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Microwave Assisted Process For Making Green Steel

Abstract: This invention relates to a microwave assisted green process for making steel i.e. pig iron or alloy steel from iron bearing materials such as iron ore or industrial waste materials containing iron. The process uses electromagnetic energy such as microwaves as a source of clean and efficient energy source to minimize energy consumption to make pig iron/alloy steel making process environment friendly. The process does not use coke and coal as reductant thereby eliminating/minimizing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions considerably. This process uses low grade iron ores, or industrial waste material containing iron and other alloying metals. These are ground and mixed with fluxes and converted into granules/pellets/briquettes which are exposed to microwaves under reducing atmosphere to obtain molten metal. The process maximises the presence of valuable alloying metals like Cr, Ni and Mo in molten Fe metal thereby increasing the product selling cost.

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Notices, Deadlines & Correspondence

Patent Information

Application #
Filing Date
31 October 2022
Publication Number
18/2024
Publication Type
INA
Invention Field
METALLURGY
Status
Email
Parent Application

Applicants

PRADEEP METALS LIMITED
R205, MIDC, RABALE, NAVI MUMBAI - 400701, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Inventors

1. GOYAL PRADEEP VEDPRAKASH
147/172, KALPATARU HORIZON, S.K. AHIRE MARG, WORLI, MUMBAI - 400018, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA
2. BORKAR SHIVANAND AMBIKACHARAN
16/A, SARASWATI BAUG, JOGESWARI (EAST), MUMBAI - 400060, MAHARASHTRA. INDIA
3. GORAKH ONKAR VINAYAK
702, MAATR SIGNATURE, SANTOSHI MATA ROAD, RAMDASWADI, KALYAN (W), NAVI MUMBAI - 421301, MAHARASHTRA. INDIA
4. BAGADE SHRADHESH SUDHIR
803, A1, MANGESHI SAHARA KRUSHN KUNJ CHS., NEAR CHATRI BANGLOW, KALYAN (W), NAVI MUMBAI - 421301, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Specification

