Abstract: A cooling element for cooling the refractory lining of a metallurgical furnace. A cooling element is to be provided which prevents coolant from entering the interior of the furnace while maintaining a good cooling action. This is achieved by a cooling plate which faces the refractory lining, a heat-conducting plate which is arranged at an angle to the latter, which is fixedly connected to the cooling plate and extends out of the furnace wall. The cooling plate and the heat-conducting plate are made of solid material. A coolant channel which is fixedly connected to the heat-conducting plate is connected to a coolant input and a coolant output.

Abstract: A process for feeding bulk material onto a belt of a rotary hearth furnace, which has hoods that cover the hearth belt in such a manner as to form a ring.The bulk material is deposited on a transport device at a layer thickness proportionately dependent on the distance to the rotary hearth center. The transport speed of the transport device is set at a certain value; the surface of the bulk material is smoothed; and then the bulk material is distributed at a constant layer height over the entire width of the hearth belt.