THE SELECTIVE CHLORINATION OF IRON FROM ILMENITE ORE BY CO-CL2 MIXTURES .2. MATHEMATICAL-MODELING OF THE FLUIDIZED-BED PROCESS

By modifying a two-phase fluidized-bed model, two mathematical models which describe the behavior of gas and solid movement and reactions in a fluidized bed as well as interpret the experimental results for the selective chlorination of iron were formulated. One model is based on treating the bubble and emulsion phases as separate continuum phases with mass exchange between them, resulting in differential governing equations. The other is based on the compartmentalization of the fluidized bed into a network of perfectly mixed reactors. Predictions from these models produced satisfactory agreement compared with experimental results. The effects of important variables affecting the bed performance-superficial gas velocity, exchange rate between the phases, and reaction rate constant-were tested. © 1990 The Minerals, Metals & Material Society.