Abstract: A steelmaking plant including a pressurized direct reduction reactor for continuous production of hot direct reduced iron with a batch-melting furnace and a standby cooler, all three being capable of being situated side-by-side, with such DRI being able to be alternatively fed to the furnace or to the cooler. The furnace is selectively charged through a diverter valve by a pneumatic transport system with the hot DRI being entrained in a carrier gas fed into a receiving bin (having an upper DRI/gas disengagement space and a lower DRI buffer portion). A pressurized charge of the DRI accumulated in such disengaging/buffer bin is periodically fed down into a dosing/depressurization bin which in turn depressurizes the DRI and feeds a batch of DRI down into the furnace. Upon sensing that the buffer portion is full, the DRI is then pneumatically diverted to the cooler, such as during furnace maintenance shut down.

Abstract: A steelmaking plant method and apparatus which includes a pressurized direct reduction reactor for continuous production of hot direct reduced iron (ORI); feeding such DRI to a batch melting furnace or to a standby cooler. The furnace is selectively charged through a diverter valve by a pneumatic transport system with the hot DRI being entrained in a motive carrier gas fed via a first conduit into a receiving bin. A pressurized charge of the DRI accumulated in such disengaging buffer bin is periodically fed via a second conduit down into low dosing/depressurization bin which in turn depressurizes the DRI and feeds a batch of DRI down into the furnace. Upon sensing the capacity of the buffer portion of the receiving bin being filled, the DRI! is then pneumatically diverted from the reactor to the cooler, such as during shut down of the furnace for maintenance or otherwise.

Abstract: Method for rapid and accurate weight determination of molten metal in a slag-containing bath preferably without any necessity for direct gross weighings in a hostile steel works environment or otherwise, by the addition to the molten bath of a known weight amount of a "trace" element (preferably of a type which is completely diluted in the molten metal, to the practical exclusion of the slag); awaiting the even dispersal of the trace element in the molten metal (aiding the speed of dispersal by promoting a boiling action, if necessary); taking a sample of the molten metal; analyzing the sample to determine the weight percent of trace element in the molten metal (for example by spectrometric analysis); and determining the weight of the metal from the known values of weight of the trace element added and its weight percent in the molten metal after addition.