Patents Assigned to Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
  • Patent number: 6669754
    Abstract: A description is given of a method of optimizing the design and operation of a reduction process for iron-containing charge materials (3), preferably in lump form, in a reduction shaft (1) to which reduction gas (9) is fed, for example from a fusion gasifier (6), with a reduced product (13), for example iron sponge, being taken from the reduction shaft (1) for the production of liquid pig iron or liquid primary steel products, in which method the reduction process is described by means of a mathematical-physical-chemical process model, the reduction shaft (1) is modelled multi-dimensionally, in particular three-dimensionally, and the process model is numerically evaluated and the results of the evaluation, obtained as multi-dimensional, in particular spatial, distributions of physical or chemical variables, are taken into account for the reduction process. This allows the reduction process to be quantitatively assessed in the entire reduction shaft and, as a result, the reduction process can be optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Zeisel, Georg Aichinger, Johann Wurm, Hermann Druckenthaner, Heinz Engl, Andrea Schatz, Gerald Gökler
  • Patent number: 6562102
    Abstract: Process and apparatus for producing liquid pig iron or primary steel products from iron-containing material in lump form in a fusion gasifier (1), in which, with lump coal and oxygen-containing gas being fed in, and with simultaneous formation of a reduction gas, the iron-containing material is fused, lump coal being fed to the fusion gasifier (1) from above and, together with the iron-containing material, forming a fixed bed (6) in the fusion gasifier (1) and thereby giving off its fraction of volatile hydrocarbons into the dome space (11) located above the fixed bed (6), and pulverized-fuel burners (15) being directed obliquely from above towards the surface of the fixed bed (6). The operation of the pulverized-fuel burners (15) is in this case controlled in such a way that the combustion of the carbon fraction of the carbon carriers in fine particle form takes place in a proportion of at least 40% to form CO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Leopold Werner Kepplinger, Kurt Wieder, Herbert Mizelli, Josef Stockinger, Johann Wurm, Parviz Zahedi
  • Patent number: 6511629
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shaft furnace, in particular a direct-reduction shaft furnace, with a charge composed of particulate material, in particular a particulate material containing iron oxide and/or sponge iron, the said material being capable of being fed into the shaft furnace from above, and with, arranged in one plane, a multiplicity of gas-inlet orifices for a reduction gas in the region of the lower third of the shaft furnace, the shaft contour having a diametral widening and a cavity being formed between the gas-inlet orifices and the charge. The shaft furnace according to the invention makes it possible to supply gas to the shaft furnace so as to be distributed uniformly over its circumference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Leopold Werner Kepplinger, Rainer Walter Kastner, Kurt Wieder, Wilhelm Schiffer, Wilhelm Stastny
  • Patent number: 6395052
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing directly reduced iron, liquid pig iron and steel, in which charge materials, which are formed from iron ore, preferably in lump and/or pellet form, and, if appropriate, additions, are reduced directly, in a first reduction zone, to form iron sponge, the iron sponge is smelted in a melter gasifier zone supplied with carbon carriers and oxygen-containing gas, to form liquid pig iron, and a reduction gas is generated, which gas, after off-gas cleaning, is introduced into the first reduction zone, where it is converted and drawn off as top gas, and in which process the top gas is subjected to off-gas cleaning, if appropriate is fed to a further reduction zone for direct reduction of iron ore to form iron sponge and, following reaction with the iron ore, is drawn off as export gas and is subjected to off-gas cleaning, and in which process the liquid pig iron and, if appropriate, the iron sponge from the further reduction zone are fed to a steelmaking process, in par
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Schrey, Herbert Gruenbacher
  • Patent number: 6391249
    Abstract: A device for producing sponge iron from iron oxide lumps consists of a reduction shaft in which a hot dust laden reducing gas is delivered. The gas is produced in a gas generator by means of partial oxidation of solid carbon carriers and passes into the lower end of the reduction zone via lateral reduction gas inlets. The iron oxide lumps are fed to the upper area of the reduction shaft and are radially fed as sponge iron to the lower end of said reduction shaft via delivery organs. The delivery organs are arranged in such a manner that the sponge iron is conveyed only radially outwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Hado Heckmann, Georg Schleich, Wolfgang Guenther, Kurt Wieder, Wilhelm Stastny
  • Patent number: 6379423
