This book offers a comprehensive treatise on smelting reduction of iron oxide—an emerging alternative method of producing hot metal without using coke. This technique is gaining increasing importance in the field of hot metal production, which has till date, been dominated by the traditional blast furnace method. Shortage of coking coal, high cost of coke and the recent enforcement of stricter environmental regulations have resulted in the advent of smelting reduction as a supplementary method of hot metal production.

The book covers the details of this rapidly developing technique that holds particular promise for countries like India, endowed with relatively large reserves of high grade iron ore that are unfortunately not matched by the availability of coking coal. The book offers an in-depth analysis of the theoretical as well as the practical aspects of smelting reduction. It begins by acquainting the readers with the current worldwide status of ironmaking, followed by the classification of the various smelting reduction processes. It then focuses on explaining the fundamentals of smelting reduction before proceeding with a critical appraisal of the various smelting reduction processes that are currently available. The future of this methodology in India and in the rest of the world is discussed in the concluding chapter. The book contains numerous illustrations to provide a clear understanding of the different processes, equipment and quality parameters relevant to smelting reduction-based ironmaking.

The book is intended mainly for undergraduate and postgraduate engineering (particularly metallurgical engineering) students seeking an insight into this emerging ironmaking technique. It would also be of immense interest to researchers and technologists engaged in this subject of smelting reduction of iron oxide. A variety of chapter-end references would assist teachers and students to get acquainted with the extensive knowledge already available in this field.About the AuthorA metallurgical engineer from Banaras Hindu University, Amit Chatterjee was awarded the Doctorate of Science (Engineering) Degree by the University of London in 1988 for his outstanding work on coal-based direct reduction and oxygen steelmaking. He had earlier obtained his Ph.D. in Process Metallurgy from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, of which he is also a Fellow.

For his contribution in the area of oxygen steelmaking and direct reduction, Dr. Chatterjee has been hailed as The King of Direct Reduction; some have opined that he is not the King but the Emperor of Direct Reduction. He started his professional career in the steel industry in Germany, followed by over 39 years of distinguished service in Tata Steel, from where he superannuated in late 2011.

Dr. Chatterjee is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, England, The Indian Institute of Metals, India as well as The Indian National Academy of Engineers, India. He has over 550 publications to his credit and is the recipient of several awards from India and overseas including the National Metallurgist Award (1977), Visvesvaraya Gold Medal (1981 and 1996), SAIL Gold Medal (1982), Bhoruka Gold Medal (1992), Tata Gold Medal (1997), Platinum Medal (2002) and many others.

Dr. Chatterjee has authored several books: Ironmaking and Steelmaking—Theory and Practice and Hot Metal Production by Smelting Reduction of Iron Oxide (both published by PHI Learning) as well as two other books entitled Beyond the Blast Furnace and Metallics for Steelmaking—Production and Use besides a number of Monographs on Cokemaking, Sintermaking, Ironmaking, Continuous Casting, etc.

Dr. Chatterjee is recognised all over the world as an authority in the field of process metallurgy, particularly in the area of direct reduction and other alternative methods of iron production.