System for and method of manufacturing reduced iron

Abstract

A system for manufacturing reduced iron includes: an injection well for supplying oxidizing gas to a coal bed existing in an underground area; a gasification region of the coal bed, in which coal gasification is performed by using the oxidizing gas; a production well for conveying coal gas aboveground, the coal gas being generated by the coal gasification; and a reducing furnace for reducing iron oxide to reduced iron by using the coal gas as reducing gas. The reducing furnace is disposed directly above or near the production well.

1 . A system for manufacturing reduced iron, comprising:
 an injection well for supplying oxidizing gas to a coal bed existing in an underground area;   a gasification region of the coal bed, in which coal gasification is performed by using the oxidizing gas;   a production well for conveying coal gas aboveground, the coal gas being generated by the coal gasification; and   a reducing furnace for reducing iron oxide to reduced iron by using the coal gas as reducing gas, wherein   the reducing furnace is disposed directly above or near the production well.   
     
     
         2 . A method of manufacturing reduced iron, comprising:
 supplying oxidizing gas to a coal bed in an underground area;   performing coal gasification in the coal bed by using the oxidizing gas to generate coal gas;   leading the coal gas to an aboveground reducing furnace; and   reducing iron oxide to reduced iron by using the coal gas as reducing gas in the reducing furnace.   
     
     
         3 . The method of manufacturing reduced iron according to  claim 2 , wherein
 an impurity generated due to the coal gasification remains in the coal bed, and is separated from the coal gas, such that release of the impurity to the reducing furnace is suppressed.