Sulfur Distribution between Liquid Iron and Magnesia-Saturated Slag in H2/H2O Atmosphere Relevant to a Novel Green Ironmaking Technology

As an integral part of a research project which aimed to develop a novel green ironmaking process, an experimental determination of the sulfur distribution ratios, L S, between molten iron and CaO–MgO(saturated)–SiO2–Al2O3–FeO slag was carried out in the temperature range of 1550–1650 °C. Oxygen partial pressure was controlled by H2/H2O equilibrium in the range of 10–10–10–8 atm. Under these conditions applicable to the proposed process, L S was 34 times smaller than that under the conditions of the blast furnace. Considering the relative amounts of sulfur inputs in the two processes as well as other factors, however, the proposed process is expected to produce iron with a lower sulfur content, which will decrease the need for desulfurization in the steelmaking stage.