Abstract: A process of making steel from solid metal iron-bearing materials, especially metal scrap, in an oxygen converter comprises heating and melting the charge by supplying a fuel and an oxidizing agent in the direction from the bottom upwardly and from the side through the thickness of the materials charged into the converter, as well as top feeding of the oxidizing agent, whereupon the melt is refined while a silicon-containing heat carrier is added thereinto. At the same time, the side and top blowing of oxygen is discontinued while the bottom blowing thereof is reduced.

Abstract: A method for producing steels of high purity and low gas content in steel mills and steel foundries comprises melting the steel with the desired alloying components in a ladle, directing an inert gas and oxygen mixture to the ladle with the molten steel to decarburize the steel in at least one phase, and carrying out decarburization, deoxidation and fining in separate operational steps without disturbing the coherence of the entire process cycle. The apparatus for carrying out the method includes a converter for the decarburization of the steel in several phases permitting successively a treatment with an air inert gas oxygen mixture and pure inert gas in gas amounts greatly varying from each other. In addition, a ladle is required for fine-flushing the steel succeeding the converter. The converter mouth advantageously has a mechanism permitting temporary reduction of the converter opening area.

Abstract: A method for making high quality liquid iron with substantially no residual chemical elements and a controlled content of carbon, manganese, phosphorous, sulfur and silicon in the final metal. Sponge iron, as raw material, is melted in a vessel or converter with a basic refractory lining. The energy required for melting the sponge iron is provided by the exothermic reaction of carbon from any coal or carbonaceous material and oxygen in solution within the metal bath and by the combustion of other hydro-carbon fluids, all injected to the bath through nozzles preferably located in the bottom of the converter. Further energy is obtained with the post-combustion of gases leaving the metal bath when ascending to the upper port of the converter.