Solid compound rapid reduction systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023356299-A1
Application number	US-202318195188-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 9, 2023
Priority date	May 9, 2022
Publication date	Nov 9, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Fully electrified microwave (MW) hydrogen (H 2 ) plasma reduction systems and methods. With some embodiments, a plasma-flash ironmaking process is provided in which iron ore fines or particles are reduced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for reducing a solid compound, comprising:
creating a hydrogen plasma in a reactor chamber; and exposing solid compound particles to the plasma; wherein the solid compound particles are reduced by the hydrogen plasma.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of exposing includes flowing the solid compound particles through the plasma.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of flowing includes entraining the solid compound particles in a gas stream that continuously flows to the reactor chamber.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein a gas of the gas stream is a mixture of H 2 and argon.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
generating a secondary swirl gas flow in the reactor chamber.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of flowing the solid compound particles through the plasma includes at least some of the solid compound particles being negatively charged.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of exposing includes bringing the solid compound particles into contact with an effluent of the plasma.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of exposing includes suspending the solid compound particles in or downstream of the plasma while exposing the solid compound particles to hot hydrogen gas and plasma species.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of creating a hydrogen plasma includes delivering a gas stream to the reactor chamber, and further wherein a gas of the gas stream is a mixture of H 2 and argon.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the solid compound particles are moved through the plasma in a continuous fashion.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of exposing includes:
passing the solid compound particles through the plasma; after passing through the plasma, continuing to treat the solid compound particles with an effluent of the plasma.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid compound is iron ore.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the solid compound particles comprise iron ore particles with an average particle size in the range of 38-75 microns.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the iron ore particles experience at least a 90% reduction to elemental iron.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the iron ore particles are treated by the plasma for a treatment time of not greater than 10 seconds.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the iron ore particles experience at least a 95% reduction over a plasma treatment time of not greater than 9 seconds.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid compound is a metal oxide.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid compound is a metal sulfide.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid compound is a silicate

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to the step of exposing, the solid compound particles are micron-sized, and further wherein following the step of exposing, the solid compound particles are reduced to nanometer-sized metal particles.

Assignees

• Univ Minnesota

Inventors

• Bruggeman Peter
• Kortshagen Uwe
• Kumar Sachin
• Xiong Zichang
• Held Julian

Classifications

• B22F2202/13

  Use of plasma · CPC title

• B22F1/054 Primary

  Nanosized particles · CPC title

• C22C33/0235

  Starting from compounds, e.g. oxides · CPC title

• B22F9/14 Primary

  using electric discharge · CPC title

• B22F2301/35

  Iron · CPC title