# Reduction in the Midrex furnace

> Natural gas (93% methane) is turned into water gas (CO + H2): 2CH4 + CO2 + H2O -> 3CO + 5H2; the gas mixture reduces the ore: 2Fe2O3 + 3CO + 3H2 -> 4Fe + 3CO2 + 3H2O. Role of natural gas: source of the reducing agents CO and H2.

> [ar-EG] الـ natural gas (93% methane) بيتحوّل لـ water gas (CO + H2): 2CH4 + CO2 + H2O -> 3CO + 5H2؛ وبعدين خليط الغازات ده بيختزل الـ ore: 2Fe2O3 + 3CO + 3H2 -> 4Fe + 3CO2 + 3H2O. دور الـ natural gas: إنه مصدر الـ reducing agents اللي هما CO والـ H2. المطلوب: إنك تكتب المعادلات دي وتقارن بالـ blast furnace.

Part of: Transition Elements (https://yaani.ai/ar/learn/chemistry/chem-s3-en.ch1)

## Builds on

- Natural gas (methane)
- Reduction in the blast furnace

## Common mix-ups

- Methane itself reduces the ore.: No. Methane is not the reducing agent here. Natural gas (93% methane) is first turned into water gas, a mixture of $\ce{CO}$ and $\ce{H2}$, and these two gases reduce the iron ore to iron. ([ar-EG] لأ، الـ methane نفسه مش هو اللي بيختزل الـ ore؛ اللي بيختزله هو الـ CO والـ H2 اللي بيطلعوا منه.)
- The Midrex furnace uses coke.: No. The Midrex furnace uses no coke: natural gas is turned into $\ce{CO}$ and $\ce{H2}$, and this gas mixture reduces the ore. Coke belongs to the blast furnace. ([ar-EG] لأ، الـ Midrex furnace مفيهوش coke؛ الـ CO والـ H2 اللي بيختزلوا الـ ore جايين من الـ natural gas، والـ coke ده بتاع الـ blast furnace.)

Source: https://yaani.ai/ar/concept/fe.midrex-reduction