Magnetite (Fe3O4) is being reduced in a fluidized bed at 1175 K by using CO.Total pressure is 3 atm. The iron(austenite) produced is to contain 1 wt%C.How many moles of CO need to be put in the reactor per mole of Fe3O4 reduced?
You may use the reaction 3Fe(s)+2O2(g)=Fe3O4(s),delta G nought=-1102200+307.4TJ
Cp,O2=29.96 J/Kmol
Mr. Koyal,
The topic of your question is basic knowledge module Inorganic Chemistry I.
Just write the reaction equation of CO with Fe3O4 in which CO is converted to CO2 and make some calculation.
I agree with Mohammad kooti. Use method to equilibrate oxido-reduction reacction
Dear Rajorshi,
I confess I am unfamiliar with the process you are working on, but it sounds very interesting. I will try an answer. The desired product is iron with 1% carbon. First, the reaction for reduction of magnetite: 4 CO + Fe3O4 ----> 4 CO2 + 3 Fe
So we see that it takes four moles of CO to reduce one mole of magnetic iron oxide and three moles of iron are produced. But the product is to contain 1% carbon by weight. I must assume that the process can be carried out as described, that is that CO can reduce itself in the presence of iron: 2 CO ----> CO2 + C.
Three moles of iron have a weight of 167.5. To infuse 1% of carbon, by weight, we need 1/99*167.5 = 1.69 of carbon, or 0.14 mole. The reaction requires two moles of CO to make one of C.
Then the amount of CO required to make the desired product is about 4.3 moles of CO per mole of Fe3O4.
One may ask if an excess of CO is required to reduce all of the iron oxide and complete the reaction. I don't know. However, since a fluidized bed is used, presumably with counter-current flows, the stoichiometric answer may be good enough.
/Ernie Rogers
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