Investigation of the Hydrogen-Rich Reduction of Panzhihua Ilmenite Concentrate Pellets

The hydrogen-rich reduction of ilmenite concentrates has a significant effect on the reduction of the carbon footprint of the titanium slag production process. This study investigates the hydrogen-rich reduction of Panzhihua ilmenite concentrate pellets. The pellets were roasted at 500, 700, 900, and 1100 degrees C and used as the raw material for the reduction process. The effects of the pellet roasting temperature, magnetite concentrate content of the pellets, reduction temperature, and reducing gas composition on the reduction process were experimentally studied. The results showed that the average reduction rate is affected by the phase and dense structure of the pellet, reduction temperature, and hydrogen content. Further, the reduction process can be accelerated by increasing the H-2 content and reduction temperature. The high compressive strength of the pellet, owing to its dense inner structure, is not conducive for the reduction process. Moreover, studies show that the H-2/CO ratio has negligible effects on the reduction mechanism. The reaction mechanism of the pellet reduction process is three-dimensional diffusion. Furthermore, the effect of the pellet phase on the hydrogen-rich reduction process has been discussed. [GRAPHICS] .