METODO MEJORADO PARA REDUCIR MINERALES DE HIERRO EN PARTICULAS A HIERRO ESPONJA EN PARTICULAS,EN UN REACTOR VERTICAL QUE EMPLEA UN GAS CONTENIENDO METANO

A method of using coke oven gas, and more generally gaseous mixtures containing up to about 30% by volume of methane, for the direct gaseous reduction of iron ore in a vertical shaft, moving bed reactor. In addition to the usual reduction zone and cooling zone, the reactor is provided with an intermediate reforming zone. A hot mixture of coke oven gas and steam is fed to the intermediate zone and reduced ore therein catalyzes the conversion of the methane of the coke oven gas to carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The reformed gas flows upwardly into the reduction zone of the reactor.