Producing carburized sponge iron by means of hydrogen-based direct reduction

The invention relates to a method for producing carburized direct-reduced sponge iron from iron oxide material (2). First, direct reduction is performed by means of a reducing gas consisting at least predominantly of H2, thereafter the carbon content in the sponge iron is increased by means of a supplied carburizing gas, after which carburizing gas used in this process is at least partially drawn off in order to largely avoid mixing with the reducing gas. The system (1) for producing carburized direct-reduced sponge iron from iron oxide material (2) comprises a reduction zone (3) for the direct reduction of input iron oxide material (2) to form direct-reduced product by means of reducing gas consisting at least predominantly of H2, and a reducing-gas supply line (4), which leads into the reduction zone (3). The system also comprises a carburizing zone (5) for carburizing the direct-reduced product, having a carburizing-gas supply line (6) leading into the carburizing zone (5) and a carburizing exhaust gas line (7) going out from the carburizing zone (5) for drawing off used carburizing gas from the carburizing zone (5), and at least one device for avoiding mixing of reducing gas with carburizing gas and/or used carburizing gas.