Isothermal reduction of titanomagnetite concentrates containing coal

The isothermal reduction of the Panzhihua titanomagnetite concentrates (PTC) briquette containing coal under argon atmosphere was investigated by thermogravimetry in an electric resistance furnace within the temperature range of 1250–1350℃. The samples reduced in argon at 1350℃ for different time were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Model-fitting and model-free methods were used to evaluate the apparent activation energy of the reduction reaction. It is found that the reduction rate is very fast at the early stage, and then, at a later stage, the reduction rate becomes slow and decreases gradually to the end of the reduction. It is also observed that the reduction of PTC by coal depends greatly on the temperature. At high temperatures, the reduction degree reaches high values faster and the final value achieved is higher than at low temperatures. The final phase composition of the reduced PTC-coal briquette consists in iron and ferrous-pseudobrookite (FeTi₂O₅), while Fe_2.75Ti_0.25O₄, Fe_2.5Ti_0.5O₄, Fe_2.25Ti_0.75O₄, ilmenite (FeTiO₃) and wustite (FeO) are intermediate products. The reaction rate is controlled by the phase boundary reaction for reduction degree less than 0.2 with an apparent activation energy of about 68 kJ·mol⁻¹ and by three-dimensional diffusion for reduction degree greater than 0.75 with an apparent activation energy of about 134 kJ·mol−1. For the reduction degree in the range of 0.2–0.75, the reaction rate is under mixed control, and the activation energy increases with the increase of the reduction degree.