The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 28, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 04, 1999
Juan A. Villarreal-Trevino, Guadalupe, MX;
Jose María Eloy Aparicio-Arranz, San Nicholas de los Garza, MX;
Ricardo Viramontes-Brown, San Pedro Garza García, MX;
Juan Celada-Gonzalez, San Pedro Garza Garcia, MX;
Raul Gerardo Quintero-Flores, San Pedro Garza Garcia, MX;
Roberto Octaviano Flores-Serrano, Monterrey, MX;
Hylsa S.A. de C.V., San Nicolas de los Garza, MX;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the production of prereduced iron ore, DRI, sponge iron or the like by the gaseous reduction of iron-oxide containing particles in a reduction system which comprises a preheating device for the iron ore particles. The preheating device preserves the strength of the iron ore particles through the reduction system by preheating the particles with non-reducing (or preferably oxidizing) gas, whereby the DRI or like material produced is stronger than if it were processed in a reduction reactor without said preheating device. The invention thereby avoids sticking and fines production problems which some iron ores cause in the reduction reactor. The preheating device also produces other advantages in the reduction system as, for example, that the reducing gas reaches a higher degree of oxidation in the reduction reactor whereby the productivity of the reduction system increases as a result of the decreased amount of reducing gas as well as the decreased residence time required. A further advantage produced by the invention is that the recycled reducing gas can be preheated by heat-exchange with the gas stream effluent from the reduction reactor at a higher temperature as a result of the preheating of the iron ore particles.