Abstract: A method for producing a more concentrated iron product from an industrial waste materials stream comprising iron and non-iron constituents such as EAF and basic oxygen furnace dust generally comprising the steps of compacting or briquetting the waste materials stream, roasting the waste materials stream at temperatures above about 980.degree. C. to convert the iron compounds to direct reduced iron, crushing the roasted waste materials stream, separating the iron compounds contained in the waste materials stream by magnetic separation or flotation, and providing the iron compounds back to the EAF or basic oxygen furnace.

Abstract: A method for producing direct reduced iron or/and pig iron from an industrial waste materials stream such as EAF and blast furnace dust generally comprising the steps of separating the materials contained in the waste materials stream by magnetic separation or flotation, briquetting the iron-containing materials separated during the separation process with carbon, and providing the briquettes to a reduction furnace or/and to a small scale blast furnace or cupola furnace to produce direct reduced iron or/and pig iron, respectively. The exhaust streams from the process are further treated to recover chemical values and to allow the recycle of the exhaust streams to the main process.

Abstract: A method for the removal of calcium byproducts created during the production of an iron-based feedstock suitable for use as the feedstock for steel mills, from industrial waste streams containing iron, by treating the waste stream with an ammonium chloride leaching solution, treating the leachant with a soluble ammonium salt in which the negative ion will form an insoluble compound with calcium, and separating the undissolved precipitates comprising iron compounds and calcium compounds from the leachant solution. The undissolved precipitants may be treated further by elevated temperature roasting, resulting in the iron-based feedstocks.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for forming metallized iron by direct reduction of particulate iron oxide is disclosed. Spent reducing gas is recycled from the reduction furnace through a cooler-scrubber and a catalyst-containing stoichiometric gas reformer. Upon removing the process gas from the cooler-scrubber, it is contacted with a chlorine dioxide spray, then compressed and cooled, the sulfur compound removed, and the process gas recycled either into the furnace cooling zone, or directly into the reformer, or divided and directed into both uses. Thus, most of the sulfur containing components of the spent reducing gas are removed, thereby reducing the sulfur contamination of the gas reformer catalyst. Reducing sulfur contamination of the gas reformer catalyst improves the overall efficiency of the direct reduction process. Either high sulfur ores, or high sulfur process gas, or both can be utilized in the invented process.

Abstract: A method for utilizing pentane and higher hydrocarbons in a shaft furnace direct reduction process without any special treatment and without any special reforming catalyst, and in particular a method for the reforming of such higher hydrocarbons in conjunction with the direct reduction of metallic oxides by cracking and partial reformation of such gases within the shaft furnace prior to stoichiometric reformation of the gases.

Abstract: Ores which include in combination iron oxide, cobalt oxide and nickel oxide are treated in a continuous shaft reduction furnace to selectively reduce nickel and cobalt to metallized form while leaving the iron oxide in the oxide form. Reacted top gas is recycled and mixed with partially combusted gasified fossil fuel in a combustion chamber to achieve the required concentration of reductants in the reducing gas. The cooling zone operates with a similar concentration of reductants in the cooling gas. Apparatus is also disclosed for carrying out the process.

Abstract: Ores which include in combination iron oxide, cobalt oxide and nickel oxide are treated in a continuous shaft reduction furnace to selectively reduce nickel and cobalt to metallized form while leaving the iron oxide in the oxide form. Reacted top gas is recycled and mixed with partially combusted gasified fossil fuel in a combustion chamber to achieve the required concentration of reductants in the reducing gas. The cooling zone operates with a similar concentration of reductants in the cooling gas. Apparatus is also disclosed for carrying out the process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the direct reduction of iron in a shaft furnace using gas from the gasification of solid fossil fuel, such as coal, in which the fuel gas is desulfurized and upgraded in the shaft furnace and direct reduction of iron oxide is carried out in the same furnace. Clean export fuel can be produced by this method along with direct reduced iron. The apparatus includes means for controlling the temperature of the process gas entering the furnace.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the dry collection of metallized fines from a direct reduction furnace cooling zone in which cooling gas removed from the cooling zone passes through a dust collector and the removed dust is cooled in a fluidized bed, the fluidizing gas being recirculated through an indirect cooler. The process is continuous and the fines are collected at a sufficiently low temperature for easy handling. The apparatus includes a hot gas cyclone in the cooling gas withdrawal line connected to a fluidized bed cooler, a conduit for withdrawing fluidizing gas from the fluidized bed cooler passes through a second cyclone dust collector then through an indirect cooler and returns to the fluidized bed cooler. Cool fines are withdrawn from the fluidized bed cooler into a collector.