    Abstract: In a device for producing sponge iron from lumps of iron oxide in a reduction shaft (1), a hot, dust-containing and carbon monoxide-rich reduction gas is used. The reduction gas is generated in a gas generator by partial oxidation of solid carbon-containing materials and is in part supplied to the reduction shaft through several lateral reduction inlets (3) arranged at the same height around the circumference of the reduction shaft at the lower end of the reduction zone. The lumps of iron oxide are introduced into the reduction shaft through its top area and discharged as sponge iron at its bottom end. Additional reduction gas inlets (15) shaped as downwardly open channels (11) which extend from the outside to the inside of the reduction shaft and/or shaped as ducts which extend obliquely downwards from the outside to the inside of the reduction shaft and have open inner ends are arranged below the plane of the lateral reduction gas inlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Bogdan Vuletic
  • Patent number: 6332911
    Abstract: In a method for the production of liquid metal, in particular liquid pig iron (9) or liquid steel pre-products, from metal carriers, in particular partially reduced or reduced sponge iron (3), in a melter gasifier (1) in which with supply of a carbon-containing material at least partially formed of fine coal (16) and coal dust (13) and with supply of oxygen or oxygen-containing gas the metal carriers are melted in a bed (4) of the carbon-containing material at the simultaneous formation of a reducing gas, optionally upon previous final reduction, fine coal (16) and coal dust (13) which are being charged, are mixed with bitumen (20) in the hot state, after undergoing a drying operation, and subsequently are cold-briquetted, and the briquettes (25) thus formed are charged to the melter gasifier (1) in the cold state and in the melter gasifier (1) are subjected to shock-heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Schrey, Parviz Zahedi
  • Patent number: 6293991
    Abstract: In a method of producing molten pig iron (13) or molten steel pre-products from charging substances formed of iron ore (4), preferably in the shape of lumps and/or pellets, and optionally of fluxes (5), the charging substances are directly reduced to sponge iron in a reduction zone (2), the sponge iron is charged into a melt-down gasifying zone (12) and, there, is melted under the supply of carbon carriers (10) and an oxygen-containing gas, wherein a CO—H2-containing reducing gas is generated that is withdrawn from the melt-down gasifying zone (12) and introduced into the reduction zone (2), is reacted there and is withdrawn as a topgas, wherein the topgas is subjected to scrubbing and the sludges thus separated are at least partially agglomerated. To utilize the agglomerates thus formed while expending as little energy as possible, the agglomerates are recirculated into the reduction zone (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Gruenbacher, Guenter Schrey
  • Patent number: 6280181
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shaft furnace (1), in particular a direct-reduction shaft furnace, having a bed (2) of lumpy material, in particular lumpy material containing iron oxide and/or iron sponge, having worm conveyors (3) which penetrate through the shell of the shaft furnace for discharging the lumpy material from the shaft furnace (1), which conveyors are arranged above the base area of the shaft furnace (1) and are mounted in the shell of the shaft furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Schmidt, Herbert Lassnig, Johann Wurm, Kurt Wieder, Georg Aichinger, Josef Ziegler
  • Patent number: 6251162
    Abstract: In a method for producing liquid pig iron or liquid steel pre-products from charging substances comprising iron ore, preferably in lumps or pellets, and optionally fluxes. The charging substances are directly reduced to sponge iron in a reduction zone (12) and the sponge iron is melted in a melt-down gasifying zone (8) under the supply of carbon carriers and oxygen-containing gas. CO-and H2-containing gas is introduced into the reduction zone (12) and is reacted there. An export gas is withdrawn and conducted to a consumer (20). The export gas is subjected to CO2 removal or partial combustion and the resulting gas with CO2 is introduced back into the reduction process. This is done to keep down the carbon carriers having high portion of Cfix as well as consumption of O2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Eichberger, Günter Schrey, Franz Reufer, Jörg Diehl, Gerald Rosenfellner
  • Patent number: 6235083
    Abstract: A method for producing a hot CO- and H2-containing reducing gas utilized for the reduction of lumpy metal ore, in particular iron ore, which comprises forming the reducing gas in a gasification zone by the gasification of carbon carriers, in particular coal, taking place in the presence of a supply of oxygen and subsequently cooling the reducing gas down to a reducing-gas temperature favorable to the reduction process, wherein H2O and/or CO2 is added to a reducing gas which has been subjectged to a cooling operation that does not effect an addition of H2O/CO2 in order to prevent the Boudouard and heterogeneous water-gas reaction and a resultant heating of the reducing gas, wherein the reducing gas is converted to a reducing gas that is thermodynamically more stable at the reducing-gas temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH.
