Abstract: A method for operating a blast furnace for producing of pig iron, comprising the steps of including heating a stream of hydrocarbon gas and a stream of steam in a first heater to provide a heated stream of hydrocarbon gas and steam, feeding and partially reforming the heated stream of hydrocarbon gas and steam in a pre-reformer to provide a stream of partially reformed syngas, heating a first stream of blast furnace gas from the blast furnace and the stream of partially reformed syngas in a second heater, before or after their mixing together, to provide a heated carbon feed stream, reforming the heated carbon feed stream in a secondary reformer to provide a second stream of syngas, and feeding said second stream of syngas to the shaft of the blast furnace.

Abstract: A shaft furnace, in particular a blast furnace, comprises includes an outer metal shell; a plurality of tuyeres arranged to inject hot blast into the shaft furnace; and means for injecting process gas in the shaft stack area, where the injector has a nozzle body with a peripheral wall extending along a longitudinal axis from a front portion, with at least one injection hole, to an opposite rear portion connected to a base member, where the nozzle body includes an inner gas channel for guiding process gas from an inlet port in the base member to the injection holes(s), nozzle body being mounted through an aperture in the metal shell in such a way that the front region with injection hole(s) is located on the inner side of the metal shell, whereas the rear portion is outside of the metal shell, and the base member includes a peripheral mounting portion configured for connecting the injector in a gas tight manner to a mounting unit surrounding the aperture in the metal shell.

Abstract: A method for operating a blast furnace for producing of pig iron, includes the following steps heating a first stream of steam in a first heater, before or after having been mixed with an oxygen source selected from oxygen and oxygen-enriched air, to provide a first heated stream of oxygen-enriched steam; heating a first stream of blast furnace gas from the blast furnace and a first stream of natural gas in a second heater, before or after being mixed together, to provide a heated carbon feed stream; feeding the first heated stream of oxygen-enriched steam and the heated carbon feed stream either as a combined stream or separately to a catalytic partial oxidation reactor to produce a stream of syngas; and feeding the stream of syngas to the shaft of the blast furnace.

Abstract: A reducing gas injection system for a blast furnace having a blast furnace wall, the system including a reducing gas distribution pipe, one or more injectors mounted to the blast furnace wall at a shaft level, where the reducing gas distribution pipe is attached to the blast furnace wall or its supporting structure, where the injector(s) have a nozzle body with a peripheral wall extending along a longitudinal axis from a front portion, with at least one injection hole, to an opposite rear portion with an inlet port, where the nozzle body includes an inner gas channel for guiding reducing gas from the inlet port to the injection holes(s); where the nozzle body is mounted trough an aperture in the blast furnace wall in such a way that the front portion with the injection hole(s) is located on an inner side of the blast furnace, whereas the rear portion with the inlet port is outside of the blast furnace wall, where the nozzle body includes a peripheral mounting portion configured for connecting the injector in

Abstract: A gas injection system for a blast furnace or shaft furnace or metallurgical furnace comprising a furnace wall and a cooling plate wherein the gas injection system comprises a gas distribution pipe, one or more injectors having a nozzle, wherein the nozzle comprises a ceramic insert, wherein the cooling element has a hot side, turned away from the furnace wall, wherein a protrusion is attached to the hot side of said cooling plate, wherein the ceramic insert traverses the furnace wall and the cooling plate and the protrusion on cooling plate and wherein the ceramic inserts have an adaptable length so that they either protrude inside the furnace, or that they are flush with a hot face of the cooling plate or stay slightly in retreat with a hot face of the cooling plate.

Abstract: A method for supplying raw material to a sinter plant and facilitating a sinter process with reduced consumption of fossil fuels, provides that a mixed material is used to supply raw material, wherein the mixed material includes particulate iron-containing material and particulate pyrolised biomass in mixed form. The iron-containing material is preferably iron ore and/or the pyrolised biomass is preferably charcoal.