Abstract: Apparatus for the direct reduction of iron oxide utilizing sulfur-containing gas such as coke oven gas for the process gas. Sulfur-containing gas is heated by indirect heat exchange and injected into the furnace above the reduction zone to transfer the sulfur to the hot burden. The apparatus includes an upper bustle zone for prereduction and sulfur transfer, a lower bustle zone for the final reduction of the burden to metallized iron, and means to recycle spent top gas through cooling zone as cooling gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the direct reduction of iron in a shaft furnace using gas from the gasification of solid fossil fuel, such as coal, in which the fuel gas is desulfurized and upgraded in the shaft furnace and direct reduction of iron oxide is carried out in the same furnace. Clean export fuel can be produced by this method along with direct reduced iron. The apparatus includes means for controlling the temperature of the process gas entering the furnace.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing particulate iron oxide and producing molten iron in which coal and oxygen are impinged onto a molten iron bath in a closed vessel to melt the iron and gasify the coal. The hot off gas from the vessel is removed and used as the reductant in a counterflow shaft furnace to reduce iron oxide pellets and/or iron ore in a continuous manner. The hot reduced product from the shaft is discharged directly into the molten iron bath and melted.

Abstract: Apparatus for reducing particulate iron oxide and producing molten iron in which coal and oxygen are injected into a molten iron bath to melt the iron, gasify the coal and produce a hot off-gas which is then used as the reductant in a counterflow shaft furnace to reduce iron oxide pellets and/or natural ore in a continuous manner. The hot reduced iron product from the shaft furnace is discharged directly into the molten iron bath from which the molten iron product is discharged.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing particulate iron oxide and producing molten iron in which coal and oxygen are impinged onto a molten iron bath in a closed vessel to melt the iron and gasify the coal. The hot off gas from the vessel is removed and used as the reductant in a counterflow shaft furnace to reduce iron oxide pellets and/or iron ore in a continuous manner. The hot reduced product from the shaft is discharged directly into the molten iron bath and melted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing particulate iron oxide and producing molten iron in which coal and oxygen are injected into a molten iron bath to melt the iron, gasify the coal and produce a hot off-gas which is then used as the reductant in a counterflow shaft furnace to reduce iron oxide pellets and/or natural ore in a continuous manner. The hot reduced iron product from the shaft furnace is discharged directly into the molten iron bath from which the molten iron product is discharged.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating a strip of briquets issuing from a briquetting machine into individual briquets by bending the briquet strip both longitudinally and transversely to break the connections between adjacent briquets. The apparatus includes a carrying conveyor having arcuate, waveform or sawtooth conveyor slats and a conforming conveyor having conveyor slats with a cross section which mates with that of the carrying conveyor. The conforming conveyor forces the briquet strip to conform to the slat configuration of the first conveyor and to pass around a pivot means which breaks or separates the strip into individual briquets.

Abstract: A method for direct reduction of iron in a shaft reduction furnace. Spent gas from the furnace is upgraded in reductant by removal of CO.sub.2 and water to form an upgraded gas. A fossil fuel is gasified to produce a hot gas which is tempered with a first stream of upgraded gas. The mixture is desulfurized by reaction with lime to produce hot desulfurized gas. A second stream of upgraded gas is heated and mixed with the hot desulfurized gas to produce hot reducing gas.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating a sheet of briquets issuing from a briquetting machine into individual briquets by bending the briquet sheet both longitudinally and transversely to break the connections between adjacent briquets. The apparatus includes a carrying conveyor having arcuate, waveform or sawtooth conveyor slats and a conforming conveyor having conveyor slats with a cross section which mates with that of the carrying conveyor. The conforming conveyor forces the briquet sheet to conform to the slat configuration of the first conveyor and to pass around a pivot means which breaks or separates the sheet into individual briquets.