Abstract

Electrolytic reduction (ER) of hematite (Fe₂O₃) can serve as a low-direct-emissions production method for powder ferrometallurgy against traditional blast furnace (BF) and direct reduction (DR) methods. Use of ER in these contexts will also allow for valorization of hematite-rich waste feeds such as red mud. This study performs a techno-economic analysis on a low-temperature aqueous ER technology to determine the value of the process and its products at a scale of 100,000 tons red mud processed per year. The study is performed under several electricity pricing scenarios, for which the material, energy, economic, and emissions impacts are developed and compared to incumbent technologies. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to account for uncertainties surrounding variable feedstock composition and process parameters. It was found that hematite content and conversion rate were the most sensitive variables, followed by electricity pricing. The iron powder product has an expected minimum selling price of ~ $1450/ton when operating on feeds with ~ 50 wt% Fe₂O₃, under processes with ~ 66 mol% conversion and ~ 70% Faradaic efficiency. The studied electricity sources had minimal impact on iron selling price, but renewable electricity sourcing significantly undercuts carbothermic process emissions. Because of the high cost and small scale relative to bulk iron manufacture, this process could find a niche in valorizing red mud to produce a high-quality iron powder for additive manufacturing or powder metallurgy industries in addition to reducing red mud causticity and promoting downstream purification of the outlet stream.

Graphical Abstract

中文翻译：

---

现代电力基础设施中胶体水电解还原赤泥增值的初步经济分析

摘要

_{赤铁矿（Fe 2} O ₃）的电解还原（ER）) 可以作为粉末铁冶金的低直接排放生产方法，而不是传统的高炉 (BF) 和直​​接还原 (DR) 方法。在这些情况下使用 ER 还可以使富含赤铁矿的废物原料（如赤泥）增值。本研究对低温含水缓释技术进行技术经济分析，以确定每年处理 10 万吨赤泥规模的工艺及其产品的价值。该研究是在几种电价情景下进行的，针对这些情景开发了材料、能源、经济和排放影响，并与现有技术进行了比较。进行蒙特卡罗模拟以解决可变原料组成和工艺参数的不确定性。发现赤铁矿含量和转化率是最敏感的变量，其次是电价。当使用含有约 50 wt% Fe 的饲料时，铁粉产品的预期最低售价为约 1450 美元/吨₂ O ₃，在具有约 66 mol% 转化率和约 70% 法拉第效率的工艺下。研究的电力来源对铁销售价格的影响很小，但可再生电力来源显着降低了碳热过程的排放。由于相对于散装铁制造成本高且规模小，该工艺除了降低赤泥腐蚀性和促进下游净化外，还可以在利用赤泥为增材制造或粉末冶金行业生产高质量铁粉方面找到利基。的出口流。

图形概要