Abstract: In operating a mill including a blast furnace and a steel converter, it is difficult to mutually adapt the operations of the blast furnace and of the converter in a flexible way. When using scrap as a coolant in the refining process, undesired accompanying elements are introduced into the metal melt.The invention consists in that, instead of a blast furnace, a direct reduction plant in combination with a meltdown gasifier are provided as the pig iron source. This aggregate is operated in combination with a single steel converter. The direct reduction plant, on its discharge side, is connected both with the meltdown gasifier and with the steel converter via sponge iron transporting devices. The meltdown gasifier communicates with the steel converter via a transport line for molten pig iron. As the solid charge in the refining process sponge iron is exclusively used.

Abstract: In the operation of mills for the production of steel from molten pig iron and solid ferrous carriers, it is sought for economic reasons to increase the portion of solid ferrous carriers. To supply thermal carriers, such as fossile fuels, as is known, involves the disadvantages of extended charging times and of undesired accompanying elements introduced into the process.To avoid these disadvantages, the invention provides for a combination of at least one steel converter with a direct reduction plant, a meltdown gasifier and a cupola. Therein, sponge iron discharged from the direct reduction plant is melted to pig iron in the meltdown gasifier, on the one hand, and is used as solid charge for the converter. Scrap, together with coke, is melted in the cupola to blown metal, the latter, together with the pig iron produced in the meltdown gasifier, being supplied to the converter as liquid charge.

Abstract: There is disclosed a plasma melting furnace through the side wall of whose cylindrical furnace body a plurality of downwardly directed plasma burners are guided, whose mouths project into the furnace interior. In order to avoid several rechargings, which has been common so far, in particular with scrap of low apparent density, and to be able to charge continuously, without endangering the plasma burners by electric flashovers between parts of the charge material and the burner mouths or falling-down materials and by maintaining the inert gas atmosphere within the furnace, the cover of the furnace interior comprises a shoulder-likely re-entering part projecting upwardly. This part is closeable by a lid and delimits a central charging opening whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the circle on which the mouths of the plasma burners are arranged.

Abstract: A method of and arrangement for guiding a cast strand that is extracted from the mould has pairs of driving rollers and pairs of supporting rollers arranged alternatingly along the portion where the strand is horizontally guided. Form locking connections are provided for the supporting rollers that are arranged opposite each other. These connections can be released for freeing the upper supporting rollers from load so that they can be lifted away from the strand.

Abstract: A continuous casting plant strand guiding means with rollers whose axes are mounted in roller carriers by means of eccentric bushings. Upon turning the eccentric bushings the distance between oppositely arranged rollers can be changed.

Abstract: Continuous casting plant rollers or rolls of small diameter are provided great longitudinal extension, which longitudinal extension exceeds the width of the continuously cast strand. The rollers or rolls have annular recesses distributed over their longitudinal extension, thus forming substantially cylindrical bearing pins to be received in bearings, preferably slide bearings, whose bearing height, measured from the bearing center toward the strand skin, is smaller than the radius of the rollers or rolls. The rollers or rolls may advantageously be composed of a plurality of individual roller or roll bodies held together by at least one bracing anchor. Preferably, the rollers or rolls are provided with internal cooling.