Thermodynamic Analysis in the Production of Chromium Carbide from the Reduction of Chromium Oxide with Methane-Containing Gas

Thermodynamic calculation is done to determine whether the reactions will proceed or not. The more negative values of the Gibbs free energies would indicate that the reactions are going to proceed. The study aimed to determine the thermodynamic feasibility of using methane as a reductant for chromium oxide. It was thermodynamically proven that methane-containing gas is viable and highly suitable. Also, methane is cheaper and abundant thus, the cost of production in the Ferrochromium industry would be lessened eventually. Thermodynamic calculations further revealed that methanecontaining gas was feasible in reducing Cr2O3 to chromium carbides based on the Gibbs free energies. Methane gas gave negative values of the Gibbs energies in all chromium carbides. It was observed that it was lower compared with the carbothermal and H2 reductions.