FLUIDIZED BED IRONMAKING PROCESS AND SYSTEM

1 . A system for producing metallic iron, the system comprising:

a source of bio-oil;

a source of iron ore fines;

a gasifier for producing syngas from the bio-oil, the syngas comprising tar and particulate; and

a fluidized bed reactor in fluid communication with the gasifier and configured to:

receive the syngas from the gasifier;

fluidize the iron ore fines; and

at least partially reduce iron oxide in the iron ore fines using the syngas.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the iron ore fines have a particle size from about 50 μm to about 6 mm.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the gasifier comprises a bio-oil reformer, an autothermal reformer, or an autothermal entrained flow gasifier.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid communication comprises piping that directs the syngas from the gasifier to the fluidized bed reactor.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the syngas enters the fluidized bed reactor at a temperature from about 1100° C. to about 1400° C.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluidized bed reactor converts at least a portion of the tar and particulate into reducing gas comprising at least one of carbon monoxide or hydrogen.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein iron or iron oxide in the iron ore fines catalyzes reactions that produce the reducing gas in the fluidized bed reactor.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional fluidized bed reactor configured to further reduce the iron oxide in the iron ore fines.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a carbon capture device configured to (i) receive a partially spent syngas produced by the fluidized bed reactor and (ii) remove carbon dioxide from the partially spent syngas to produce a reducing gas stream; and

a heater that preheats the reducing gas stream to produce a preheated reducing gas stream.

10 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising an additional fluidized bed reactor configured to receive the preheated reducing gas stream.

11 . A method of producing metallic iron, the method comprising:

obtaining bio-oil;

obtaining iron ore fines;

providing the bio-oil to a gasifier to produce syngas from the bio-oil, the syngas comprising tar and particulate; and

providing the syngas and the iron ore fines to a fluidized bed reactor where iron oxide in the iron ore fines is at least partially reduced using the syngas.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the iron ore fines have a particle size from about 50 μm to about 6 mm.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gasifier comprises a bio-oil reformer, an autothermal reformer, or an autothermal entrained flow gasifier.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the syngas enters the fluidized bed reactor at a temperature from about 1100° C. to about 1400° C.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluidized bed reactor converts at least a portion of the tar and particulate into reducing gas comprising at least one of carbon monoxide or hydrogen.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein iron or iron oxide in the iron ore fines catalyzes reactions that produce the reducing gas in the fluidized bed reactor.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the iron ore fines from the fluidized bed reactor to at least one additional fluidized bed reactor, wherein the at least one additional fluidized bed reactor further reduces iron oxide in the iron ore fines.

18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a partially spent syngas produced by the fluidized bed reactor to a carbon capture device;

using the carbon capture device to (i) remove carbon dioxide from the partially spent syngas and (ii) produce a reducing gas stream; and

heating the reducing gas stream in a heater to produce a preheated reducing gas stream.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising providing the preheated reducing gas stream to an additional fluidized bed reactor.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising providing the removed carbon dioxide for sequestration.