Metal ore reduction reactor with self-generating reductant

Abstract

A system and method for generating reductants during direct reduction of metal ore is provided. The system has a reduction portion configured to accept the metal ore and to heat the metal ore to form a gas and particle mixture, a quench section in communication with the reduction portion and configured to receive the mixture having a catalyst located in an interior of the quench section, and a heat exchanger located in an interior of the quench section, having at least one channel configured to contact the mixture and form a hot reactant stream from the gas and particle mixture, wherein the heat exchanger utilizes a heat energy from the reduction portion, and a reactant inlet configured to provide reactants to the interior of the quench section, and wherein the reactants react using heat from the stream to generate a reductant.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A system for generating reductants during direct reduction of metal ore, the system comprising:
 a reduction portion configured to accept the metal ore and to heat the metal ore to form a gas and particle mixture;   a quench section in communication with the reduction portion, wherein the quench section is configured to receive the mixture, and wherein the quench section comprises:
 a catalyst located in an interior of the quench section; 
 a heat exchanger located in the interior of the quench section, wherein the heat exchanger comprises at least one channel configured to contact the mixture and form a hot reactant stream from the gas and particle mixture, wherein the heat exchanger utilizes a heat energy from the reduction portion; 
 a reactant inlet in communication with the interior of the quench section, wherein the reactant inlet is configured to provide reactants to the interior of the quench section, and wherein the reactants react using heat from the mixture to generate a reductant; 
 a first product outlet in communication with the interior of the quench section, wherein the first product outlet is configured to dispel the reductant; 
   an exit portion coupled to the quench section, wherein the exit portion is configured to release direct reduced metal ore and gas.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the gas and particle mixture is greater than a temperature of the stream at an outlet of portion of the quench section. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises:
 a lower catalyst containment wall, wherein the lower catalyst containment wall comprises lower pores configured to allow the reactant flow in the interior of the quench section;   an upper catalyst containment wall, wherein the upper catalyst containment wall comprise upper pores configured to allow the reactant flow in the interior of the quench section.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the reactant inlet is configured to receive a reactant stream, wherein the reactant stream is a cold reactant stream compared to the hot reactant stream, wherein the reactants comprise reforming or shifting species, and wherein the reforming or shifting species comprise hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water vapor, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the stream comprises at least one of ore particles, reduced metal particles, gaseous reductants, gaseous ore reduction products, r gaseous combustion products unreacted reactants, unreacted reactants, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the reductants comprise hydrogen, carbon monoxide, syngas, methane or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second outlet in communication with the heat exchanger and located in an interior of the quench section, wherein the at least one channel is located at a bottom of the quench section, wherein the at least one channel is configured to contact the mixture, wherein the mixture has passed through the heat exchanger and retains heat for transfer to continue to heat the hot reactant stream from a gas mixture which originated as the gas and particle mixture, wherein the gas mixture exits the second outlet. 
     
     
         8 . A method for generating reductants during direct reduction of metal ores, the method comprising:
 receiving a metal ore at a reduction portion of a reactor;   receiving a reductant at a reduction portion of a reactor;   heating the metal ore and the reductant to form a gas and particle mixture;   receiving the mixture at a quench section of the reactor, wherein the quench section comprises a heat exchanger having at least one channel configured to accept the mixture and form a hot reaction stream;   introducing a catalyst located in the quench section;   utilizing a heat energy from the reduction portion of the reactor to heat the catalyst and form the hot reaction stream;   providing a reactant stream to the heat exchanger positioned in the quench section such that the reactant stream receives heat from channel of the heat exchanger, wherein the reactants become the hot reaction stream and react to generate a reductant;   dispelling the reductant from a first product outlet, wherein the first product outlet is in communication with the interior of the quench section; and   releasing direct reduced metal ore from an exit portion.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a temperature of the gas and particle mixture is greater than a temperature at an outlet of portion of the quench section. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 containing the catalyst in the heat exchanger using lower containment walls, and allowing the reactant to flow in the interior of the quench section using lower pores;   containing the catalyst in the heat exchanger using upper containment walls, and allowing the reactant and reductant to flow out of the interior of the quench section using upper pores.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , where providing a reactant stream comprises providing a cold reactant stream compared to the hot reactant stream, wherein the reactants comprise reforming or shifting species, wherein reforming or shifting species comprise hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water vapor, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the stream comprises at least one of ore particles, reduced metal particles, metal particles, gaseous reductants, gaseous ore reduction products, gaseous combustion products or unreacted reactants. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the reductants comprise hydrogen, carbon monoxide, syngas, methane or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising porting a portion of the gas component of the mixture which has emanated from at least one channel emanating from the bottom of the quench section, comprising a second heat exchanger, wherein additional heat from the gas component of the mixture forms the hot reactant stream and exits the port providing a mechanism to acquire more heat from the gas mixture for reductant generation without adding height to the quench section. 
     
     
         15 . A quench device for a reactor for generating reductants during direct reduction of metal ores, the quench device comprising:
 an inlet configured to receive a mixture of hot metal ore, gas and particles;   a catalyst located in an interior portion of the quench device;   a heat exchanger located in an interior of the quench device, wherein the heat exchanger comprises at least one channel configured to contact the mixture and form a hot reactant stream, wherein the heat exchanger utilizes a heat energy from the reduction portion;   a reactant inlet in communication with the interior of the quench device, wherein the reactant inlet is configured to provide reactants to the interior of the quench device, wherein the reactants react with the streams to generate a reductant;   a first product outlet in communication with the interior of the quench device, wherein the first product outlet is configured to dispel the reductant.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises:
 a lower catalyst containment wall, wherein the lower catalyst containment wall comprises lower pores configured to allow reactant flow in the interior of the quench device;   an upper catalyst containment wall, wherein the upper catalyst containment wall comprise upper pores configured to allow reactant and reductant flow out of the interior of the quench device.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the reactant inlet is configured to receive a reactant stream, wherein the reactant stream is a cold reactant stream compared to the hot reactant stream, wherein the reactants comprise reforming or shifting species, wherein reforming or shifting species comprise hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water vapor, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the stream comprises at least one of ore particles, reduced metal particles, metal particles, gaseous reductants, gaseous ore reduction products, gaseous combustion products or unreacted reactants. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the reductants comprise hydrogen, carbon monoxide, syngas, methane or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , further comprising a second outlet in communication with the heat exchanger located in an interior of the quench device, wherein the heat exchanger comprises at least one channel emanating from the bottom of the quench device configured to contact the mixture, which has passed through the heat exchanger and may still retain heat for transfer, to continue to heat a hot reactant stream from the gas mixture which originated as the gas and particle mixture, wherein gas exits the second outlet.