Method and apparatus for producing direct reduced iron utilizing a reducing gas with a high content of carbon monoxide

A method and apparatus for producing direct reduced iron using a melter-gasifier and two reduction reactors. In the first reduction reactor, iron ore is prereduced using a reducing gas from a melter-gasifier. This prereduced iron ore is fed into the melter-gasifier to produce pig iron. A secondary reducing gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide is withdrawn from the first reduction reactor and is reacted with water to produce carbon dioxide which is subsequently removed to produce a tertiary reducing gas that is used in the second reduction reactor to produce direct reduced iron from iron ore.