Abstract: A process and a smelt reduction vessel (1) for producing metals and metal alloys, in particular iron and iron alloys, from metal oxides and ores in a smelt reduction vessel. The process and the vessel are characterized in that loss of liquid and solids with waste gases (11) from the vessel are minimized by causing the waste gases, oxidizing gases (5) and entrained liquid and solids in the space in the vessel that is above the molten metal to rotate about a vertical axis of the vessel thereby forcing liquid and solids outwardly toward the wall of the vessel. This rotational motion may be caused by injecting some or all of the oxidizing gases through tuyeres (4) positioned above the bath surface obliquely to a vertical plane through a vertical axis of the vessel. The vessel may have a substantially rotationally symmetrical shape at least in the space above the molten metal (2A).

Abstract: The specification discloses a process for heating solid particulate materials. The process comprises entraining the solid particulate materials in a gas to form a stream of gas containing entrained particles and containing this stream with a stream of hot gases. The contact between the two streams is performed in such a manner that at least a portion of the solid particulate material is heated rapidly and the heated and unheated particles enter flow patterns in which contact between the particles and with interior surfaces of contact chamber is minimized. A heating and treatment chamber for applying the process to the treatment of solid particulate materials is disclosed. The specification also discloses a molten bath reactor combined with the chamber for heating and treating solid particulate materials.

Abstract: Prereduced iron oxides are supplied to a smelting vessel (1) for the production of iron or steel by directing a hot reducing offgas from the vessel (1) into a vertical riser duct (8) without substantial cooling of the offgas and by way of inlet (16), particulate iron oxide containing material is entrained in the hot reducing offgas as the gas is conveyed upwardly through the duct (8). The hot gas heats the entrained material to a temperature at which partial reduction of the iron oxide occurs, the hot gas thereby losing sensible heat. Additional materials may be introduced to the duct (8) for entrainment in the gas. Particulate material is separated in a cyclone (9) from the gas and the separated partially reduced material is introduced to the smelting vessel by way of passage (12).

Abstract: Apparatus for classifying particulate material on a particle by particle basis according to the extent to which the particles possess certain attributes, such as the presence of particular colors when viewed from different directions. A particle feeder (12) feeds particles past an inspection system (13) which inspects each particle and derives signals which are a measure of a plurality of attributes of the particle. A separation or airblast mechanism (14) operates to direct particles to multiple outlets (15) according to the signals derived by the inspection system (13). This operation is controlled by a signal processor which can store a plurality of sets of specific values of attributes each set of which is typical of one of a plurality of particular classes into which the particulate material is to be classified and can compare subsequently measured sets of values of attributes of successive particles with the stored sets to determine a closest match with one of the particular classes.