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Espeedan Ironstone Co.

Given the exclusive location of Natanz Steel and Iron Mill Complex in the vicinity of highway, construction of more than 60 kilometers of two-circuit 230 megawatts power transmission line from Ardestan to the factory and two 230 and 63 megawatts power posts by the company that supplies nearly 600 megawatts power, availability of a train station beside the factory, connection to the nationwide gas network and having access to opulent water resources, the company managers got motivated to consider preparing the ground for construction of a sponge iron production department, called Espeedan Ironstone Co., from the regional ironstone mines in their own future development plans in addition to operating the departments of Natanz Iron Mill Company. They also intend to operate one of the country's biggest and most comprehensive cycles of steel production in the near future, which will be capable to produce 3,000,000 tons of sponge iron from the ironstone mines, steel ingot and industrial rebar by constructing 2 Mega Module departments, and the latest cycle of wire industries products in the country. Espeedan Ironstone Co. produces sponge iron by employing direct reduction method. In this method, oxygen of the iron oxide is reduced under the melting point, 750-950C, by the reducing gas, COH2. This process takes place in reduction reactor and the product is in a solid form called sponge iron or DRI.

 

The reasons for using direct reduction method in Iran

    * Limited coal resources
    * Abundant natural gas 
    * Proper ironstone mines 

 

The technology of sponge iron manufacturing through direct reduction method takes place by three common methods, among which Espeedan Ironstone Company applies the Midrex method which gas reduction will be performed in a furnace or a fluidized reactor that is composed of two parts:

1-The upper part of the reactor or the reduction area

2-The lower part of the reactor or the cooling area

In the Midrex method, they grind iron ores in the pelletizing departments established in the factory into little pellets in diameters of 10-15 millimeters. Then, they send the pellets to the furnace and melt them using methane gas and catalysts in the reformer to get sponge iron (DRI). The problem with this method is that the reduction reactor and the reformer are interconnected: If a problem occurs, for example, if the reducing reactor produces sulfur, it will leak to the reformer and lead to impairment of the catalysts. The advantage of this method is that reduction reactor output gas is reused in the reformer.

 

The Midrex method features include: 

1-Using furnace reactor gas with a fluidized bed

2-Using reduction reactor output gas to transform the natural gas

3-Operation at a low pressure

4-Cold loading

5-Energy efficient

6-Sulfur restriction problems

7-Using scrap iron and sponge iron

8-In the Midrex method, natural gas is transformed by two thirds of the reduction reactor  
   output gas and in a reactor with a fluidized bed

 

Products of Espeedan Ironstone Co.

Espeedan Ironstone Co. produces sponge iron. This product is made through the direct reduction of iron ore with 84 to 95 percent alloy. The reduction process leads to the removal of oxygen and turns the iron ore into a honeycomb form or a sponge-like porous structure, and that is why it is called sponge iron. Sponge iron is usually manufactured in form of lumps or pellets. It is also produced in compact or briquette forms called hot-briquetted iron (HBI), usually produced through compacting the sponge iron in approximate temperature of 650C. Hot-briquetted iron is the compact and concentrated form of sponge iron designed for ease of storing and transportation. Sponge iron could be used in steel plants and departments, where reduction takes place in reduction departments along with steel mills. Throughout the world, sponge iron is known as a pure and excellent charging material. In comparison with scrap iron, use of HBI/ DRI provide advantages like its integrity in compositions, less harmful elements (due to its porous nature), and its lower environmental effects.

 

Advantages of using sponge iron instead of scrap iron:

  • Sponge iron is a better substitute for scrap iron in EAF/IF steel production departments
  • Sponge iron could be used as a substitute for scrap iron in LD convertors as cooling system
  • Sponge iron does not contain waste elements like: copper, zinc, tin, chromium, tungsten, molybdenum,  etc. which usually exist in steel scrap
  • Sponge iron has less sulfur
  • Sponge iron can use poor coal with a good reaction in its processes, while it can’t be used in the conventional steel manufacturing.
  • Using sponge iron makes it possible to use poor scrap as a part of charging materials in electric steel manufacturing, having no effects on steel quality
  • Due to its specific composition, use of DRI/HBI makes it possible to have an accurate prediction about the final analysis from beginning of the continuous feeding of the sponge iron
  • Integral size of sponge iron has increased productivity. Iron content of the sponge iron reacts as oxide has reacted with the carbon bath, which has led to severe boiling impact and better heat transference and reaction acceleration of slag/metal during the steel production process. Thus, bath assimilation improves and the hydrogen and nitrogen content in the steel will be reduced.