Iron nugget formation from iron sand/coal composite pellets under isothermal-temperature gradient profiles

ABSTRACT

An iron sand concentrate was mixed with coal as the reductant and binder to produce a composite pellet by a mini rotating disc. The pellet was inserted into an alumina crucible and coal was added to maintain the reducing environment by covering the whole surface of the pellet. The reduction was carried out under the isothermal and temperature gradient profile in a muffle furnace where the starting temperature was isothermal at 1000°C, increased with a heating rate of 6.33°C min⁻¹ to a final temperature of 1380°C. The results show that the total iron content increased from 46.9% in the initial pellet to 72.5% in the reduced pellet. The iron nugget formed on the surface of the reduced pellet at 1380°C. The nugget primarily consisted of iron, and the slag mostly consisted of anatase or brookite. The titanium content increased from 4.8% in the initial pellet to 24.4% in the slag.

KEYWORDS:

• Iron sand concentrate
• titanomagnetite
• composite pellet
• iron nugget

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank PT. Sumber Baja Prima, Indonesia, for providing the iron sand concentrate, and also the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education of the Republic of Indonesia for funding this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Kementerian Riset, Teknologi dan Pendidikan Tinggi.