Study on Direct Reduction in Carbon-Bearing Pellets Using Biochar

As a renewable, carbon-neutral raw material, the application of biomass in steel production is conducive to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving green and sustainable development in the steel industry. The heating and reduction process of a rotary hearth furnace was simulated under laboratory conditions to roast and reduce biochar carbon-bearing pellets with coke powder and anthracite carbon-bearing pellets as a comparison. This was conducted to investigate the impact of biochar as a reducing agent on the direct reduction in carbon-bearing pellets. Under various reduction temperatures, carbon/oxygen ratios, and reduction times, tests were conducted on the compressive strength and metallization rate of carbon-bearing pellets made using typical binder bentonite. Results show that with the increase in reduction temperature, the metallization rate of pellets increases, while the compressive strength initially decreases and then increases, reaching the lowest point at 900 °C and 1000 °C. When the ratio of carbon to oxygen is between 0.7 and 0.9 and the reduction time is between 15 and 25 min, carbon-bearing pellets meet the requirements of both the metallization rate and the strength, with the metallization rate above 80%. However, severe volume swelling and low strength were observed in biochar carbon-bearing pellets at 900 °C and 1000 °C, which negatively impacted multi-layered charging and heat transfer efficiency in the blast furnace. Therefore, a novel laboratory-prepared binder was introduced in the preparation process of biochar carbon-bearing pellets at an appropriate addition ratio of 5–8%. Without producing any swelling concerns, the inclusion of this binder considerably improved the compression strength and metallization rate of the pellets, enabling them to fulfill the standards for raw materials in the blast furnace.