Abstract: A furnace is provided suitable for metallurgical processes, comprising at least one section comprised of refractory bricks with an outer shell plate adjacent to the refractory bricks, including exterior bricks whose external faces adjacent the shell plate define gaseous media cooling channels extending along the exterior of the refractory bricks between them and the shell plate. The furnace further comprises cooling plates within the cooling channels and joints between the successive courses of bricks. Advantageously, the conductivity of the cooling plates is at least 5 times the conductivity of the refractory lining into which it is inserted. Suitable materials include copper and copper-based alloys, brasses, bronzes, cast irons, aluminum alloys, silver, high-temperature steels, refractory metals and their alloys, graphite, silicon carbide, and aluminum nitride.

Abstract: A furnace is provided suitable for metallurgical processes, comprising at least one section comprised of refractory bricks with an outer shell plate adjacent to the refractory bricks, including exterior bricks whose external faces adjacent the shell plate define gaseous media cooling channels extending along the exterior of the refractory bricks between them and the shell plate. The furnace further comprises cooling plates within the cooling channels and joints between the successive courses of bricks. Advantageously, the conductivity of the cooling plates is at least 5 times the conductivity of the refractory lining into which it is inserted. Suitable materials include copper and copper-based alloys, brasses, bronzes, cast irons, aluminum alloys, silver, high-temperature steels, refractory metals and their alloys, graphite, silicon carbide, and aluminum nitride.

Abstract: A furnace is provided suitable for metallurgical processes, comprising at least one section comprised of refractory bricks with an outer shell plate adjacent to the refractory bricks, including exterior bricks whose external faces adjacent the shell plate define gaseous media cooling channels extending along the exterior of the refractory bricks between them and the shell plate. The furnace further comprises cooling plates within the cooling channels and joints between the successive courses of bricks. Advantageously, the conductivity of the cooling plates is at least 5 times the conductivity of the refractory lining into which it is inserted. Suitable materials include copper and copper-based alloys, brasses, bronzes, cast irons, aluminum alloys, silver, high-temperature steels, refractory metals and their alloys, graphite, silicon carbide, and aluminum nitride.

Abstract: An uptake apparatus is arranged to extract a stream of off-gas containing carbon monoxide from a process vessel. At least one gas conditioning train receives and conditions the stream. An outlet expels at least a portion of the stream. A portion of the stream is separated to form a recycle stream. An eductor apparatus combines the stream with the recycle stream, to decrease the temperature and increase the static pressure of the stream. The stream is maintained at a positive gauge pressure.

Abstract: A furnace is provided suitable for metallurgical processes, comprising at least one section comprised of refractory bricks with an outer shell plate adjacent to the refractory bricks, including exterior bricks whose external faces adjacent the shell plate define gaseous media cooling channels extending along the exterior of the refractory bricks between them and the shell plate. The furnace further comprises cooling plates within the cooling channels and joints between the successive courses of bricks. Advantageously, the conductivity of the cooling plates is at least 5 times the conductivity of the refractory lining into which it is inserted. Suitable materials include copper and copper-based alloys, brasses, bronzes, cast irons, aluminum alloys, silver, high-temperature steels, refractory metals and their alloys, graphite, silicon carbide, and aluminum nitride.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for regenerating an aqueous acid halide leachant from a spent aqueous metal halide leach liquor. The process comprises introducing into a fluidized bed or spray roaster a hydrocarbon fuel, an oxygen-enriched oxidizing gas and the aqueous metal halide leach liquor; pyrohydrolyzing the aqueous metal halide leach liquor by combustion of the hydrocarbon fuel with the oxygen-enriched oxidizing gas to produce an acid halide-containing gas fraction and a metal oxide-containing solid fraction; separating the gas fraction from the solid fraction, recovering heat energy from the acid halide-containing gas fraction and absorbing the gas fraction in water to produce the aqueous acid halide leachant. The oxygen-enriched oxidizing gas has an oxygen concentration of greater than about 21 percent by volume, preferably greater than about 50 percent by volume, more preferably greater than about 80 percent by volume, and even more preferably greater than about 90 percent by volume.