Patent ID: 8012236
Filing Date: 2011-09-06
Classification: C21B,C22B,F27B,F27D

Abstract:
1. A method for producing reduced iron, comprising: a feedstock-feeding step of feeding a feedstock containing a carbonaceous reductant and an iron oxide-containing material into a rotary hearth furnace having flow rate-controlling partitions arranged therein for controlling the flow of furnace gas, a heating/reducing step of heating the feedstock to reduce iron oxide contained in the feedstock into iron, a melting step of melting the reduced iron, a cooling step of cooling the molten reduced iron, and a discharging step of discharging the cooled reduced iron, these steps being performed in that order in the direction that a hearth is moved, wherein the furnace gas in the melting step flows in the direction of the movement of the hearth from the melting step to the cooling step using the flow rate-controlling partitions, and wherein the furnace gas in the cooling step flows in the direction of the movement of the hearth using the flow rate-controlling partitions, and oxidizing gas is prevented from flowing from the discharging step to the cooling step using the flow rate-controlling partitions.