Abstract: With a method for producing metals, the raw material is melted in a metallurgical vessel by at least one plasma burner directed from top to bottom. In order to be able to protect the furnace brickwork from too strong a thermal load exerted by the plasma jet, and to make available the energy supplied by the plasma burner to melting and reducing the fine ore to as large an extent as possible as well as to prevent an agglomeration of the raw material to be used, the raw material is topcharged into the metallurgical vessel in the form of fine particles directed parallel to the plasma jet so as to peripherally surround the same. Oxygen-containing gases and carbon are bottom-blown into the vessel through the melt. A foamed slag is formed in the vessel, surrounding the plasma jet over its total height and the flow of supplied raw material particles peripherally.

Abstract: There is disclosed a plasma melting furnace through the side wall of whose cylindrical furnace body a plurality of downwardly directed plasma burners are guided, whose mouths project into the furnace interior. In order to avoid several rechargings, which has been common so far, in particular with scrap of low apparent density, and to be able to charge continuously, without endangering the plasma burners by electric flashovers between parts of the charge material and the burner mouths or falling-down materials and by maintaining the inert gas atmosphere within the furnace, the cover of the furnace interior comprises a shoulder-likely re-entering part projecting upwardly. This part is closeable by a lid and delimits a central charging opening whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the circle on which the mouths of the plasma burners are arranged.

Abstract: With a method for producing metals, the raw material is melted in a metallurgical vessel by at least one plasma burner directed from top to bottom. In order to be able to protect the furnace brickwork from too strong a thermal load exerted by the plasma jet, and to make available the energy supplied by the plasma burner to melting and reducing the fine ore to as large an extent as possible as well as to prevent an agglomeration of the raw material to be used, the raw material is topcharged into the metallurgical vessel in the form of fine particles directed parallel to the plasma jet so as to peripherally surround the same. Oxygen-containing gases and carbon are bottom-blown into the vessel through the melt. A foamed slag is formed in the vessel, surrounding the plasma jet over its total height and the flow of supplied raw material particles peripherally.

Abstract: In a method of reducing oxide-containing fine-particle ores, the ore particles are melted and reduced in a rotationally symmetric melting vessel in the presence of solid, liquid or gaseous carbon carriers by the action of a plasma jet of a plasma burner. At least part of the ore particles to be reduced are introduced through charging openings in the side wall of the vessel and are set in a cyclonic rotational movement. The plasma jet of the plasma burner is generated within the rotating particle stream. An arrangement for carrying out the method comprises a refractorily lined melting vessel having a rotationally symmetric inner space and including charging openings for the addition of oxide-containing ore particles and fluxing agents. There are openings for solid, liquid or gaseous carbon carriers and other fluxes, and at least one plasma burner.

Abstract: The rolls of each rolling mill stand of a rolling mill train are driven by a hydraulic turbine. A variable displacement pump is operated to apply hydraulic pressure to each of said turbines to operate the same at an infinitely variable speed. Any change of said hydraulic pressure applied to the turbine which drives a preceding one of said stands in response to the initial passing of the stock through a succeeding one of said stands is detected. The displacement of the variable displacement pump which operates the turbine which drives said succeeding stand is adjusted to correct the speed of the turbine which drives said succeeding stand to compensate the change of the hydraulic pressure which has thus been detected.