Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing reduced iron which includes the steps of: i) drying ores in an ore drier; ii) supplying the dried ores to at least one reduction reactor; iii) reducing the ores in the at least one reduction reactor and manufacturing reduced iron; iv) discharging exhaust gas by which the ores are reduced in the reduction reactor; v) branching the exhaust gas and providing the branched exhaust gas as ore feeding gas; and vi) exchanging heat between the exhaust gas and the ore feeding gas and transferring the sensible heat of the exhaust gas to the ore feeding gas. In the supplying the dried ores to the at least one reduction reactor, the dried ores are supplied to the at least one reduction reactor by using the ore feeding gas.

Abstract: Provided is a smelting method whereby a reaction for reducing pellets, said pellet being formed by using a saprolite ore as a starting material, can be effectively conducted and thus an iron/nickel alloy having a nickel grade of, for example, 16% or greater can be obtained. The method comprises: a pellet production step (S1) for producing the pellets from the saprolite ore; and a reduction step (S2) for heating and reducing the obtained pellets in a smelting furnace. In the pellet production step (S1), at least the saprolite ore and a preset amount of a carbonaceous reducing agent are mixed together to produce the pellets. In the reduction step (S2), a hearth carbonaceous reducing agent is preliminarily spread on the hearth of the smelting furnace and the pellets produced above are placed on the hearth carbonaceous reducing agent and then subjected to a heat reduction treatment.

Abstract: A device for regulating the temperature of a gas in a hot gas main for feeding hot gas to a blast furnace includes a mixing pot with two mixing chambers in fluid communication with each other by means of a Venturi restriction. The first mixing chamber includes three inlet ports for feeding hot gas into the first mixing chamber, feeding cold gas into the first mixing chamber and feeding cold gas into the second mixing chamber, respectively. The first mixing chamber further includes an outlet port for feeding a first stream of mixed gas from the first mixing chamber to a first gas distribution system. The second mixing chamber includes a second outlet port for feeding a second stream of mixed gas from the second mixing chamber to a second gas distribution system. The first and second streams of mixed gas have different temperatures.

Abstract: An apparatus for condensing metal vapors has at least one inlet conduit that is cooled to cause a portion of the metal vapor to condense to liquid. The apparatus also has a holding tank that is connected to the inlet conduit that collects condensed liquid metal. The apparatus also has at least one outlet conduit connected to the holding tank that is cooled to cause a portion of the remaining metal vapor to condense to solid metal. The apparatus also has at least one heater that heats the at least one outlet conduit to cause the solid metal to melt to liquid metal and subsequently flow in to the holding tank. The apparatus also has at least one sealing mechanism located at a distal end of the at least one outlet conduit for preventing metal vapor and carrier gas from exiting the outlet conduit during heating of the outlet conduit.

Abstract: A method for operating a blast furnace and a corresponding blast furnace, the method including recovering top gas from the blast furnace, submitting at least a portion of the top gas to a recycling process, and feeding the recycled top gas back into the blast furnace, where the recycling process includes feeding the recovered top gas to a reformer unit, feeding volatile carbon containing material to the reformer unit, proceeding to flash gasification of the volatile carbon containing material in the reformer unit, at a temperature between 1100 and 1300° C., and thereby producing devolatized carbonaceous material and synthesis gas, and allowing the devolatized carbonaceous material and synthesis gas to react with the recovered top gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing hydrocarbons to a direct reduction shaft furnace while controlling the temperature uniformity of the center portion of the iron burden wherein the hydrocarbon gases used in direct reduction may be preheated, which increases the temperature of the hydrocarbon gases, and therefore increases the resultant temperature of the upflowing gases as it rises from the lower section of the furnace into the center of the burden. Alternatively, a portion of the upflowing gas may be removed before it enters the reduction zone of the furnace. The removed upflowing gas, known as hot bleed gas, may be ducted to the top gas scrubber of the furnace or may be mixed with the main reducing gas stream of the furnace for reintroduction to the furnace. Alternatively, hot reducing gas may be directly injected into the center portion of the burden, offsetting the cooling effect of the upflowing gas.

