Abstract: The hereinproposed method and furnace provide for preliminary building up of melt in a melting pot (10) of a rectangular shape in the horizontal section, delivery of an oxygen-containing gas (3) into the melt below its surface level through tuyeres (13) with nozzles (14) installed in the longer walls of the melting pot (10) creating two melt zones: an upper zone (9) loaded with solid carbon fuel (2) in an amount sufficient for providing a volumetric concentration of said fuel within 0.5 to 50% of the melt volume in said zone (9), wherein said concentration is maintained by subsequent concurrent loading of iron-bearing material (1) and solid carbon fuel (2), and a lower zone (8) consisting of a layer of slag (4) and a layer of ferrocarbon intermediate product (5) said layers being discharged separately through channels (17 and 18) made in the counterproposed short walls of the melting pot (10).

Abstract: The proposed method relates to the ionization of plasma-generating gas in a ilot arc before being supplied to the electrode region, thus generating charges in this electrode region, the charges promoting dispersion of an arc spot. For this purpose, an electrode assembly is provided within the plasma-arc torch, which electrode assembly comprises a hollow tungsten electrode and a solid electrode of the same metal, the solid electrode being radially spaced from the hollow electrode. Both electrodes are put in an electric power circuit, whereby an arc is initiated between the electrodes when switching on the electric circuit, plasma being generated in the arc, which plasma serves to start the main arc and provides for dispersion of the arc spot over the surface of the hollow electrode. This decreases the current density in the arc spots and, hence, minimizes electrode erosion.