Abstract: A method for operating a blast furnace plant that includes a blast furnace, at least one material hopper for charging raw materials to the blast furnace, having a upper seal valve and a lower seal valve, and at least one hot stove that produces hot blast for the blast furnace, the method including at least one charging cycle with the following steps: opening the upper seal valve, introducing raw materials into the material hopper, closing the upper seal valve, pressure equalization of the material hopper with blast furnace top pressure, and opening the lower seal valve to discharge raw materials into the blast furnace, wherein, in order to provide a cost-effective way to minimize the explosion danger during operation of a top charging system, an offgas from the at least one hot stove is transferred by a transfer system to the at least one material hopper and, before the lower seal valve is opened, the offgas is injected into the material hopper.

Abstract: A method for producing liquid pig iron comprises: i) providing a DRI product with an iron content of at least 75.0 wt. %, a carbon content of at least 0.10 wt. % and a content of acidic and basic slag components, comprising CaO, SiO2, MgO and Al2O3 of max. 15.0 wt. %; ii) supplying the DRI product, adding slag formers, into an electrically operated smelting unit; iii) optionally supplying further iron and/or carbon components into the electrically operated smelting unit; iv) smelting the DRI product and optionally the further iron and/or carbon components in the presence of the slag formers, so that a liquid pig iron phase and a liquid slag phase are formed; v) adjusting the slag phase such that it has a basicity of (CaO+MgO/SiO2) from 0.95 to 1.5; vi) tapping the liquid pig iron phase; and vii) tapping and granulating the slag phase.

Abstract: A shaft furnace, in particular a blast furnace, includes a metal jacket defining the furnace outer wall and a protective layer protecting the inner surface of the outer wall. At least one condition monitoring probe is arranged inside within the protective layer to monitor the latter. The condition monitoring probe is connected to a wireless module arranged outside the outer wall to transmit condition monitoring data. The wireless module is located inside a casing mounted to the outer surface of the metal jacket. The condition monitoring probe includes one or more conductive loops positioned at predetermined depths below the front face of the cooling plate body, or of the refractory lining, so that wear of the body, resp. refractory, can be detected by a change of an electrical characteristic of the loop(s) due to abrasion.

Abstract: A shaft furnace, in particular a blast furnace, includes a metal jacket defining the furnace outer wall and a protective layer protecting the inner surface of the outer wall. At least one condition monitoring probe is arranged inside within the protective layer to monitor the latter. The condition monitoring probe is connected to a wireless module arranged outside the outer wall to transmit condition monitoring data. The wireless module is located inside a casing mounted to the outer surface of the metal jacket. The condition monitoring probe includes one or more conductive loops positioned at predetermined depths below the front face of the cooling plate body, or of the refractory lining, so that wear of the body, resp. refractory, can be detected by a change of an electrical characteristic of the loop(s) due to abrasion.

Abstract: A method of charging a coke oven with coal includes the steps of charging coal in a coke oven chamber, whereby a heap of coal forms in the chamber; and leveling the heap of coal, where the leveling step includes: introducing a blasting end of a blasting pipe into the heap of coal, the blasting pipe being in communication with a pressurized gas storage vessel configured to release gas blasts; releasing at least one gas blast through the blasting end in the heap of coal in order to cause a leveling thereof; removing the blasting pipe from the chamber.

Abstract: A sealing valve arrangement for a shaft furnace charging installation including a shutter that cooperates with a valve seat and a shutter-actuating device for moving the shutter between a closed position in sealing contact with the valve seat and an open position remote from the valve seat, where the shutter-actuating device includes a tilting shaft connected to the shutter, an electric motor with an output shaft connected to the tilting shaft, and a braking device associated with the electric motor, where the braking device is configured for, when engaged, preventing the output shaft of the electric motor from rotating, the shutter-actuating device further including a transmission means arranged between the output shaft of the electric motor and the tilting shaft, wherein the transmission means is configured for transmitting rotational movement of the output shaft of the electric motor to the tilting shaft, where the transmission means includes a backlash configured for having a predetermined amount of allow

Abstract: A transfer or distribution chute for conveying bulk material by gravity flow includes an elongated chute casing defining a flow path for bulk material and a wear-resistant lining arrangement covering at least part of a flow path facing an upper side of the elongated chute casing. The wear-resistant lining arrangement includes a perforated plate affixed to the chute casing and has a plurality of perforations through which wear-resistant inserts having a body and an enlarged base are fitted in the perforations from a side opposite the flow path, such that their body protrudes through the perforation within the flow path, and their enlarged base abuts the borders of the perforation from the side opposite the flow path on one side and is held in place by the chute casing on the other side.

