Concurrent Production of Iron and Syngas from Iron Ore and Coal Mixture

This study is to explore the feasibility of iron and syngas co-production from iron ore and pulverized coal mixture in an enclosed vessel using microwave heating. Reactions take place after the materials are subjected to heating above certain temperatures. Coal serves as the reducing agent for iron oxide and the source of carbon and hydrogen for the syngas generation. The iron oxide serves as the iron source for steelmaking as well as the oxygen source for the carbon partial reaction to form CO. In comparison with conventional coal gasification, the oxygen comes from iron oxide instead of pure oxygen separated from the air. This study showed that direct reduced iron with over 95% metallization and syngas with total concentration of CO and combustibles over 80% were readily produced.