    Inventors: Leopold Werner Kepplinger, Johann Wurm, Herbert Mizelli, Walter Rainer Kastner, Günther Brunnbauer
  • Patent number: 6224647
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device comprising a fusion gasifier and a reduction shaft arranged thereabove and for reduction of iron ore in spongy iron. The spongy iron is introduced through horizontal discharge devices in the lower section of the reduction shaft, and a pipe connection is introduced into the head section of the fusion gasifier where it is melted using a oxygen-containing gas and gasifying means also conveyed into the head of the fusion gasifier, and is reduced to liquid crude iron. A reduction gas is produced at the same time which is conveyed out of the head of the fusion gasifier. The discharge devices lead into a dust-blocking container arranged in a lower section of the reduction shaft and to which the pipe connection leading to the fusion gasifier is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Bogdan Vuletic
  • Patent number: 6213762
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shaft furnace (1), particularly to a direct-reduction shaft furnace, with a bed (2) of lumpy material, particularly lumpy material containing iron oxide and/or sponge iron, with discharge devices (4) for lumpy material which are located above the bottom area (3) of the shaft furnace (1), as well as with inlet ports (6) for a reduction gas which are arranged above the discharge devices (4). Arrangements (7) for moving the material in the shaft furnace (1) are located between the area formed by the inlet ports (6) and that formed by the discharge devices (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Eichberger, Wilhelm Stastny
  • Patent number: 6202576
    Abstract: In a process for recycling fine-particle solids (4) discharged from a reactor vessel (1) at a discharging position of the reactor vessel (1) by means of a gas, at a recycling position (16) of the reactor vessel (1), the solids (4) are separated in a solids separator (3) and subsequently collected in a collecting vessel (8) and from the same are recycled into the reactor vessel (1) by means of a conveying gas. To enhance the operation of the solids separator (3), but without causing an additional load on the reactor vessel (1), an additional gas stream (23) independent of the gas stream in the reactor vessel is conducted through the solids separator (3) in a circuit, in the direction of flow of the solids (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Nagl, Johannes Schenk, Josef Stockinger
  • Patent number: 6179896
    Abstract: In a method of producing molten pig iron (9) or steel pre-products from lump ore which in at least one reduction zone is reduced to partially and/or completely reduced sponge iron (4) in a shaft furnace, the sponge iron (4) is melted down in a melt-down gasifying zone (8) of a melter gasifier (1) under supply of carbon-containing material (2) and oxygen and while simultaneously forming a reducing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Leopold Werner Kepplinger, Felix Wallner, Johannes-Leopold Schenk
  • Patent number: 6120582
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for treating the scrubbing water from the gas scrubbing process in an iron ore reduction plant. The scrubbing water is brought into direct contact with the gas in two gas scrubbers arranged in two successive scrubbing stages at the gas-side, is withdrawn from the gas scrubbers and is supplied again to the gas scrubbers after the solids it contains are separated, and after it is treated and cooled. The scrubbing water is separately withdrawn from the two scrubbing stages and only the scrubbing water from the first scrubbing stage is largely freed from solids in a thickener, then led into a warm water container. The scrubbing water from the second scrubbing stage is directly led into a return water container in which it releases carbon dioxide-rich flash gas led into the scrubbing water in the warm water container to enrich it with carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Bogdan Vuletic
  • Patent number: 5514203
    Abstract: In a process for producing an iron melt, iron ore is reduced to sponge iron in a direct reduction zone. The sponge iron is melted in a meltdown gasifying zone while supplying carbon-containing material under gasification of the carbon-containing material to reducing gas and under formation of a slag. The reducing gas is injected into the direct reduction zone, is reacted there and is drawn off as a top gas. The reducing gas and/or the top gas is subjected to gas scrubbing and the sludges separated during scrubbing are admixed with binder and coal dust and subsequently are agglomerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Grunbacher, Leopold-Werner Kepplinger, Franz Reufer, Gunter Schrey
  • Patent number: 5480070
    Abstract: A conveying arrangement for the dosed conveyance of bulk material from one metallurgical vessel into another through a conveying channel. The conveying channel has an entry opening and a discharge opening. A conveyor worm is rotatably located in the conveying channel, extending at least from the entry opening to the discharge opening and including a first flight formed by a plurality of paddles. In order to be able to configure the conveyor worm as short as possible and to minimize gas streaming through the conveying channel, the conveyor worm, on its end associated with the discharge opening, has a second flight that is formed by a continuous helix extending at least over half a convolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Felix Wallner, Leopold W. Kepplinger, Christian Bohm
  • Patent number: 5453115
    Abstract: A process for cooling and cleaning hot gas containing ultrafine particles exhausted from a coal gasification plant, a blast furnace, or the like. The process utilizes a vertical saturation stage to enrich the gas stream with water vapor and thereby saturate the ultrafine particles contained in the gas stream. The resulting mixture of particles, exhaust gas, water vapor, and water is then directed through a packing prewasher and then an annular clearance washer for removal of the particles through the rapid condensation of the water vapor. The water and particles are separated from the gas stream in several stages throughout the process resulting in a final gas exhaust stream with a significantly lower ultrafine particle content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Bogdan Vuletic
  • Patent number: RE39536
    Abstract: In a method for the production of liquid metal, in particular liquid pig iron (9) or liquid steel pre-products, from metal carriers, in particular partially reduced or reduced sponge iron (3), in a melter gasifier (1) in which with supply of a carbon-containing material at least partially formed of fine coal (16) and coal dust (13) and with supply of oxygen or oxygen-containing gas the metal carriers are melted in a bed (4) of the carbon-containing material at the simultaneous formation of a reducing gas, optionally upon previous final reduction, fine coal (16) and coal dust (13) which are being charged, are mixed with bitumen (20) in the hot state, after undergoing a drying operation, and subsequently are cold-briquetted, and the briquettes (25) thus formed are charged to the melter gasifier (1) in the cold state and in the melter gasifier (1) are subjected to shock-heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Deutsche Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Schrey, Parviz Zahedi