Abstract: An improved apparatus for reactor iron making has a furnace body to melt raw material, typically as scrap, a shaft to heat the raw material, and a raw material supply bucket, these three components being arranged vertically, with an exhaust gas combustion tower positioned close to the shaft.Raw material is supplied to the shaft with this apparatus by the bucket, and, after being heated by exhaust gas from the furnace body, the raw material is charged into the furnace body by the opening/closing operation of a shaft damper and a furnace body cover.Exhaust gas is introduced from the furnace body into the combination tower, air is supplied in stages, the temperature of the gas is gradually raised through combustion of CO, and the gas is used to heat the raw material in the shaft.

Abstract: A powdered coal burner used for directly heating an object to be heated, particularly iron scrap, in a heating vessel. The burner is composed of an oxygen nozzle, a powdered coal nozzle, an air nozzle, disposed concentrically from the center, and a cone which is provided at the end of the opening part of the oxygen nozzle in such a way as to disperse oxygen in a radial direction and burn powdered coal. The burner burns with shortened length of flame, and temperature of the flame is not excessively high.

Abstract: During the heating of scrap in a container using sulfur-containing fuels for combustion, CaO, Ca(CO).sub.2, or CaCO.sub.3 powder is injected into the container to fix sulfur oxides generated during the combustion mainly as CaSO.sub.4. There is no need for special exhaust gas desulfurization, and, at the same time, slag formation is possible.