Electrolysis apparatus for the production of iron with an improved iron oxide supply device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025027221-A1
Application number	US-202118714254-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2021
Priority date	Dec 15, 2021
Publication date	Jan 23, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus (1) for the production of iron through reduction of iron ore by an electrolysis reaction, wherein the supply to supply iron ore includes a twin-screw supplier (32) provided to discharge iron ore powder (46) into an electrolyte feed pipe (31) upstream of the electrolytic chamber (6).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 - 10 . (canceled).

11 . An apparatus for the production of iron through reduction of iron ore by an electrolysis reaction, the electrolysis reaction emitting a gas, the apparatus comprising:
a casing including a gas-permeable anode plate and a cathode plate facing each other and being separated by an electrolyte chamber; the casing further including a degassing unit including a gas recovery part extending along the opposite side of the gas-permeable anode plate to the chamber, the casing circulating an electrolyte within the electrolyte chamber via an electrolyte inlet and an electrolyte outlet; and a supply to supply iron ore to the electrolyte chamber, the supply to supply iron ore to the electrolyte chamber including a twin-screw supplier provided to discharge iron ore powder into an electrolyte feed pipe in fluidic connection with the electrolyte inlet, the twin-screw supplier including two screws parallel to each other inside a barrel, maintaining a shaft distance between the two screws and rotating the two screws in opposite directions while the two screws engage with each other, the barrel extending from a screw rotating drive to a discharge opening immersed in the electrolyte flowing through the electrolyte feed pipe, and including an iron ore powder feed opening, the iron ore powder feed opening being connected to iron ore powder feed.

12 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the two screws are arranged parallel to the force of gravitational attraction.

13 . The apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein the electrolyte feed pipe is arranged perpendicular to the two screws.

14 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein a surface of the two screws is smooth.

15 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the two screws are twin-concave coarse screws.

16 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein a ratio between a screw diameter and a screw pitch of each of the two screws is between 0.8 to 1.2.

17 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein an internal surface of the barrel is rough and arranged in mechanical contact with the two screws.

18 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the barrel is under nitrogen atmosphere.

19 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the iron ore powder feed includes a pinch valve.

20 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the apparatus is driven by renewable energy.

Assignees

• Arcelormittal

Inventors

• Lavelaine De Maubeuge Hervé

Classifications

• Y02P10/134

  by avoiding CO2, e.g. using hydrogen · CPC title

• C25C7/06

  Operating or servicing · CPC title

• C25C7/02

  Electrodes (consumable anodes for the refining the metals C25C1/00 - C25C5/00); Connections thereof · CPC title

• C25C1/06 Primary

  or iron group metals, refractory metals or manganese · CPC title

• C25C7/00 Primary

  Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells; Servicing or operating of cells (for the production of aluminium C25C3/06 - C25C3/22) · CPC title