Abstract: A tuyere for a blast furnace, the main body of the tuyere being in the form of a tube with a central bore and the nose portion of the tuyere having a downwardly-inclined hood-like extension of the upper wall of the tube, whereby gas passing through the nose of the tuyere is deflected downwardly by the said extension, which extension has a gas outlet aperture of greater area than the cross-sectional area of the bore of the tube.

Abstract: A method of charging a zinc-smelting blast furnace with alternate loads of coke and zinc oxide material from a hopper by means of a central bell/annular bell charging device, in which the annular bell is lowered by a predetermined fixed distance, wherein the time ratio of the time taken to discharge the hopper contents to the time taken for the annular bell to be lowered the predetermined fixed distance is less than unity, preferably between 0.67 and a value less than 1.

Abstract: A lead-splash condenser for condensing metal vapor from a hot gas stream, comprising a plurality of condensation chambers, spray generating means provided in each condensation chamber, an inlet for passage of a hot gas containing metal vapor to the first condensation chamber, an outlet for passage of the gas from the last condensation chamber, and a stack communicating with the outlet of the last condensation chamber, wherein the stack is provided with gas deflector means for deflecting the gas stream from the side wall of the stack facing the outlet of the last condensation chamber so as to obtain a more uniform gas distribution in the stack, and to thereby reduce the rate of droplet elutriation in the gas stream leaving the condenser.

Abstract: A method of smelting zinc in a blast furnace wherein the furnace is charged sequentially with separate loads of coke and agglomerated zinc oxide material, wherein, for a major proportion of the total operating time which is devoted to coke charging, from 25% to 50% by weight of the coke charged is directed towards the center of the furnace shaft so as to promote a coke-rich charge core, the remainder of the coke charged being directed towards the furnace walls, and wherein for a minor proportion of the said total operating time from 80% to 95% by weight of the coke charged is directed towards the walls of the furnace shaft to aid accretion melting, the remainder of the coke charged being directed towards the center of the furnace shaft.