Method for producing steel using super-pure iron ore powder and hydrogen

Abstract

Methods for producing steel using super-pure iron ore powder and hydrogen are provided. In the method, iron ore concentrate is purified to form super-pure iron ore powder. The super-pure iron ore powder is reduced with hydrogen introduced into a first furnace, which can be a hydrogen electric furnace, a hydrogen tube furnace, a hydrogen box furnace, an electromagnetic induction furnace, or a hydrogen thermal plasma furnace. The reduced iron product can be melted in the same or a different furnace, which can be a hydrogen electric furnace, belt furnace, an electromagnetic induction furnace, hydrogen thermal plasma furnace, or an electrical arc furnace. The reducing and melting steps result in a steel product. The present methods result in zero carbon dioxide emissions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for producing steel using super-pure iron ore powder and hydrogen, the method comprising:
 purifying iron ore concentrate to form super-pure iron ore powder, wherein the super-pure iron ore powder has a purity of at least 98%;   reducing the super-pure iron ore powder with hydrogen introduced into a first furnace, wherein the first furnace is a hydrogen electric furnace, a hydrogen electromagnetic induction furnace, or hydrogen thermal plasma furnace;   melting the super-pure iron ore powder in a second furnace, wherein the second furnace is a hydrogen electric furnace, a hydrogen electromagnetic induction furnace, hydrogen thermal plasma furnace, or an electrical arc furnace; and   cooling a steel product of the reducing and melting steps, wherein the process results in zero carbon dioxide emissions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of purifying comprises:
 grinding the iron ore concentrate in a ball mill or vertical mill to dissociate iron ore particles from gangue minerals in the iron ore concentrate to form iron ore slurry;   separating the iron ore particles from the gangue minerals via a mineral processing equipment to form purified iron ore particles, wherein the mineral processing equipment comprises a magnetic separator, gravity separation equipment, or flotation equipment; and   dewatering, filtering, and drying the purified iron ore particles to form the super-pure iron ore powder.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the super-pure iron ore powder has a particle size of less than 100 mesh. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the super-pure iron ore powder has a particle size of less than 325 mesh. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the super-pure iron ore powder is reduced into a solid iron form via the hydrogen reduction furnace at a temperature in the range of approximately 500-1200° C., and wherein the solid iron is melted in the second furnace at a temperature of approximately 1400-1600° C. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first furnace and the second furnace are the same furnace and wherein the first furnace and the second furnace are a hydrogen electric furnace, or a hydrogen electromagnetic induction furnace, and wherein the super-pure iron ore powder is first reduced with hydrogen in the furnace and then the reduced iron product melted to form the steel product. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first furnace and the second furnace are the same furnace and wherein the first furnace and the second furnace are a high-temperature hydrogen electric furnace or a hydrogen electromagnetic induction furnace, and wherein the super-pure iron ore powder is first melted in the furnace and then reduced with hydrogen to form the steel product. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first furnace and the second furnace are the same furnace and said furnace is a hydrogen thermal plasma furnace, and wherein the super-pure iron ore powder is reduced and melted simultaneously in the hydrogen thermal plasma furnace. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the super-pure iron ore powder can be reduced into liquid form or solid form, and wherein when the super-pure iron ore powder is reduced in solid form, the temperature of the first furnace is in the range of approximately 500-1200° C., and wherein when the super-pure iron ore powder is reduced in liquid form, the temperature of the first furnace is in the range of approximately 1400-1600° C. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first furnace is a hydrogen thermal plasma furnace, and wherein the temperature of the hydrogen thermal plasma furnace does not exceed 5000° C. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen introduced into the first furnace has a purity of approximately 5-100%. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the iron ore concentrate comprises hematite type iron ore or magnetite type iron ore or both. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first furnace and the second furnace are the same furnace. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the iron ore powder has a purity of at least 99.0%. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first furnace is a hydrogen electric furnace and the super-pure iron ore powder is reduced at a temperature of approximately 900° C. for approximately 120-180 minutes, and the wherein the second furnace is a hydrogen electric furnace, and the super-pure iron ore powder is melted at a temperature of approximately 1550° C. for approximately 30 minutes. 
     
     
         16 . A method for producing steel using super-pure iron ore powder and hydrogen, the method comprising:
 supplying super-pure iron ore powder, wherein the super-pure iron ore powder has a purity of at least 98% and is substantially free of gangue minerals;   reducing the super-pure iron ore powder with hydrogen in a hydrogen electric furnace to form a solid iron, wherein the hydrogen reduction reaction in the furnace occurs at a temperature range of approximately 500-1200° C.;   melting the solid iron in the hydrogen electric furnace to form a melted steel product, wherein the solid iron is melted at a temperature in a range of approximately 1400-1600° C.; and   cooling the steel product of the reducing and melting steps, wherein the process results in zero carbon dioxide emissions.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the super-pure iron ore powder is reduced at a temperature of approximately 900° C., and the wherein the solid iron is melted at a temperature of approximately 1550° C. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the super-pure iron ore powder is reduced at a temperature of approximately 900° C. for approximately 120-180 minutes, and wherein the solid iron is melted at a temperature of approximately 1550° C. for approximately 30 minutes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method does not require coal, coke, or bentonite. 
     
     
         20 . A method for producing steel using super-pure iron ore powder and hydrogen, the method comprising:
 reducing and melting the super-pure iron ore powder in a hydrogen electric furnace to form a steel product, wherein the super-pure iron ore powder is reduced with hydrogen and wherein the hydrogen reduction reaction and melting of the super-pure iron ore powder in the furnace occurs simultaneously at a temperature in a range of approximately 1400-1600° C. for approximately 30-60 minutes.