Abstract: The present invention is an integrated process and apparatus for supplying at least a portion of the reducing gas feedstock to a reduction reactor, such as a reactor for the direct reduction of iron, wherein the reducing gas contacts a feed material at a mean operating gas pressure and effects reduction of the feed material to provide a reduced product. The integrated process includes gasifying a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in a partial oxidation reaction to produce a synthesis gas which comprises hydrogen, and carbon monoxide at a pressure substantially greater than the mean operating gas pressure in the reduction reactor. The synthesis gas is expanded to lower its pressure to substantially the mean operating gas pressure in the DRI reduction reactor to thereby form the reducing gas feedstock at the pressure conditions used for the DRI reaction.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method to provide a system for solid material arging into vertical reactors by electronic control of the exhaust gases, a unique process applied for charging into vertical reactors, cupolas, ferrous and non-ferrous blast furnaces, and shaft furnaces in the absence of the use of conventional flap valves, pressure chambers, doors or bells to prevent the exhaust gases from escaping uncontrolled to the atmosphere. In this invention, the solid charging materials are loaded at all times into the reactor through the charge duct without loss of exhaust to the atmosphere or air infiltration into the exhaust gases. A controlled post combustion is conducted when the exhaust gases contain substantial amount of combustible gases. An adjustable-high-temperature-air blast is used for reduced fuel costs. The heat of exhaust gases is transferred to the air and the waste gases are exhausted at low temperature.

Abstract: A fluidized bed direct steelmaking plant for reducing raw iron ore fines and directly producing an iron product in a virtually closed gas system comprises an ore feed assembly, a multi-stage reactor assembly with a compacting assembly, a gasifier/smelter assembly, and, a reducing gas assembly. Reducing gases utilized in the plant are produced from processed offgas from said smelter assembly and recycled reducing gases from said reactor assembly. The processed offgas is 100% utilizable as reducing gas by balancing the reduced iron ore between the gasifier/smelter and compacting assemblies. The iron product is refinable into steel with a standard available refining assembly, such as a ladle or basic oxygen furnace, for removal of impurities prior to casting.

Abstract: An improved FIOR processing plant and method for reducing raw iron ore fines into a 90+% metallized briquette product utilizing a multi-stage fluidized bed reactor in which the reducing and fluidizing gases are the products of partial combustion of methane with oxygen, the gases being introduced into an intermediate zone of the reducing tower above the stage or stages where final metallization occurs. Said processing plant including an ore preparation and feed assembly, a mutli-stage reactor assembly, a briquetting assembly, a recycle and fresh reducing gas assembly, and, a heat recuperation assembly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering primary metals from pyrometallurgical process dust, in which a vertical shaft retort, situated in a furnace or afterburner associated with a pyrometallurgical apparatus, such as an inclined rotary reduction smelter, and preferably having a tapered cross-section with the larger end at the bottom, receives greenball pellets from a pelletizer, vaporizes volatile metal metals therein, and removes them to an associated volatile metal recovery apparatus, while reducing and recovering the major metal oxide components in the pellets in metallized form.

