Abstract: A cupola for the melting of metal is provided with an auxiliary gas generator which supplies through the forehearth hot carbon monoxide rich gas to the bottom of the cupola as a source of heat. The heat of the gases maintains the cupola hearth and forehearth hot. Ordinary coal, or coke breeze or any other carbonaceous fuel may be burned in the generator. Additionally, the cupola may be allowed to go to zero output without cooling off.

Abstract: An apparatus for the gaseous reduction of iron ore to sponge iron includes upper, intermediate and lower vessel chamber portions with the intermediate and lower chamber portions having a frusto-conical shape. An annular baffle projects from the intermediate chamber into the lower chamber and provides a configuration for cooling without the requirement of an internal coil type water cooling system.

Abstract: A device for separating slag from molten bath to be discharged from a container, for example, a converter, ladle or the like comprising a tortuous molten bath discharge passage communicated with the container and shaped and arranged such that the static pressure of that portion of the molten bath which is remained in the tortuous molten bath discharge passage after the molten bath has been discharged from the container is kept in balance with the static pressure of the slag following the flow of the molten bath.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the direct reduction of iron oxide utilizing sulfur-containing gas such as coke oven gas for the process gas. Sulfur-containing gas is heated and injected above the reduction zone to transfer the sulfur to the hot burden. The apparatus includes an upper bustle zone for prereduction and sulfur transfer and a lower bustle zone for the final reduction of the burden to metallized iron.

Abstract: An arrangement for closing the tap hole of a metallurgical vessel designed for separating metal and slag, includes a closure body which is insertable into the tap hole so as to leave free an annular gap relative to the tap hole wall. The closure body contains a compressed-gas conduit and has an outer jacket tapering towards the mouth of the compressed-gas conduit. In order to ensure the maintenance of an annular gap of constant size, and thus the original diameter of the tap hole, the tap hole is set off in step-like manner by two parts so as to widen outwardly. The outer tap hole part has a larger diameter than that the inner part, which is delimited by the lining of the metallurgical vessel. The outer part is formed by a hollow body whose inner ring wall surrounds the outer jacket of the closure body peripherally at a radial distance. The hollow body also has a cavity into which at least one supply and one discharge conduit for a coolant enter.

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 apparatus for reduction of iron ore to sponge iron includes a reduction vessel having upper gas inlet ports, a charging opening, a lower discharge chamber including gas discharge openings and a bottom discharge door. The discharge door includes an internal dome-shaped hollow body provided with discharge openings which are connected to a source of cooling gas for cooling the discharge chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for discharging freshly reduced material from a shaft furnace and controlling release of spent reducing gases so that they are not a hazard. The apparatus includes a pair of surge bins and means for directing material selectively to either bin. Gas-seal valves having purge means are located above the respective bins. Gas-seal flapper valves are located below and are movable to positions wholly out of the path of material discharging from the bins.

Abstract: Improved cooling of sponge iron in the cooling reactor of a multi-stage gaseous reduction system for particulate iron ore is achieved by using a hollow foraminous closure plug at the bottom of the reactor. The plug is pivotally mounted for movement from a reactor-closing to a reactor-discharge position and has a cooling gas inlet nipple which, when the plug is in its reactor-closing position, registers with the discharge end of a cooling gas supply conduit to cause cooling gas to flow into the plug and through the wall thereof to cool the adjacent portion of the sponge iron bed within the reactor. The plug can also be used to distribute hot gas to an ore bed in a reduction reactor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the direct reduction of iron ore are disclosed. A mixture of iron ore, solid carbonaceous fuel and, if sulfur is present, calcined limestone or dolomite, are used. The carbonaceous material can be cellulosic material (wood waste, paper, particularly municipal trash, garbage, etc.), charcoal, or coal (preferably sub-bituminous coal or lignite). The above feed is continuously charged into a gasification and initial reduction zone of a shaft furnace which is partitioned partially from the remainder of the furnace. Oxygen and hot steam are introduced into the upper portion of the said zone. Partial combustion or pyrolysis of the fuel and reaction with steam take place, producing reducing gas which initiates reduction of the iron ore. Ore and gas flow downwardly through conduits into the final reduction zone. Meanwhile, hydrogen-enriched reducing gas is introduced in the middle of the final reduction zone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the direct reduction of iron in which a fossil fuel is gasified to produce a hot gas which is tempered with a carbon dioxide lean gas. The mixture is reacted with carbon to upgrade it in reducing potential and is desulfurized by reaction with lime in a first shaft furnace to form a hot reducing gas. The hot reducing gas is utilized as the reductant in a counterflow shaft reduction furnace and the spent reducing gas is recycled as tempering gas for the gas from the hot gasifier. The apparatus includes a gasifier, counterflow shaft gas reactor, a shaft type direct reduction furnace and associated equipment.

