Abstract: A wave energy converter comprises an acceleration tube (14) attached to a buoyant body (11). An intermediate section of the acceleration tube defines a working cylinder (16), with openings in the acceleration tube above and below the working cylinder allowing unobstructed flow of water between the working cylinder and the body of water in which the acceleration tube is immersed. A working piston reciprocates in the working cylinder. A relief passage at each end of the working cylinder is controlled by the working piston to allow unrestricted flow pass the working piston when the piston moves past a predetermined position at the end of the working cylinder. An energy absorbing device (19, 20) is connected to the working piston. A restoring device (19C, 20C) is provided to apply a return force to the working piston towards the working cylinder, if and when the working piston moves past the predetermined position.

Abstract: A wave energy converter includes a buoyant body (11) and an acceleration tube (14) dependent from and attached to the buoyant body (11) and having an upper end near the buoyant body and a lower end remote from the buoyant body. A section of the acceleration tube intermediate the upper and lower ends of the acceleration tube defines a working cylinder (16) and openings in the acceleration tube (14) above and below the working cylinder (16) allow substantially unobstructed water flow between the working cylinder and a body of water in which the acceleration tube is immersed. A working piston (17) is reciprocable in the working cylinder. An energy-absorbing device (18, 19, S) includes paired resiliently extendable hose pumps (18, 19) operated by the working piston (17). One end of each hose pump within a pair is attached to the operating piston (17) on opposite sides thereof, and the other end is anchored to the unit which consists of the buoyant body (11) and the acceleration tube (14).

Abstract: A method for producing raw iron from iron-bearing oxidic material, comprising finally reducing the iron oxide by charging the iron oxide, coal, oxygen gas and slag-forming flux to a molten iron bath contained in at least one reactor vessel, a final reduction reactor (2) for final reduction of the iron oxide, and pre-reducing primarily non-reduced iron oxide in a pre-reduction stage (1), and subsequently charging the pre-reduced iron oxide to the reactor, and generating reduction gas (17) for the aforesaid pre-reduction process. The method is particularly characterized in that reduction gas for the pre-reduction process (1) is generated by a separate gas generating process (3) effected in at least one reactor (3), a gas generating reactor, separate from the final reduction reactor or reactors (2). The invention also relates to a plant for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A process for producing pig iron from iron ore concentrate, in a reactor vessel into which iron ore concentrate, coal, oxygen gas and slag formers are injected beneath the surface of a molten iron bath. According to the invention, the ratio CO.sub.2 /CO in the waste gas (11) from the reactor (2) is increased to a value higher than corresponding to the condition of equilibrium at atmospheric pressure. As a result greater heat is generated in the bath for a specific coal amount. The injected amount of coal in relation to injected amount of concentrate is predetermined for finally reducing pre-reduced iron ore concentrate (4) in the reactor (2). According to the invention, CO and H.sub.2 in the exhaust gas is passed to a pre-reduction step (1), where unreduced iron ore concentrate is pre-reduced and thereafter can be injected into the reactor.According to a preferred embodiment, the reactor (2) is pressurized to cause the CO.sub.2 /CO ratio to increase.

Abstract: A method of gasifying carbon (C) in the form of coal, hydrocarbons and/or hydrocarbon compounds, comprising the steps of into a reactor vessel holding a molten iron bath to inject carbon, oxygen and iron oxides beneath the surface of the molten iron bath, where the iron oxides constitute a coolant and where carbon is injected in a stoichiometric excess relative to oxygen included in the bath in the form of oxides, and where the molten iron bath has such a carbon content that it solves-in carbon. According to the invention, the reactor vessel is caused to have an inner total pressure of 2 to 50 bar, preferably 4 to 10 bar.Hereby the gas production and the production of pig iron increase. Furthermore, the dust formation and the lining wear are reduced substantially.

Abstract: Apparatus for gasification of carbon (C) in the form of carbon, hydrocarbons and/or hydrocarbon compounds, comprising a reactor (1) into which injection of carbon, oxygen gas and iron oxides takes place, beneath the surface of an iron melt, and in which carbon is injected in stoichiometric excess in relation to the amount of oxygen in the form of oxidic compounds contained in the melt, the reactor having a total inner pressure exceeding atmospheric pressure.According to the invention an exhaust gas pipe (6) from a reactor (1) makes a gas-tight connection with a cooler (8), which together with the reactor (1) forms a sealed unit; and a regulating valve (13) for adjusting and maintaining an overpressure in said unit is provided and placed on the cool side (12) of the cooler (8).