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Title: The smelting of taconite to produce ferrosilicon

Abstract

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 intomore » 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.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Dow Corning Corp., Midland, MI (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
7242850
Report Number(s):
DOE/ID/12624-2
ON: DE93000907
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-87ID12624
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; CHERT; SMELTING; IRON ALLOYS; PRODUCTION; IRON SILICATES; SILICON ALLOYS; COKE; ELECTRODES; ENERGY CONSERVATION; ENERGY EFFICIENCY; FURNACES; HEMATITE; MAGNETITE; OFF-GAS SYSTEMS; PIPES; PROCESS CONTROL; REFRACTORIES; SIDERITE; SILICON OXIDES; TAILINGS; WEAR; ALLOYS; CARBON COMPOUNDS; CARBONATE MINERALS; CARBONATES; CHALCOGENIDES; CONTROL; EFFICIENCY; IRON CARBONATES; IRON COMPOUNDS; IRON ORES; MINERALS; ORES; OXIDE MINERALS; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; ROCKS; SEDIMENTARY ROCKS; SILICATES; SILICON COMPOUNDS; SOLID WASTES; TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS; WASTES; 320303* - Energy Conservation, Consumption, & Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Equipment & Processes; 360101 - Metals & Alloys- Preparation & Fabrication

Citation Formats

Dosaj, V D. The smelting of taconite to produce ferrosilicon. United States: N. p., 1992. Web.
Dosaj, V D. The smelting of taconite to produce ferrosilicon. United States.
Dosaj, V D. 1992. "The smelting of taconite to produce ferrosilicon". United States.
@article{osti_7242850,
title = {The smelting of taconite to produce ferrosilicon},
author = {Dosaj, V D},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7242850}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1992},
month = {Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1992}
}

Technical Report:
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