Abstract: A method for the production of sponge metal by the gaseous reduction of metal oxides in iron ore to sponge iron, wherein metal oxided iron ore is initially preheated to or near reduction with a hot oxygen-free gas stream produced by the combustion of a fuel with no more than a stoichiometric amount of an oxygen-containing gas. The preheated ore is then reduced by contact with a hot reducing gas stream which has been preheated by intimate mixing with a hot oxygen-free heating gas stream. The hot oxygen-free gas stream is produced by the combustion of a fuel with no more than a stoichiometric amount of an oxygen-containing gas. The intimate mixing of the reducing gas and the oxygen-free heating gas rapidly raises the temperature of the reducing gas without depleting any reducing components thereof before the heated reducing gas is passed over the oxided iron ore.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing a hot reducing gas for introduction into a vessel containing ore oxide in order to react with the ore oxide to produce reduced metal including the steps of combusting a fuel with no more than a stoichiometric amount of air to produce a heating gas having an absence of available oxygen, mixing the heating gas with an initially preheated reducing gas stream in order to heat the initially preheated reducing gas stream without spending any of the reducing strength thereof and further to mixing such air and fuel to produce a heating gas which will cause the formation of additional reducing constituents.

Abstract: A method of reducing the temperature of sponge iron to a safe level for storage and shipment including the steps of transferring freshly prepared sponge iron in particulate form to a separator vessel, such sponge iron being at dangerously high temperatures rendering it susceptible to oxidation; passing a cooling gas stream through the sponge iron in order to initially cool and fluidize the sponge iron and transfer smaller particles and fines away from the larger, more solid sponge iron particulate; conveying by vibration the remaining sponge iron towards a storage area and applying the cooling gas to the remaining sponge iron as it is conveyed towards storage in order to reduce the average temperature of the sponge iron to a safe level.