-10% gangue may be 90-95%.
(2) In case that a slag with high melting point is formed at the melting interface of pellets, the melting rate extremely decreases.
(3) The less the gangue content and the lower the melting point of slag made from the gangue, the greater the melting rate of pellets.
(4) The melting rate of pellets decreases as the carbon content of iron melt decreases and is nearly proportional to the temperature of iron melt in the range from 1400 to 1600°C.
