Abstract: A hearth furnace 10 for producing metallic iron material has a furnace housing 11 with a drying/preheat zone 12 capable of providing a drying/preheat atmosphere for reducible material, a conversion zone 13 capable of providing a reducing atmosphere for reducible material, a fusion zone 14 capable of providing an atmosphere to at least partially reduced metallic iron material, and optionally a cooling zone 15 capable of providing a cooling atmosphere for reduced material containing metallic iron material. A hearth 20 is movable within the furnace housing 11 in a direction through the drying/preheat zone 12, then the conversion zone 13, then the fusion zone 14, and then the cooling zone 15.

Abstract: A hearth furnace 10 for producing metallic iron material has a furnace housing 11 with a drying/preheat zone 12 capable of providing a drying/preheat atmosphere for reducible material, a conversion zone 13 capable of providing a reducing atmosphere for reducible material, a fusion zone 14 capable of providing an atmosphere to at least partially reduced metallic iron material, and optionally a cooling zone 15 capable of providing a cooling atmosphere for reduced material containing metallic iron material. A hearth 20 is movable within the furnace housing 11 in a direction through the drying/preheat zone 12, then the conversion zone 13, then the fusion zone 14, and then the cooling zone 15.

Abstract: Systems and methods for use in processing raw material (e.g., iron bearing material) include a linear furnace apparatus extending along a longitudinal axis between a charging end and a discharging end (e.g., the linear furnace apparatus includes at least a furnace zone positioned along the longitudinal axis). Raw material is provided into one or more separate or separable containers (e.g., trays) at the charging end of the linear furnace apparatus. The separate or separable containers are moved through at least the furnace zone and to the discharging end where the processed material is discharged resulting in one or more empty containers. One or more of the empty containers are returned to the charging end of the linear furnace apparatus to receive further raw material.