Within this research field, a broad variety of either industrial scale processed or lab scale produced lump ferrous burden materials can be investigated. The description of a material’s ability regarding oxygen release and mechanical performance during reduction can be investigated either at standardized testing conditions as well as more sophisticated industrial scale processes conditions concerning temperature and gas composition. The reduction is performed within a vertical reduction aggregate and for mechanical characterization a rotating tumbling drum is set in the lab (see picture, both according to a wide range of standardized testing procedures).
Combined with the morphological characterization of the raw material and the structural evolution during reduction by means of light microscopic means an overall picture of the performance of an iron containing burden material can be given.
