Abstract: With a method for producing metals, the raw material is melted in a metallurgical vessel by at least one plasma burner directed from top to bottom. In order to be able to protect the furnace brickwork from too strong a thermal load exerted by the plasma jet, and to make available the energy supplied by the plasma burner to melting and reducing the fine ore to as large an extent as possible as well as to prevent an agglomeration of the raw material to be used, the raw material is topcharged into the metallurgical vessel in the form of fine particles directed parallel to the plasma jet so as to peripherally surround the same. Oxygen-containing gases and carbon are bottom-blown into the vessel through the melt. A foamed slag is formed in the vessel, surrounding the plasma jet over its total height and the flow of supplied raw material particles peripherally.

Abstract: To recover the sensible heat of slag the slag is allowed to solidify on the surface of a hollow cooling body provided with a liquid internal cooling and is indirectly cooled by the liquid internal cooling. The liquid cooling medium of the liquid internal cooling is guided in a thermodynamic cyclic process. In order to ensure as completely a recovery of the sensible heat of the slag as possible and a high percentage of glassy portions of the slag as well as a good grindability of the slag, the liquid slag on the surface of the cooling body is intensively cooled indirectly by the liquid cooling medium to a temperature of closely below the solidification temperature in a first cooling step. The solidified slag separated from the surface of the cooling body is then directly cooled by a gas flow in a second cooling step. The heated gas flow also is guided in a thermodynamic cyclic process.

Abstract: In a method of producing metals or metal alloys by reducing their halides in a hydrogen plasma, a plasma jet reaction zone is built up from the vaporized metal halides contained in the plasma gas together with hydrogen, and the molten metal formed jets from the plasma jet reaction zone into a mould arranged therebelow. An arrangement for carrying out this method includes a reaction vessel whose upper part has a reaction space for the metal halide to be reduced and hydrogen-containing plasma gas, and a plasma lance arranged centrally in the reaction vessel, the metal formed getting into the lower part of the reaction vessel forming a metal sump therein.

Abstract: With a method for producing metals, the raw material is melted in a metallurgical vessel by at least one plasma burner directed from top to bottom. In order to be able to protect the furnace brickwork from too strong a thermal load exerted by the plasma jet, and to make available the energy supplied by the plasma burner to melting and reducing the fine ore to as large an extent as possible as well as to prevent an agglomeration of the raw material to be used, the raw material is topcharged into the metallurgical vessel in the form of fine particles directed parallel to the plasma jet so as to peripherally surround the same. Oxygen-containing gases and carbon are bottom-blown into the vessel through the melt. A foamed slag is formed in the vessel, surrounding the plasma jet over its total height and the flow of supplied raw material particles peripherally.

Abstract: In a method of reducing oxide-containing fine-particle ores, the ore particles are melted and reduced in a rotationally symmetric melting vessel in the presence of solid, liquid or gaseous carbon carriers by the action of a plasma jet of a plasma burner. At least part of the ore particles to be reduced are introduced through charging openings in the side wall of the vessel and are set in a cyclonic rotational movement. The plasma jet of the plasma burner is generated within the rotating particle stream. An arrangement for carrying out the method comprises a refractorily lined melting vessel having a rotationally symmetric inner space and including charging openings for the addition of oxide-containing ore particles and fluxing agents. There are openings for solid, liquid or gaseous carbon carriers and other fluxes, and at least one plasma burner.

Abstract: In a method of treating lumpy and granular materials with gaseous media, the materials to be treated are introduced into open containers having at least two adjacent chambers communicating or connected with each other in their bottom regions. The materials to be treated lie on and contact the bottom and walls of the chamber as a packed bed where the at least two chambers communicate. A plurality of the open containers are arranged one behind the other so as to form a closed circuit or chain and are closeable by stationary lids or hoods arranged in the conveying direction. Each hood has a supply conduit for one container chamber and a drain conduit for the other container chamber. The container chain is moved in phases below the lids or hoods, the lids or hoods closing the containers during each standing phase while the treatment gas is transmitted through the container chambers.

Abstract: A container arrangement for treating lumpy and grained materials in a packed bed with gaseous media has at least one container with an opening and a device for closing the opening. In the at least one container at least two chambers are formed whose bottom portions communicate with each other. A supply conduit is connected to the top portion of one of the at least two chambers and a drain conduit is connected to the top portion of the respective other one of the at least two chambers so as to form a forced guidance for the gaseous media through the packed bed.