Method and facility for producing reduced iron

Abstract

In the method of producing reduced iron according to the invention, fine iron oxides and powdery solid reductants are mixed, compacted into sheet-like compacts, and charged onto the hearth of a reduction furnace for reduction while maintaining the temperature inside the furnace at not less than 1100° C. As the sheet-like compacts can be obtained by compacting mixture of raw material by use of rollers or the like, processing time is much shorter than the case of pelletization or agglomeration. A drying step is unnecessary since feeds are placed no the hearth via a feeder chute or the like. The method is carried out with ease by use of the facility according to the invention. High quality hot metal can be produced by charging reduced iron in hot condition obtained by the method described as above into a shaft furnace or a in-bath smelting furnace for melting at high thermal efficiency.