Transformations in the Mn-O-Si system using concentrated solar energy

• Published in: Solar energy Vol. 184; pp. 148 - 152
• Main Authors: Fernández-González, D., Prazuch, J., Ruiz-Bustinza, I., González-Gasca, C., Piñuela-Noval, J., Verdeja, L.F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Elsevier Ltd 15-05-2019; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Carbon dioxide; Carbon dioxide emissions; Concentrated solar energy; Energy consumption; Environment; Ferroalloys; Iron; Liquidus; Manganese; Metallurgy; Reagents; Silicomanganese; Silicon; Slag; Solar energy; Solar furnaces; Concentrated solar energy; Ferroalloys; Environment; Silicomanganese; Manganese
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2019.04.004

•Solar energy has a great potential in high temperature process as the production of ferroalloys.•We proposed the silicothermic reduction of the oxide of manganese (IV) using concentrated solar energy.•Silicon-manganese mixtures and silicomanganese were obtained by silicothermic reduction of the oxide of manganese (IV).
Energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions are a problem in the metallurgical industries. The synthesis of manganese and silicomanganese using concentrated solar energy is proposed in this paper. Mixtures of oxide of manganese (IV) and silicon (50 wt% and 75 wt%) were treated in a 1.5 kW solar furnace located in Odeillo. Results demonstrated that mixtures of manganese and silicon, but also silicomanganese, are obtained after treatment even in the less favorable situation: without iron, which reduces the liquidus temperature, and without slag-forming reagents.