Reaction Kinetics of Dehydrogenation from Molten Iron under Inert Gas Atmosphere

Abstract

The authors investigate the kinetic aspects of dehydrogenation from molten iron under Ar atmosphere of 1.013×10⁵ Pa at 1580°C. In the experiments, Ar is blown through an alumina lance onto the surface of the inductively stirred molten iron under various conditions of gas flow rate, lance height, and lance diameter. The reaction rate increases with the increase in the Ar flow rate. Simple first order and second order rate equations cannot fit the experimental data. Assuming that the gas side and the liquid side mass transfer processes are the rate determining steps, the authors develop a mixed transport control model. The gas side and the liquid side mass transfer coefficients are deduced from the kinetic data. The reaction rate is not affected by O and S in the explored range of [%O] and [%S]. It is concluded that the reaction is controlled by the gas side and the liquid side mass transfers.