New gasification method to produce Direct Reduced Iron (DRI)

A small Dutch company developed a new gasification concept to produce syngas in order to reduce iron ore in a direct reduction process using pulsed combustion burner technology. Utilising a gasifier to generate reducing gases is a technically and commercially viable method for innovative steelmakers to produce DRI in areas where low cost natural gas is not available. The company is looking for a commercial agreement with a company that can use the technology in its product.

Commercial gasifiers have been in operation for over 50 years. In general, gasification can be defined as a partial oxidation process in which carbonaceous fuel (gas, liquid, or solid) reacts at high temperature and usually at high pressure with oxygen and possible steam to produce a synthesis gas. This gas can then be used to fuel a Direct Reduction Process. Utilising a gasifier to generate reducing gases is a technically and commercially viable method for innovative steelmakers to produce DRI in areas where low cost natural gas is not available. Even better economics can be derived when the project includes a melt shop and an integrated gasification combined cycle-based power plant.

Pulsed combustion burners can be used wherever you use conventional burners. In the last decade the development has made progress, resulting in a number of projects around the world utilising the above principle with great advantages, like e.g. high production increase in case of drying applications. The company is capable of building stable industrial high-frequency pulsed high-power burners. Pulsed combustion has been known for a long time. In the last decade the development has made further progress, resulting in a number of projects around the world utilising the above principle. At this moment the company has built a gasification unit of several MW using the same principle of pulsed combustion.
During the development a number of obstacles have been encountered and overcome, namely the ability to up scale, and to increase frequency proved to be a stumbling block for the growth of this technology and its application. However this did not prevent a number of diverse applications. A few examples are:
- gasification units,
- product drying such as vegetables,
- chemical powder drying with small particles,
- the ability to utilise various waste materials for burning,
- typical sludge incineration from sewage plants and industrial water waste,
- boiler, heaters of all kind,
- desalination plants (for evaporators) to produce fresh water installations,
- air heaters,
- incinerators,
- production of steam for turbines and electricity generation,
- kilns. Innovative Aspects: The company also claims to have perfected gasification and burner technology where it would be possible to design and build a 10 MW burner, where further up scaling would not present any problem.
This technology is unique in so far that with this technology the company is capable of designing and manufacturing this type of pulsating burner without any moving parts, resulting in an industrial stable high-frequency high-power burner and/or gasification unit. Main Advantages: - High efficient gasification.
- To have an efficient burning rate resulting in a lower energy cost.
- By having a higher energy transfer rate will mean smaller and cost-effective equipment (fast return of investment).
- Creating lower pollution (low NOx in accordance with the recent Kyoto environmental requirements).
- In the application of sludge, a significant reduction of possible precipitor agent such as polyelectrolyte commonly used in the de-watering processes.
- It has a built in self-cleaning advantage, due to the pulsating mechanism of the combustion technology.
- The final product after drying tends to have a light structure which a high porosity.

from:http://www.invenia.es/tech:06_nl_nlse_0f8l