Process for recovery of iron/steel from mill scales and fines

Abstract

A process for recovering iron/steel from scrap mill scales and fines is disclosed. A process in accordance with embodiments of the present invention comprises mixing mill scales and fines with coke or other carbon containing fines and sealing the mixture in a container. The container is charged into a cupola or blast furnace, where the components react to form molten iron/steel. The recovery process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is performed integral to cupola or blast furnace operations and the recovered metal is collected at the base of the furnace as molten iron/steel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for recovering iron from direct-reduced iron (DRI) fines, the process comprising:
 mixing mill scale with DRI fines in a container comprising a plurality of vents;   exposing the container to heat from a metallurgical furnace, wherein heat from the metallurgical furnace causes the mixture of the mill scale and DRI fines in the container to form a molten metal; and   collecting the molten metal at a base of the furnace.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the metallurgical furnace is selected from a group consisting of: a blast furnace, an electric arc furnace, and a cupola furnace. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring charge levels to the metallurgical furnace to determine whether a flat surface of the molten metal is maintained at the bottom of the furnace; and   charging additional containers when the flat surface of the molten metal is not maintained at the bottom of the furnace.   
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of recovering metallic iron from the molten metal collected at the base of the furnace. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of venting the container to release a plurality of gases generated by the reactions of the mill scale and the DRI fines, in the container at the lower level of the furnace, wherein the plurality of gases are released through the plurality of vents comprised in the container. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the container is heated to a temperature from about 2090° C. to about 2780° C. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the container is sealed to provide a gas-tight chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the DRI fines are mixed with the mill scale at a ratio of about one carbon comprised in the DRI fines to about eight mill scales. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the DRI fines are obtained from DRI pellets. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the carbon-containing fines are mixed with the DRI at a ratio of about one carbon comprised in the carbon-containing fines to at least twenty five DRI. 
     
     
         11 . A process for recovering iron from mill scale, the process comprising:
 mixing the mill scale with carbon-containing fines in a container, wherein the carbon-containing fines comprise from about 50 weight % to about 90 weight % of carbon;   heating the mixture of the mill scale and carbon-containing fines in the container to form a molten metal; and   recovering iron from the molten metal.   
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the mill scale comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of: iron/steel chips, platelets, and fines. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the carbon-containing fines is coke. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 11 , said container further comprising vents, said process further comprising a step of releasing carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide gases generated by the reactions of the mill scale and the carbon-containing fines in said container. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the carbon-containing fines are mixed with the mill scales at a ratio of about one carbon comprised in the carbon-containing fines to about eight mill scales. 
     
     
         16 . A metallurgical process comprising:
 mixing mill scale with carbon-containing fines, wherein the carbon-containing fines comprise from about 50 weight % to about 90 weight % of carbon, wherein the mill scale comprises oxides of iron;   heating the mixture of the mill scale and the carbon-containing fines to form carbon monoxide;   reacting the mixture of the mill scale with the carbon monoxide to form a molten metal comprising metallic iron; and   recovering the metallic iron from the molten metal.   
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the mill scale comprises oxides of iron. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the carbon-containing fines is coke. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the mixture is heated to between about 2090° C. and about 2780° C. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the carbon-containing fines are mixed with the mill scales at a ratio of about one carbon comprised in the carbon-containing fines to about eight mill scales.