DESC:The steel industry is one of the highest carbon footprint industries because current steel production processes with primary use of blast furnace (BF) are a major contributor to overall global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions due to its massive use of fossil fuels. Solid carbon has been used to reduce iron ore to iron metal, with the carbon acting as both the heating fuel and reducing agent. The process is very energy intensive requiring extremely high temperatures resulting in a significant quantity of CO2 being released as a by-product. Due to this, steel-making industry is facing escalating pressure from governments of different countries and investors to reduce CO2 and other gases emissions and develop environment friendly process with low-carbon technologies. At present steelmaking involves several production stages. Most commonly iron ore lumps are crushed to the size and turned into sinter (a rough solid) or pellets. Separately, coal is carbonised and converted into coke. The sintered pellets and coke are then mixed with additives like limestone, dolomite and charged into a large blast furnace (BF) where extremely hot air and coal fines are introduced from the bottom. Under high temperatures, the coke burns and increases temperature at which the raw-material mixture gets de-oxidized (reduced) and produces liquid iron, known as pig iron. Based on World Steel Association analysis, the steel industry is responsible for 5-8 % of global CO2 emissions. It is further stated that direct CO2 emissions due to crude steel production is approximately 1.85 to 1.4 tons CO2 per ton steel produced. To minimize this emission, various novel steel-making routes have been explored. One attempt which is popular is to make intermediate materials like direct reduced iron (DRI) pellets or sponge iron using direct reduction technologies or smelt reduction technologies using natural gas or other reducing gases. While other processes under development emphasis on reducing emissions like FINEX process in South Korea or Advanced smelt reduction process HISARNA. A pilot plant of HISARNA is being established in Netherlands. There are also efforts are put for developing a Bio-based steelmaking which is being tried in Brazil. There are other approaches where Greenhouse gas (GHG) can be reduced through ‘Carbon Capture and Storage/Utilisation’ (CCS/U). Under this, the CO2 generated in the process is captured, stored, and used in some other applications like making chemicals. Such a pilot plant is being established in United Arab Emirates. It is reported that these technologies will reduce emissions by 20% compared to conventional steel production with their limitations. There is a new trend whereby carbon reductant is replaced by Hydrogen as it is more efficient reductant than Carbon (C) or Carbon monoxide (CO). In these processes, mostly hydrogen is generated from the electrolysis of water. However, this process require very high amount of electrical power. In Sweden, ‘Hyrit’ process is being developed by a JV between the steelmaker SSAB, the energy supplier Vattenfall, and LKAB, an iron ore producer. Another H2 based Green Steel commercial-scale steel plant through private investors is being established where companies like Mercedes-Benz, Scania, and IMAS Foundation, are linked to Ikea. Other companies testing hydrogen-powered steel making include ArcelorMittal, ThyssenKrupp, and Salzgitter AG in Germany; Posco in South Korea; and Voestalpine in Austria. However, in these processes intent is to use pure hydrogen handling of which is difficult due to its explosive nature. Apart from this, hydrogen generation by electrolysis is another expensive process which will eventually increase the cost of final product. There is another new approach being followed by Boston Metals called molten oxide electrolysis (MOE). The process relies on electricity, which runs through a cell filled with a mixture of dissolved iron oxides along with other oxides and materials. The electricity heats the cell up to about 1600 °C, melting everything into a hot oxide soup as well as drives the oxygen-removing chemical reactions. Molten iron gathers at the bottom of the reactor, and oxygen gas is emitted instead of carbon dioxide. Because the impurities largely stay out of the reaction, the MOE process can handle low-quality iron ore, which could be a major benefit of the technology, Patents CN100398669C, US2013/0047782A1, WO2015086153A1, EP2004868B1, and Indian patent 655/MUM/2011 are few more inventions patented internationally where the conversion of iron bearing material like iron ore is converted to sponge iron or direct reduced iron (DRI). All references cited herein are incorporated in its entirety and for all purposes. CN100398669C discloses a method for preparing low carbon sponge iron by a microwave vertical furnace, which comprises the steps that iron ore powder is used as raw materials, common bitumite powder or anthracite powder is used as a reducing agent, scarce coking coal and coke are not used, and sponge iron with high quality and low carbon is obtained through material selection, fine grinding, sieving, compounding, mixing, agitation, material distribution, preheating of a microwave vertical furnace, closed high temperature refining, chemical reduction reactions, nitrogen gas protection and refrigeration, refinement in a magnetic selection method and detection contrast analysis. US2013/0047782A1 further discloses a green process for the preparation of direct reduced iron (DRI) from iron ore by reduction using microwave assisted low temperature hydrogen plasma, wherein the said process includes the steps of: loading of iron ore onto the sample holder followed by evacuating of the chamber; However, the product produced in this process like DRI pellets need to be further processed to high temperature to get pig iron. WO2015086153A1 discloses a combined system for producing steel, comprising a blast furnace for producing pig iron, a converter for producing crude steel and a gas line system for gases, said system operating when pig iron and/or crude steel is being produced. For the cited invention conventional processes like blast furnace or electric arc furnace need to be used. Hence, there may not be much reduction in GHG emissions by adopting these processes. EP2004868B1 discloses another process for reducing a metal-containing material, the process comprising: providing a metal-containing material, heating said metal-containing material by convective and/or conductive and/or radiative means exposing said metal-containing material to microwave (MW) energy, exposing said metal-containing material to radio frequency (RF) energy, and exposing said metal-containing material to a reducing agent. 