Abstract: A discharge flow regulating device for regulating the discharge of sponge metal from the bottom of a vertical, moving bed reduction reactor. A frustoconical baffle near the bottom of the reactor directs the flow of particles toward a horizontal plate spaced from the baffle and having a diameter sufficient to block the passage of the particles. Gas under pressure is supplied to the center of the plate and directed radially outward to blow particles over the rim of the plate. The supply of pressurized gas is regulated to regulate the rate at which particles are forced to and over the perimeter of the plate. The gas also serves to cool the sponge metal in the lower portion of the reactor.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating a strip of briquets issuing from a briquetting machine into individual briquets by bending the briquet strip both longitudinally and transversely to break the connections between adjacent briquets. The apparatus includes a carrying conveyor having arcuate, waveform or sawtooth conveyor slats and a conforming conveyor having conveyor slats with a cross section which mates with that of the carrying conveyor. The conforming conveyor forces the briquet strip to conform to the slat configuration of the first conveyor and to pass around a pivot means which breaks or separates the strip into individual briquets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the continuous direct reduction of metal oxides, ores, etc. to a hot metallized product in solid form. A gas unique seal is employed to prevent the leakage of reduction gas from the bottom of the closed shaft furnace when the product is being discharged which does not affect the discharge temperature of the product.

Abstract: In the gasification of granular solid fossil fuel in a reactor wherein the fuel forms a fixed bed moving from top to bottom of the reactor under gravity, oxygen-containing gases and water vapor are fed into the fuel bed through nozzles in the lower portion of the reactor, molten slag at a temperature of about 1350.degree. to 1500.degree. C. is discharged through a conduit which is inclined to the horizontal, and product gas is withdrawn from the reactor above the fuel bed, the improvement which comprises feeding oxygen gas into the reactor adjacent to the inlet of the slag discharge conduit and directed from above onto the molten slag, thereby forming a leakage gas at a temperature of at least about 1500.degree. C. which leakage gas is withdrawn through the slag discharge conduit co-current with the slag. The leakage gas is separated from the slag in a lock chamber and mixed with the product gas.

Abstract: A furnace product is permitted to flow out by gravity from the opening defined between the lower end of a furnace wall and a furnace bottom and to accumulate on the circumferential portion of the furnace bottom with a reposing angle inherent to the product, with the accumulation being drawn out of the furnace from the circumferential portion of the furnace bottom. The furnace bottom is formed with a diameter larger than the inside diameter of the lower end of the furnace wall and vertically spaced from the lower end of the furnace so as to provide an opening therebetween through which the furnace product is allowed to pass a discharging device comprising a reciprocating raking arm with its end movable across the circumferential portion of the furnace bottom operates to remove product therefrom.

Abstract: A column of hot, particulate char from a shaft furnace is moistened with quench water as it moves downwardly into a vessel which it fills and forms a pile. The material in the pile is shifted from a central core at the base of the column to a zone which surrounds the sides and bottom of the column by material flowing from the lower portion of the column; and steam is exhausted from the upper portion of the vessel.

Abstract: Iron-containing materials are loaded into the top of a shaft furnace to form therein an upright column of the materials. A burner forms a flame above the floor of the furnace to heat the base of the column and thereby melt the materials at the base of the column into a liquefied-iron melt on the floor of the furnace and a layer of slag on the melt. In addition this flame formed by the burner forms a deposit in the furnace on which the column is supported. Slag is continuously withdrawn from the furnace at a location substantially level with the deposit and the melt is withdrawn from the furnace at a location below the layer of slag and is heated as it is withdrawn. This melt is withdrawn through an iron-drain conduit having an outlet end vertically positioned to be horizontally even with the lower surface of the slag and a refining vessel working inductively or by means of an electric arc may be provided in this outlet conduit for the continuous transformation of the liquefied iron into steel.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for granulating blast furnace slag, in which, by means of watersprays, slag which is supplied through a slag chute into an open explosion room, is first granulated, whereupon the water-granules mixture is transported to an open granulation pit and onto a dewatering bed, the dewatering granules being conveyed from said pit periodically.

Abstract: An improved cupola furnace which comprises, in combination, on the one hand at least one tap hole for the pig iron opening into the crucible level with the hearth, a passage for evacuating the slag and air-blowing tuyeres, on the other hand, a storage tank closed by a cover and permanently communicating, near its bottom, via the tap hole, with the crucible, finally a removal siphon permanently communicating with the tank via an opening which opens near its bottom and with the outside via an overflow sill, at least one pneumatic device being connected to the upper part of the tank and enabling this latter to be selectively placed under two different pressures.

Abstract: A slag handling apparatus and method are disclosed wherein slag is received at an elevated temperature of about 3000.degree. F. and an elevated pressure of about 450 pounds per square inch and is handled so that it may be transported at atmospheric pressures and low temperatures of the order of 100.degree.-200.degree. F. The slag is sequentially fractured and ground by a grinder while descending downwardly through a column of water in a series of vessels.

Abstract: Means for withdrawing sponge iron from externally heated retorts whereby the sponge iron is withdrawn at the bottom of the retort including staggered inlet and outlet means and a minimum of three worm screw means moving at the same speed but in differing directions moving the sponge iron from the inlet to outlet means. The withdrawal means provides uniform descent of the sponge iron within the retort.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for stopping the flow of metal from the taphole of a furnace. The method comprises the step of blowing air into the taphole with sufficient pressure to reverse the flow of the molten metal, and then reducing the pressure to a value sufficient to hold the metal in the furnace. The apparatus comprises a pipe adapted to be inserted into the taphole and of sufficient dimension to seal the taphole, and means for blowing air into the pipe initially at a predetermined pressure so as to reverse the flow of the molten metal in the taphole and then at a reduced pressure sufficient to hold the metal in the furnace.