2015-Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit
SIPS 2015 Volume 3: Takano Intl. Symp. / Metals & Alloys Processing

Editors:Kongoli F, Noldin JH, Mourao MB, Tschiptschin AP, D'Abreu JC
Publisher:Flogen Star OUTREACH
Publication Year:2015
Pages:550 pages
ISBN:978-1-987820-26-3
ISSN:2291-1227 (Metals and Materials Processing in a Clean Environment Series)
CD-SIPS2015_Volume
< CD shopping page

    Direct Reduction of Iron: A Review on Midrex and Hyl Patents

    Tiago Ribeiro1; Joao Batista Ferreira Neto1; Cyro Takano2; Joao Poco3;
    1INSTITUTE FOR TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 2UNIVERSITY OF SAO PAULO, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 3UNIVERSITY CENTER OF FEI, Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil;
    Type of Paper: Regular
    Id Paper: 169
    Topic: 3

    Abstract:

    Ironmaking is the major energy consuming and CO2-emmiting step in steel production. Direct reduction processes are an alternative to the traditional blast furnace because of the use of H2 in the reducing gases which generate less CO2. There are two main technologies for direct reduction of iron, Midrex and Energiron (or Hyl) which together are responsible for 80% of the production of direct reduced iron in the world. A review on the patents published by the two companies was performed in this work and it was possible to describe the functioning of both process, the developments over the years and to distinguish the differences. Both process are based on shaft furnaces where reducing gases flow in countercurrent to iron ore pellets heating them and reducing iron. The reducing gases are generated by catalytic reforming of methane. The reforming in Midrex is mainly by reaction with CO2 and in Energiron with H2O. There is a newer process version without a reformer, the Energiron Zero Reformer (ZR). In this process, natural gas is injected together with CO2 and H2O in the reduction reactor and the recently reduced iron works as catalyst for reforming reactions. The heat balance is compensated by the injection of oxygen that partially burns the combustible gases.

    Keywords:

    Furnace; Iron; Process; Technology;

    References:

    [1] International Energy Agency. World Energy Outlook 2013. 2013.
    [2] Midrex Technologies. 2013 World Direct Reduction Statistics. 2014. Available at: http://www.midrex.com/assets/user/news/MIDREX_World_DRI_Stats.pdf. Access: May, 2015.
    [3] World Steel Association. Blast furnace iron production, 1980-2013. Available at: http://www.worldsteel.org/statistics/statistics-archive/annual-iron-archive.html. Access: May, 2015.
    [4] Midland-Ross Corporation, Inc. Patent US3764123. Method of and Apparatus for Reducing Iron Oxide to Metallic Iron. Filling date: June, 1968. Publication date: October, 1973.
    [5] Midrex Technologies. Midrex NG. Available at: http://www.midrex.com/assets/user/media/MIDREX_NG.pdf. Access: May, 2015.
    [6] Spectrum Design & Consulting International, Inc. Patent n. WO9911571. Oxygen-Fuel Boost Reformer Process and Apparatus. Filling date: September, 1998. Publication date: March, 1999.
    [7] Kobe Steel. Midrex Process & Hotlink Process. Website. Available at: http://www.kobelco.co.jp/english/engineering/products/dri/dri04.html. Access: May, 2015.
    [8] Midrex Technologies, Inc. Patent WO2015016956. Reducing Iron Oxide to Metallic Iron Using Natural Gas. Filling date: July, 2013. Publication date: February, 2015.
    [9] Fierro Esponja, S.A. Patent n. US3765872. Method and Apparatus for the Gaseous Reduction of Iron Ore to Sponge Iron. Filling date: December, 1970. Publication date: October, 1973.
    [10] HYLsa, S.A. Patent US4336063. Method and Apparatus for the Gaseous Reduction of Iron Ore to Sponge Iron. Filling date: September, 1980. Publication date: June, 1982.
    [11] HYLsa, S.A. Patent US4528030. Method of Reducing Iron Ore. Filling date: May, 1983. Publication date: July, 1985
    [12] HYLsa, S.A. Patent US4668284. Method of Reducing Iron Ore. Filling date: July, 1985. Publication date: July, 1987
    [13] HYLsa, S.A de C.V. Patent US4880458. Start-up Method for a Direct Reduction Process Without an External Reformer. Filling date: May, 1988. Publication date: November, 1989.
    [14] HYLsa, S.A de C.V. Patent US5110350. Method of Reducing Iron Ore. Filling date: November, 1989. Publication date: May, 1992.
    [15] HYLsa, S.A de C.V. Patent US585057. Method for Producing Direct Reduced Iron with a Controlled Amount of Carbon. Filling date: September, 1996. Publication date: January, 1999.
    [16] HYLsa, S.A de C.V. Patent US6039916. Apparatus for Producing Direct Reduced Iron with a Controlled Amount of Carbon. Filling date: October de 1998. Publication date: March, 2000.
    [17] HYL Technologies S.A de C.V. Patent WO2014132130. Direct Reduction Process With Improved Product Quality and Process Gas Efficiency. Filling Date: February, 2013. Publication date: September, 2014.
    [18] Midrex Technologies, Inc. The Midrex Process. August, 2014. Available at: http://www.midrex.com/assets/user/media/MIDREX_Process-Brochure.pdf. Access: May, 2015.
    [19] J. Becerra and A. Martins. Alternative Energy Sources, CO2 Recovery Technology and Clean Environment Compliance – Integral Components of Energiron Technology. Iron and Steel Review. Vol 51, n. 8. pp 107 a 110. January, 2008.
    [20] J. Kopfle. Technology Development: A firm foundation + Continuous Improvement. 2007. Available at: http://www.midrex.com/assets/user/media/MIDREX_Tech_Development.pdf. Access: May 2015.
    [21] T. Scarnati. Innovative DR Technology for Innovative Steelmaking. MB North African Steel Conference. June 2nd to 5th, 2008. Cairo, Egypt.

    Full Text:

    Click here to access the Full Text

    Cite this article as:

    Ribeiro T, Ferreira Neto J, Takano C, Poco J. Direct Reduction of Iron: A Review on Midrex and Hyl Patents. In: Kongoli F, Noldin JH, Mourao MB, Tschiptschin AP, D'Abreu JC, editors. Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit SIPS 2015 Volume 3: Takano Intl. Symp. / Metals & Alloys Processing. Volume 3. Montreal(Canada): FLOGEN Star Outreach. 2015. p. 249-260.