655/MUM/2011 discloses similar method for preparation of sponge iron by rapid and direct reduction of iron ore lumps/fines/pellets in the reducing atmosphere without using any carbon containing reducing agent. Thus the method drastically reduces time required and energy consumed for the reduction of the iron ore to produce sponge iron and minimizes/eliminates emission of green-house gases thereby making the process simple, affordable, economical and eco-friendly, especially in the wake of availability of iron ore fines as waste and rejects. Similarly the product produced in this process like DRI pellets need to be further processed to high temperature to get pig iron. As per the Paris Agreement 2019 mandates, carbon neutrality from steel production needs to be achieved by 2050. Hence, a change in steelmaking technology is inevitable. Thus, there is a need to establish a better process for making pig iron where GHG emissions could be further reduced to the minimal level is inevitable. None of the above processes have used microwaves as a clean source of energy for the production of pig iron or steel. The inventive step of the present invention is utilisation of electromagnetic radiations like microwaves as a clean and efficient energy source along with dilute hydrogen gas thereby eliminating or minimizing GHG emissions. Utilisation of dilute hydrogen makes the plant operations safe. This invention uses a fact that Microwaves are not heat source, but it manifests in to heat by its interactions with polar atoms/molecules present in the raw-mix like iron oxides which generates high temperature rapidly within the material and provide thermal energy required for reduction of oxides. The object of our invention is to have a better alternative process for steel making by overcoming some of the limitations of the above current efforts and further bringing down GHG emissions using microwave technology. ,CLAIMS:1.A process for manufacturing pig iron from iron bearing materials, comprising a)Crushing and grinding of iron bearing materials to less than 0.5 mm; b)Mixing the material from step (a) with fluxes; c)Granulation or pelletizing or briquetting the mixed powder & drying at 1100C; d)Placing the granules/pellets/briquettes in a precoated ceramic crucible (4); e)Exposing the granules/pellets/briquettes to microwave energy in the frequency range of 800-5000 MHz under reducing atmosphere till the temperature reaches to the desired temperature, about 1350-15000C and soaking (holding) at that condition till the iron oxides are reduced and melted and separated into molten iron metal and molten slag layers; 2.The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein iron bearing materials is iron ore like hematite, magnetite, goethite or waste material like metal forging or mill scales or their mixtures thereof. 3.The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preferred microwave frequency range 915-2450 ± 50 MHz, preferably 2450 ± 50 MHz. 4.The process claimed in claim 1 where iron bearing material is mixed with fluxes in the proportion such that the basicity of the slag is between 0.90 and 1.4 and corresponding viscosity is in the range 9.74 to 8.08 poise at about 14000C. 5.The basicity of the slag as claimed in claim 3 is preferably between 1.3 and 1.4. 6.The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein granulation/ pelletizing/briquetting/ is carried out with or without using a binder. 7.The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the binder used for granulation/pelletizing/briquetting is water, bentonite, hydrated lime, sodium silicate, molasses or mixtures thereof. 8.The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ceramic crucible (4) is made of microwave transparent materials coated with high temperature withstanding coating. The tailored coating is made by uniform mixing of fireclay about 30-60% by wt. and carbon bearing powder such as graphite powder 30-60% by wt. This mixed powder converted into slurry by mixing with water and/or silica-gel or silica-sol having acidic or basic pH having silica concentration in the range of 20-50% to get consistent slurry. This slurry is coated in the inner surface of the ceramic crucible (4) and dried in an oven at 1100C. 9.The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein iron bearing materials is crushed or ground to less than 0.5 mm, preferably less than 0.15 mm. 10.The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the granules/pellets/briquettes are exposed to microwave energy under reducing atmosphere till the temperature reaches to the desired temperature, about 1350-15000C more preferably around 14500C. 11.The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ceramic crucible (4) is made of microwave transparent materials such as alumina, silica, mixture of alumina and silica in the form of cordierite, mullite, or quartzite. 12.The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ceramic crucible (4) is made of good susceptor materials such as graphite, silicon carbide. 13. The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ceramic crucible (4) is made of a mixture of said transparent and susceptor materials such as alumina and silicon carbide or alumina coated with graphite or silicon carbide with graphite. 14. The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the invented ceramic coating to the crucible (4) offers minimal attack on crucible material due to presence of hydrogen, at high temperatures of around 15000C. The coating indicates minimum interactions with microwaves and has non-wettability to molten slag and metal at high temperatures of around 15000C. 15. The process for making pig iron as claimed in claim 1 comprises the following steps: a) The raw materials are mixed crushed and ground and fraction passing through 100 mesh sieve giving about 150 micron size fines is taken for further processing; b) The mix obtained in step a) is mixed with fluxes in the proportion such that the basicity of the slag is between 0.90 and 1.4 and corresponding viscosity is in the range 9.74 to 8.08 poise at about 14000C; c) The mix obtained in step (b) is granulated/ pelletized/briquetted into about 10 mm using pan granulator or briquetting machine; d) The pellets/briquettes/grains obtained at the end of step (c) are dried in oven at1100C and placed in the said ceramic/refractory crucible (4) with coating; e) The ceramic crucible (4) is placed in microwave cavity and material exposed to microwave energy under reducing atmosphere comprising a mixture of hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas in the percentage ratio of about 8:92 till the temperature reaches to the desired range of 1350-1500°C; f) The heated samples at the end of step (d) are soaked under microwave energy in same conditions until the oxides of iron and other alloying metals are reduced to molten metallic form; g) Molten metal and slag is separated and recovered after cooling/or drained in hot condition.

