Abstract
A thermodynamic analysis of plasma-steam gasification of noncoking low-grade high-ash brown coal and reduction of iron ore pellets using the obtained synthesis gas was performed. In equilibrium, coal carbon and sulfur gasification rates were achieved at 100% at temperatures of 1300 and 1700 K, respectively. The degree of iron reduction reaches its maximum (99.999%) at T = 1040 K. Experimental studies of the specified processes were carried out in a plasma installation with a combined-type reactor with a rated power of 100 kW. The maximum concentration of synthesis gas (95.8%) is achieved at a temperature of 2300 K. The degree of coal gasification and desulfurization at moderate energy consumption (2.83 kWh/kg) reaches 93.5% and 90.8%, respectively. The reduction rate of iron ore pellets using synthesis gas reached 90.5% at a process temperature of 1200 K. The reduced metal contained no more than 0.14% carbon and 0.014% sulfur. The discrepancy between experimental and calculated data did not exceed 12%. Research has demonstrated the feasibility of producing low-carbon iron using synthesis gas from low-grade coal as a high-potential reducing agent.