Iron oxide reduction

Claim 1

PROCESS FOR REDUCTION OF IRON OXIDE TO FORM IRON, COMPRISING FIRST TAKING FINELY DIVIDED IRON OXIDE AND FORMING SAME INTO HARD POROUS PELLETS, MIXING SUCH PELLETS AFTER SAME HAVE BEEN FORMED WITH FINELY DIVIDED CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL SUCH THAT WHEN BURNED WILL FORM AN ASH RESIDUE WHICH IS INFUSIBLE AT THE REDUCTION TEMPERATURE OF THE PROCESS, THE AMOUNT OF SUCH MATERIAL BEING SUFFICIENT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY TO REDUCE TO IRON THE IRON OXIDE WHEN REACTED THEREWITH AND TO LEAVE ENOUGH EXCESS OF CARBON FOR CONVERTING CARBON DIOXIDE EVELVED IN THE REACTION, TO CARBON MONOXIDE AND TO ACT AS AN INTERFERING PHASE BETWEEN THE PELLETS, CONTINUOUSLY CHARGING SUCH MIXTURE INTO A FURNACE, SUPPLYING AIR INTO THE FURNACE LIMITED TO SUCH AMOUNT THAT THE ATMOSPHERE THEREIN WILL CONTAIN AN AMOUNT OF MONOXIDE EQUAL AT LEAST TO ABOUT TWICE THE CARBON DIOXIDE CONTENT, ALLOWING THE MIXTURE TO REACT AT A TEMPERATURE FROM ABOUT 1900 TO ABOUT 2100*F. AND UNTIL THE IRON OXIDE IS REDUCED TO IRON, SUCH TEMPERATURE BEING MAINTAINED BY THE HEAT EVOLVED BY THE COMBUSTION, THE CONDUCTING THE RESULTING MIXTURE INCLUDING THE REDUCED IRON PELLETS AND GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF REACTION INTO A COOLING ZONE, THE ATMOSPHERE OF WHICH IS MAINTAINED WITH AN EXCESS OF CARBON MONOXIDE OVER DIOXIDE WHEREBY REOXIDATION OF THE PELLETS IS AVOIDED, AND SEPARATING THE REDUCED IRON PELLETS FROM THE REMAINING CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL AND ASH AFTER DISCHARGE FROM SAID COOLING ZONE.