Documents

Application Documents

# Name Date
1 202221061945-STATEMENT OF UNDERTAKING (FORM 3) [31-10-2022(online)].pdf 2022-10-31
2 202221061945-PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION [31-10-2022(online)].pdf 2022-10-31
3 202221061945-POWER OF AUTHORITY [31-10-2022(online)].pdf 2022-10-31
4 202221061945-OTHERS [31-10-2022(online)].pdf 2022-10-31
5 202221061945-FORM FOR SMALL ENTITY(FORM-28) [31-10-2022(online)].pdf 2022-10-31
6 202221061945-FORM FOR SMALL ENTITY [31-10-2022(online)].pdf 2022-10-31
7 202221061945-FORM 1 [31-10-2022(online)].pdf 2022-10-31
8 202221061945-EVIDENCE FOR REGISTRATION UNDER SSI(FORM-28) [31-10-2022(online)].pdf 2022-10-31
9 202221061945-DECLARATION OF INVENTORSHIP (FORM 5) [31-10-2022(online)].pdf 2022-10-31
10 202221061945-OTHERS [30-10-2023(online)].pdf 2023-10-30
11 202221061945-FORM-26 [30-10-2023(online)].pdf 2023-10-30
12 202221061945-FORM FOR SMALL ENTITY [30-10-2023(online)].pdf 2023-10-30
13 202221061945-FORM 3 [30-10-2023(online)].pdf 2023-10-30
14 202221061945-ENDORSEMENT BY INVENTORS [30-10-2023(online)].pdf 2023-10-30
15 202221061945-DRAWING [30-10-2023(online)].pdf 2023-10-30
16 202221061945-CORRESPONDENCE-OTHERS [30-10-2023(online)].pdf 2023-10-30
17 202221061945-COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [30-10-2023(online)].pdf 2023-10-30
18 Abstract1.jpg 2024-02-14
19 202221061945-MSME CERTIFICATE [01-08-2024(online)].pdf 2024-08-01
20 202221061945-FORM28 [01-08-2024(online)].pdf 2024-08-01
21 202221061945-FORM 18A [01-08-2024(online)].pdf 2024-08-01
22 202221061945-FER.pdf 2024-08-21
23 202221061945-FORM 3 [21-11-2024(online)].pdf 2024-11-21
24 202221061945-OTHERS [31-01-2025(online)].pdf 2025-01-31
25 202221061945-FER_SER_REPLY [31-01-2025(online)].pdf 2025-01-31
26 202221061945-DRAWING [31-01-2025(online)].pdf 2025-01-31
27 202221061945-COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [31-01-2025(online)].pdf 2025-01-31
28 202221061945-CLAIMS [31-01-2025(online)].pdf 2025-01-31
29 202221061945-ABSTRACT [31-01-2025(online)].pdf 2025-01-31
30 202221061945-FORM-5 [01-02-2025(online)].pdf 2025-02-01
31 202221061945-FORM-26 [01-02-2025(online)].pdf 2025-02-01
32 202221061945-FORM FOR SMALL ENTITY [01-02-2025(online)].pdf 2025-02-01
33 202221061945-EVIDENCE FOR REGISTRATION UNDER SSI [01-02-2025(online)].pdf 2025-02-01
34 202221061945-US(14)-HearingNotice-(HearingDate-01-04-2025).pdf 2025-03-04
35 202221061945-Correspondence to notify the Controller [27-03-2025(online)].pdf 2025-03-27
36 202221061945-Annexure [27-03-2025(online)].pdf 2025-03-27
37 202221061945-POA [11-04-2025(online)].pdf 2025-04-11
38 202221061945-FORM 13 [11-04-2025(online)].pdf 2025-04-11
39 202221061945-Written submissions and relevant documents [14-04-2025(online)].pdf 2025-04-14

Search Strategy

1 202221061945E_19-08-2024.pdf