Abstract: A method of producing a hot, carburized metallized iron product in a generally vertical shaft furnace having an upper reducing zone in which iron oxide reacts with a gaseous reductant, and a lower carbon control and product discharge zone, including: establishing a gravitationally descending iron oxide burden in the furnace; reacting hot gaseous gaseous reductant with the descending burden to form a metallized iron product and a reacted top gas; and injecting a hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting of hot reformed reducing gas and cool natural gas to the product discharge section of the shaft furnace; whereby the carbon content of the metallized iron pellet product is controlled by mixing the reformed gas and natural gas in the proper ratio to balance the endothermic and exothermic reactions within the discharge zone of the furnace.

Abstract: A method of making a molten ferroalloy product in a melting furnace by charging a briquet consisting essentially of metallized iron, granulated alloy metal oxide, and a carbon source, such as coke breeze, to the melting furnace, burning solid carbonaceous material to reduce the alloy metal oxide to metallized form and to heat the charge to form a molten ferroalloy product. Fluxes and slag formers are also charged to the furnace as required.

Abstract: A briquet consists essentially of metallized iron fines, formed by direct reduction of iron oxide, granulated or fine silica, a carbon source such as coke breeze, and less than 3.5 percent of other components, or impurities. The briquet product has a density of from 2.0 to 6.0 g/cc, and is particularly well suited for steelmaking operations.The method for making the briquet is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of producing a hot, carburized metallized iron product in a generally vertical shaft furnace having an upper reducing zone in which iron oxide reacts with a gaseous reductant, and a lower carbon control and product discharge zone, including: establishing a gravitationally descending iron oxide burden in the furnace; reacting hot gaseous reductant with the descending burden to form a metallized iron product and a reacted top gas; and injecting a hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting of hot reformed endothermic gas and cool natural gas to the product discharge section of the shaft furnace; whereby the carbon content of the metallized iron pellet product is controlled by mixing the endothermic gas and natural gas in the proper ratio to balance the endothermic and exothermic reactions within the discharge zone of the furnace.

Abstract: A method of producing iron from finely divided iron oxide comprising the steps of: mixing iron oxide or iron ore fines with finely divided coal and a binder to form a mixture, agglomerating the mixture by compacting, pelletizing, or briquetting the mixture to form agglomerates or pellets, introducing the pellets to a rotary hearth furnace to prereduce the iron in the pellets, introducing the prereduced pellets into a smelting reduction vessel as the metallic charge constituent, introducing particulate carbonaceous fuel and oxygen to the smelting reduction vessel through the bottom of the vessel to react with the melt or bath within the vessel, reduce the iron to elemental iron and form an off gas containing CO and H.sub.2 introducing the off-gas into the rotary hearth furnace as process gas to prereduce the pellets therein, and drawing off the hot metal from the smelting reduction vessel.The prereduced compacts are preferably discharged from the rotary hearth furnace at a temperature of at least 1000.degree.

Abstract: A highly efficient method and apparatus for production of molten iron using coal by coal gasification in a molten iron gasifier-melter. The gasifier-melter is coupled to a direct reduction shaft furnace and utilizes both the gaseous and solid output of the shaft furnace. The process is especially efficient when using non-metallurgical coals.

Abstract: A method for forming a reducing gas in a molten metal bath gasifier and simultaneously directly reducing iron oxide in a shaft furnace with the gas thus produced, wherein the bath coolant is preferably provided by cleaned recycle gas from the direct reduction shaft furnace.