The smelting of taconite to produce ferrosilicon. Phase 3, Task 1: Final report, [April 1991--December 1991]
Ferrosilicon is conventionally produced by carbothermic reduction of quartz in presence of steel scrap in large open submerged-arc furnaces. This process produces an off-gas, primarily carbon monoxide, which is usually lost by combustion above the bed of raw materials. A 1.2 MW closed, dc furnace located at SCRA`s test facility at Charleston, SC was used to demonstrate the feasibility of producing ferrosilicon using taconite tailiags and coke breeze. Taconite tailings, a byproduct of the iron ore concentration process, contain approximately 65% SiO{sub 2} and 20% Fe. Ferrosilicon containing approximately 40% silicon was produced. The raw material feed was added primarily through the hollow electrode. Three tests in the closed, dc plasma furnace provided experience and data for assessing the carbothermic reduction of taconite tailings. Coke breeze, as the primary source of carbon, and taconite tailings were introduced into the closed furnace through the hollow electrode. The feed was also introduced through a feed port located on top of the furnace cover. Although the feasibility of smelting taconite tailings to produce ferrosilicon was successfully demonstrated, three problems worthy of note experienced during the runs were: The frequent blockage of the off-gas pipe, material blockages in the system that put charge into the furnace through the hollow electrode, and excessive wear on the furnace roof refractories. The first two problems were successfully resolved. Several off-gas pipes were designed, fabricated, and evaluated. Once the offgas system was functional, sustained feed delivery through the hollow electrode was demonstrated. A slag cover as noted in one of the tests to shield the roof from the arc and water cooling of the roof should eliminate excessive wear of the refractories.
- Research Organization:
- Dow Corning Corp., Midland, MI (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-87ID12624
- OSTI ID:
- 10176257
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ID/12624-2; ON: DE93000907
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Feb 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CHERT
SMELTING
IRON SILICATES
SILICON ALLOYS
PRODUCTION
IRON ALLOYS
MAGNETITE
HEMATITE
SIDERITE
SILICON OXIDES
ENERGY CONSERVATION
FURNACES
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
TAILINGS
OFF-GAS SYSTEMS
PIPES
ELECTRODES
WEAR
REFRACTORIES
COKE
PROCESS CONTROL
320303
360101
EQUIPMENT AND PROCESSES
PREPARATION AND FABRICATION