Application of carbon vapor infiltration for new ironmaking

process
Rochim B. Cahyonoa,b,*, Naoto Yasudaa, Takahiro Nomuraa, Tomohiro Akiyamaa
a
Center for Advanced Research of Energy & Materials, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku,
Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan.
b
Department of Chemical Engineering, Gadjah Mada University, Jl. Graka 2, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta
55281, Indonesia.

*Corresponding author: E-mail: rbcahyono@eng.hokudai.ac.jp.

Abstract
New process of ironmaking was proposed to solve the problem related with resource shortages and energy
by utilization of renewable and low grade materials such as biomass, lignite coal, goethite ore and
steelmaking slag. Tar vapor which was produced from pyrolysis of biomass and lignite coal decomposed to
carbon, gases and light hydrocarbon. Carbon deposited within pore of goethite and steelmaking slag which
became porous with average pore size of 4 nm during dehydration process at 450 oC. The deposited carbon
could act as a reducing agent in the reduction of iron ore. Beside as effective site for carbon deposition, the
large surface area and pore of goethite ore and steelmaking slag was also essential for catalytic tar
decomposition. The amount of carbon deposition declined at high temperature due to increasing of gas
selectivity. Simultaneously with tar decomposition and carbon deposition, XRD patterns validated that
indirect reduction of ore to magnetite occurred by pyrolysis gas. The carbon deposited ore showed high
reduction reactivity which was indicated by lower temperature of reduction reaction, 750 oC when was
examined using thermogrametry method. Nano-scale position and contact between iron ore and carbon
enhanced reaction rate. During reduction process, high carbon content of ore resulted large reduction
degree, it revealed that depsoited tar carbon was applied in the effective way. These results appealed an
innovative method for reducing the high grade material and energy consumption in the ironmaking process.

Keywords: Ore reduction; Tar decomposition; Carbonization; Ironmaking

Abstract for " Moving towards the New Chapter in Chemical Engineering amongst ASEAN Region ",
the 5th Regional Conference on Chemical Engineering, 7 8 February 2013, PATTAYA, THAILAND