Gas-Based Direct Reduction of Hongge Vanadium Titanomagnetite Pellets with Different MgO Additions

In this study, the reduction of Hongge vanadium titanomagnetite pellet (HVTMP) with different MgO additions was investigated under a simulated shaft furnace atmosphere. The HVTMP porosity was found to increase with MgO addition, which promoted the initial reduction rate; however, the final reduction degree decreased as the reduction proceeded. X-ray diffraction showed that MgFe2O4 was formed by adding MgO, and the metallic iron peak intensity weakened. The formed MgFe2O4 was embedded into Fe2TiO4, which prevented the further reduction of Fe2TiO4 or the migration of metallic iron, thereby reducing the degree of metallization. The reduction swelling decreased and the compressive strength of the reduced HVTMP increased as MgO addition increased, which was mainly attributed to an increase in its hardness. This work establishes a relationship between MgO and reduction, which could provide a useful reference regarding the effective utilization of HVTMP in shaft furnaces and promote the development of sustainable metallurgy.