Abstract: A method for converting a blast furnace plant for synthesis gas utilization includes: constructing a syngas stove, and constructing a syngas supply system for connecting the syngas stove to a blast furnace; connecting a first syngas stove to the top-gas supply system, the cold-blast and hot-blast supply systems and operating the first syngas stove for hot blast generation; disconnecting a first original stove from the top-gas supply system, the cold-blast and hot-blast supply systems; and converting the first original stove to adapt it for producing syngas. The method includes connecting the first original stove to the top-gas supply system; disconnecting the first syngas stove from the cold-blast and hot-blast supply systems, connecting the first original stove and first syngas stove to a gas-combination supply system; and operating the first original stove and first syngas stove to produce and then supply syngas to the blast furnace via the syngas supply system.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of operating a sinter plant, where a sinter mix is fired in a sintering machine, the method including crushing fired sinter to below an upper particle size limit; screening the crushed sinter to remove fines and separate at least two sinter size fractions, typically smaller, intermediate and upper size fractions; storing each of the at least two sinter size fractions in a respective, separate storage bin, where the screened sinter fractions are not mixed again at the sinter plant but are forwarded to the blast furnace plant, where they are stored in respective, separate storage bins, and the screened sinter fractions can be intermediately stored in separate bins at the sinter plant, before being forwarded to the blast furnace.

Abstract: A method for operating a blast furnace, including collecting a blast furnace gas from the blast furnace, the blast furnace gas being a CO2 containing gas, combining the blast furnace gas with a fuel gas to obtain a gas mixture, the fuel gas being a hydrocarbon containing gas, subjecting the gas mixture to a reforming process, thereby producing a synthesis gas containing CO and H2; and feeding at least a portion of the synthesis gas and an oxygen-rich gas into the blast furnace, where the blast furnace gas is combined with the fuel gas while containing substantially the same amount of CO2 as when exiting the blast furnace and wherein the blast furnace gas is combined with the fuel gas in an over-stoichiometric ratio, so that the synthesis gas contains a surplus portion of the blast furnace gas.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of operating a sinter plant, where a sinter mix is fired in a sintering machine, the method including crushing fired sinter to below an upper particle size limit; screening the crushed sinter to remove fines and separate at least two sinter size fractions, typically smaller, intermediate and upper size fractions; storing each of the at least two sinter size fractions in a respective, separate storage bin, where the screened sinter fractions are not mixed again at the sinter plant but are forwarded to the blast furnace plant, where they are stored in respective, separate storage bins, and the screened sinter fractions can be intermediately stored in separate bins at the sinter plant, before being forwarded to the blast furnace.

Abstract: Dust emissions can be reduced in a metal or slag casting apparatus by providing an endless conveyor having a plurality of casting molds with upper open tops wherein the conveyor is arranged to move the casting molds in a first section from a casting station to a discharge station and in a second section back to the casting station. The method for reducing dust emissions includes (a) providing a casing forming a bottomless box over at least part of the first section of the conveyor, (b) injecting within the casing a gas on the surface of the mold with an angle configured to blow off loose, solid particles, formed at the surface of the metal, during early stages of the cooling down and to start the solidification of a superficial layer of metal or slag, and (c) extracting the gas and the solid particles by suction from within the casing.

Abstract: A method for reducing dust emissions in a metal or slag casting apparatus, as well as a metal or slag casting apparatus allowing reducing dust emissions, comprising an endless conveyor having a plurality of casting moulds with upper open tops and which endless conveyor is arranged to move said casting moulds in a first section from a casting station to to the casting station, the method comprising (a) providing a casing forming a bottomless box over at least part of the first section of the endless conveyor, (b) injecting within said casing a gas on the surface of the mould with an angle sufficient to blow off loose, solid particles, such as graphite flakes, formed at the surface of the metal, during early stages of the cooling down and to start the solidification of a superficial layer of metal or slag, (c) extracting the gas and the solid particles by suction from within said casing.