Abstract: A process for producing sponge iron from iron ore is described, which is reduced to sponge iron in a reduction shaft furnace by means of a hot reduction gas. For this purpose reduction gas at a temperature in the range 750.degree. to 900.degree. is introduced into shaft furnace (1) level with bustle plane (5) having been produced in a gasifier (2) then cooled and purified in a cyclone separator (12). Reduction gas is introduced below the bustle plane (5) at a temperature below that of the reduction gas introduced in the bustle plane and is preferably introduced into the shaft furnace (1) between 650.degree. and 750.degree.. Increased carburization of the sponge iron is obtained. Increased carbon separation also results through a volume increase, particularly by increasing the cross-section through the lower part of the shaft furnace.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing undesired compounds such as alkali compounds from a shaft furnace such as a blast furnace. The process and apparatus includes providing a plurality of intermediate exhaust conduits or manifolds within the shaft furnace for withdrawing some of the furnace gases which may be rich in alkali or other undesirable compounds from the furnace while allowing the balance of the gases of combustion to rise through the furnace. These conduits are positioned so that the temperature below the conduits is higher than the temperature at which the alkali compounds will volatilize and the temperature above the conduits is lower than the temperature at which the alkali compounds will condense so that the undesirable alkali compounds are in a vapor state when they are withdrawn from the furnace through the intermediate exhaust conduits.

Abstract: A furnace arrangement utilizes a single vertically disposed shaft furnace incorporating the features of pellet drying and hardening, oxidizing heat-up, reducing roast and gas separation. The upper portion of the furnace dries and hardens "green" pellets while at the same time subjecting them to an oxidizing atmosphere and temperature increase. A stack of the pellets slowly moves downwardly through a transistion zone to a reducing atmosphere in a lower portion of the furnace. A heated reducing gas circulates through this lower portion and out of the furnace through a recovery system of the furnace arrangement. After the sublimate carried by the reducing gas is removed, the reducing gas is supplemented and returned to the lower portion of the furnace to again produce a reducing atmosphere. A smaller branch of cooled reducing gas enters the lower portion of the furnace adjacent the bottom to cool the pellet residue immediately prior to removal from the furnace.

Abstract: During the charging of a blast furnace with a new raw material, gas with a high dust content enters and pressurizes the storage bin. This pressurized gas is fed to one end of a temporary storage chamber in the form of an elongated tube having a discharge opening with a noise attenuator at the other end. When the storage tube is filled, it is connected to a low pressure suction device for removing the dust laden gas from the storage tube. The equipment is described with twin bins and alternating discharge therefrom using the same temporary storage tube.

Abstract: A method of reducing and recovering volatile metal from metal oxides comprising the steps of injecting metal oxide-containing material into a shaft reactor, simultaneously injecting reducing agent into said reactor, continuously maintaining said reactor substantially filled with coke, supplying thermal energy to the reactor, preferably by means of a plasma burner, such that at least some of the metal oxides are reduced to metal and melted or volatilized depending upon whether the metal is volatile. The melted metal is removed from the bottom of the reactor while the volatilized metal is permitted to flow upwardly through the shaft reactor in the form of metal vapor together with a gas flow. The coke in the shaft reactor through which the volatilized metal passes is maintained at a temperature in excess of 1000.degree. C., thus screening the upper portion of the shaft reactor and the reactor top by means of the coke so as to prevent condensation of the volatilized metal.

Abstract: This invention relates to refining platinum group metal concentrates and the separation therefrom of silver and of the majority of base metals with which they naturally occur. In more detail the process comprises the steps of:(a) contacting a solid particulate mixture of base, silver and precious metal components, any of which components may be in metallic or chemically combined form, with a halogen-containing gas at a temperature which is sufficiently high for the base metal and silver components to form their halides and for the said halides substantially to volatilize from the said solid mixture, and(b) removing the said volatilized halides from the solid precious metal-containing component which remains.

Abstract: An indirectly fired vertical shaft furnace suitable for use as a volatilizing furnace for recovering metals from their ores, a crop drying or roasting furnace or a heating furnace is comprised of two concentric cylindrical metal shells each of which is closed at the upper end. The outer shell is completely lined with a lightweight insulating material and the lower end of the shell is connected to the upper end of an annular fire chamber having an upwardly open U-shaped cross-section cast from firebrick material. Two tangentially directed burners extend into the chamber to produce a swirling action of the hot gases in the heating chamber between the two cylindrical members. Conduits are provided through the top walls of both cylindrical member for withdrawing the material from the bottom of the central chamber.