A study on the kinetics of iron-oxide reduction by solid carbon

Rate of reduction of ferric oxide in the presence of solid carbon was measured in the laboratory using a thermogravimetry setup. Iron oxide in the form of powder and micropellets were used. Coconut char of high reactivity was employed as carbonaceous material. Product gas analysis was carried out to calculate the rate of carbon loss during reduction. Ferric oxide reduction was found to take place in a stage-wise manner. For the powder system, the overall reaction was found to be exclusively controlled by the gasification process. Gasification rates of coconut char in carbon dioxide were utilized to predict the rates of carbon loss during reduction. The predicted and experimental rates of carbon loss during reduction of ferric oxide by carbon were compared and possible explanations were given for the observed trends.