Jose Adilson de Castro

Abstract:

Some metals, for example aluminium, and many rare-earths such as lanthanum and neodymium, are produced by electrowinning. Nowadays, the blast furnace is the typical process for iron and steel. However, through this process coal is needed, which generates pollution. It is possible to produce iron by igneous electrolysis, but there are also many problems. One of them is the high temperature of fusing iron, 1538°C. Thus, the process for iron is much more complicated than for aluminium, which melts at 660°C. Nevertheless, if electricity can be produced by renewable sources, such as solar and wind energy, iron production by molten oxide electrolysis can be economically feasible some moment in the future. Thus, the feasiblity of iron production by electrolysyis is directly related to the price of renewable energy. Solar and wind are intermittent sources, and energy storage is a big problem. But excess of energy produced on a windy day can be, for example, stored as a reduced metal, aluminium, or even steel. Excess solar energy produced during noon can also be stored as a reduced metal.