Abstract: The invention relates to a process vessel for vacuum processing liquid steel, comprising a lower part, a middle part and an upper part, and submersible pipes located on the lower part, whereby the process vessel is provided with a heating apparatus, a feed device, and a waste gas connection arranged at a right angle to the central axis of the vessel, and whereby the process vessel has an outer metal jacket and a refractory lining arranged at least in part in the interior of the vessel, according to which the metal jacket (19) of the upper part (15) of the vessel, including the waste gas connection (16), is provided with a water-cooling device (23) and is exposed directly on the interior side to the process conditions prevailing in the interior of the vessel (10).

Abstract: A lance is provided for processing molten metal baths located in metallurgical tanks, and for heating the tanks. A first lance body is displaceable in a second lance body. A mechanism is provided for displacing the first lance body relative to the second lance body such that in a raised burner position of the first lance body, burner nozzles disposed in the second lance body are uncovered by the first lance body and are axially spaced from the lance mouth of the first lance body to receive gas discharge from the lance mouth and to allow burner operation. In a lowered blower position of the first lance body, the burner nozzles are covered thereby. The mechanism for displacing the lance bodies relative to one another permits infinitely variable spacing of the burner nozzles from the lance mouth that is provided for the discharge of gas.