Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, Magnitogorsk, Russia

V. A. Bigeev, Dr. Eng., Prof., Dept. of Metallurgy and Chemical Technologies
A. S. Kharchenko, Dr. Eng., Associate Prof., Head of the Dept. of Metallurgy and Chemical Technologies, e-mail: as.mgtu@mail.ru
M. V. Potapova, Cand. Eng., Associate Prof., Dept. of Metallurgy and Chemical Technologies, e-mail: marina_potapova8@mail.ru
V. I. Sysoev, Assistant, Dept. of Metallurgy and Chemical Technologies

The relevance of the use of hydrogen as a reducing agent in metallurgical processes, as well as the involvement of poor multicomponent ore and technogenic raw materials in metallurgical production is due to the limited reserves of coking coals and rich iron ores, the presence of large reserves of nickel in complex ores and accumulated slag, the growing amount of waste from metallurgical production, polluting the environment, the need of mechanical engineering for steels with low carbon content and inexpensive ferroalloys, the presence of an unlimited amount of
hydrogen in nature, the possibility of almost complete use of hydrogen with the exception of environmental pollution in metallurgical production and selective extraction of the components of complex ores, as well as the feasibility of import substitution with improved quality products. In the course of laboratory studies, it was established that during the solid-phase reduction of ore from the Sakharinskoe deposit with hydrogen to obtain commercial ferronickel containing 6–13 % Ni, the required degree of iron reduction, equal to 5–15 %, is achieved already at temperatures of 700–900 °C and a holding time at 700 °C for at least 120 min (~12–15 % Ni in the alloy), at 900 °C – 30–60 min (~4–6 % Ni in the alloy). At higher temperatures, a more complete reduction of iron occurs, which leads to the depletion of nickel in the ferroalloy.

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