The Krupp-Renn process is suitable for producing pre-reduced iron ore from highly siliceous and acidic ores (CaO/SiO2 basicity index of 0.1 to 0.4), which begin generating a pasty slag at 1,200 °C. Additionally, due to the slag's acidity, it becomes vitreous, facilitating separation from the iron through easy crushing. Furthermore, this process is also ideal for treating ores with high concentrations of titanium dioxide. Due to its ability to cause slag to become especially infusible and viscous, ores that contain this oxide cannot be used with blast furnaces as they must remove all their production in liquid form. For this reason, the preferred ores for this technique are those that would become uneconomical if they had to be modified with basic additives, usually those with a low iron content (between 35 and 51%), and whose gangue needs to be neutralized.
Integrated into a steelmaking complex, the Krupp-Renn process provides an alternative to sinter plants or beneficiation processes, effectively eliminating waste rock and undesired elements like zinc, lead, and tin. Integrated into a steelmaking complex, the Krupp-Renn process provides an alternative to sinter plants or beneficiation processes, effectively eliminating waste rock and undesired elements like zinc, lead, and tin. In a blast furnace, these elements undergo vaporization-condensation cycles which progressively saturates the furnace. However, with the Krupp-Renn process, the high temperature of the fumes prevents condensation within the furnace, before they are retrieved by the dust-removal system. The process recovers by-products or extracts specific metals. The Luppen is subsequently remelted in either the blast furnace or the cupola furnace, or the Martin-Siemens furnace, because it involves melting a pre-reduced, iron-rich charge.
The process has been effective in treating ores abundant in nickel(II) oxide, vanadium, and other metals. Additionally, the process is applicable in the production of ferronickel. In this instance, saprolitic ores with a high magnesium content are as infusible as highly acidic ores, distinguishing their relevance to the process.
Direct reduction methods such as this one offer the flexibility of using any solid fuel and in this case, 240 to 300 kg of hard coal is needed to process one metric ton of iron ore that contains 30 to 40% iron. Assuming a consumption of 300 kg/ton of ore at 30%, the hard coal consumption is 800 kg per ton of iron. Additionally, 300 kg of coke is consumed during the smelting of Luppen in the blast furnace. When this ore is smelted entirely in the blast furnace, total fuel consumption remains the same. However, it only uses coke, which is a much more expensive fuel than hard coal.
However, using slags with over 60% silica content, making them acidic, contradicts metal desulfurization that demands highly basic slags. Consequently, 30% of the fuel's sulfur settles in the iron, entailing expensive after-treatments to eliminate it.