Patent ID: 7531046

Claim:
A process for recycling iron in steelmaking sludge, the steps comprising: placing sludge in a reactor chamber, the sludge comprising between about 2% to about 15% variform hydrocarbon matter, at least 5% water, and the remainder iron-bearing solids measuring 100 mesh or smaller; supplying the reactor chamber with an inert gas; elevating the reactor chamber to a first temperature, and maintaining the reactor at the first temperature for a period sufficient to cause at least a substantial portion of the water in the sludge to erupt from within the sludge as steam, the erupting steam reducing water content so that the atmosphere within the reaction chamber consists essentially of inert gas and water vapor: thereafter elevating the reactor chamber to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, the second temperature vaporizing the variform hydrocarbon matter within the sludge and de-oiling the solids so that the atmosphere within the reactor chamber is an off-gas that consists essentially of inert gas and hydrocarbons venting the off-gas from the reaction chamber for downstream processing; and discharging de-oiled iron-bearing solid particles from the reactor chamber for downstream processing.