Iron
carbide is produced by an apparatus comprising first fludized
bed reactor 4 and second
fluidized bed reactor 5, wherein the charged grainy
iron oxide is reduced and carburized by the high temperature and
high pressure gas being introduced from the bottom of the reactor. Both
fluidized bed reactors comprise chamber 23 for introducing gas into the reactor, distribution plate 27 having multiple gas-introducing nozzles 28, partition plate 26 partitioning the fulidized
bed into plural division rooms, and
gas supply inlet 25a, 25b arranged on chamber 23 for supplying gas to specific division room respectively. Each
gas supply inlet is connected to
gas supply line having a gas flow control valve for controlling
gas pressure or gas flow rate. There is provided with a gas circulation loop having a
quenching tower 10a,10b and cooler 12a, 12b which eliminate dust contained in the
exhaust gas of the reactor, and having a preheater 15a, 15b for heating the gas, wherein the
exhaust gas is returned to the chamber by way of
quenching tower, cooler and preheater. Using the above apparatus, a grainy
iron oxide is reacted with gas and iron
carbide is produced by the steps of; charging a grainy
iron oxide from a side wall of
fluidized bed reactor 4, 5; reducing and
carburizing the grainy iron
oxide under floating and fluidizing by high temperature and
high pressure gas being introduced from the bottom of the reactor; transferring the grainy iron
oxide from the division room of the upstream side to the division room of the downstream side via a communication space located at either upper or lower part of the partition plate under fluidizing; discharging produced iron
oxide from the final division room.