Abstract: A transfer or distribution chute for conveying bulk material by gravity flow, includes an elongated chute casing defining a flow path for bulk material and a wear-resistant lining arrangement covering at least part of a flow path facing an upper side of the elongated chute casing. The wear-resistant lining arrangement includes a perforated plate affixed to the chute casing and has a plurality of perforations through which wear-resistant inserts having a body and an enlarged base are fitted in the perforations from a side opposite the flow path, such that their body protrudes through the perforation within the flow path, and their enlarged base abuts the borders of the perforation from the side opposite the flow path on one side and is held in place by the chute casing on the other side.

Abstract: A Material hopper, in particular for a blast furnace, includes a containing hollow shell for storing material, the shell having an upper shell part with an inlet portion and an asymmetric funnel-shaped lower shell part with an outlet portion, a wear plate arrangement covers at least part of an inner wall of the lower shell part, the wear plate arrangement having a plurality of wear plates arranged adjacent to one another in a plurality of rows stacked along the inner wall, the wear plates being arranged in rows that follow parallel mounting lines that are defined by the intersection of the lower shell part with planes perpendicular to the axis of a virtual right circular cone substantially matching the shape of the funnel-shaped lower shell part.

Abstract: The invention relates to a charging installation (1) of a metallurgical reactor, with a cooling assembly (4) disposed for cooling a reactor side of the charging installation (1). In order to facilitate the installation and maintenance of a heat protection shield in a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor, the cooling assembly (4) comprises a plurality of cooling panels (10), each cooling panel (10) comprising at least one coolant channel (12). The channel (12) is formed as a groove in the base plate (11), which groove is covered by a cover plate (13) mounted on the base plate (11).

Abstract: A shaft furnace, in particular a blast furnace, includes a metal jacket defining the furnace outer wall and a protective layer protecting the inner surface of the outer wall. At least one condition monitoring probe is arranged inside within the protective layer to monitor the latter. The condition monitoring probe is connected to a wireless module arranged outside the outer wall to transmit condition monitoring data. The wireless module is located inside a casing mounted to the outer surface of the metal jacket. The condition monitoring probe includes one or more conductive loops positioned at predetermined depths below the front face of the cooling plate body, or of the refractory lining, so that wear of the body, resp. refractory, can be detected by a change of an electrical characteristic of the loop(s) due to abrasion.

Abstract: A device for cooling the supporting trunnions of a distribution spout of a charging installation of a shaft furnace, wherein the spout is mounted pivotably about a horizontal axis on a shell coaxial with the furnace and the spout is attached rotatably to the trunnions driven in rotation by a drive component. The trunnions are directly attached for rotation by their ends to output shafts of reduction gears and include internal cooling channels. The cooling device includes feed and return ducts for the cooling water circulating in the internal channels. The feed and return ducts are connected to the trunnions by connectors fixed to the cylindrical surface of the trunnions. The feed and return ducts are arranged to permit rotational displacement of the connectors about the pivot axis of the spout during pivoting of the spout, in particular by passing through oblong slots extending circumferentially in the wall of bearings supporting the driving reduction gears.

Abstract: A method of charging a coke oven with coal includes the steps of charging coal in a coke oven chamber, whereby a heap of coal forms in the chamber; and leveling the heap of coal, where the leveling step includes: introducing a blasting end of a blasting pipe into the heap of coal, the blasting pipe being in communication with a pressurized gas storage vessel configured to release gas blasts; releasing at least one gas blast through the blasting end in the heap of coal in order to cause a leveling thereof; removing the blasting pipe from the chamber.

Abstract: A sealing valve arrangement for a shaft furnace charging installation, said arrangement comprising: a shutter arranged for cooperating with a valve seat; an integrated dual-motion shutter-actuating device for moving said shutter between a sealed closed position in sealing contact with the valve seat and an open position remote from the valve seat, said integrated dual-motion shutter-actuating device comprising: a primary motion assembly for moving said shutter from said sealed closed position to an undamped position wherein the shutter is released from the valve seat; a secondary motion assembly for tilting said shutter from said undamped position to said open position remote from the valve seat, said secondary motion assembly comprising a tilting arm carrying said shutter and connected to a tilting shaft that defines an axis of rotation and a tilting shaft actuator configured to impart an angular rotation about said axis to said tilting arm; wherein said integrated dual-motion shutter-actuating device furthe

Abstract: A sealing valve arrangement for a shaft furnace charging installation including a shutter that cooperates with a valve seat and a shutter-actuating device for moving the shutter between a closed position in sealing contact with the valve seat and an open position remote from the valve seat, where the shutter-actuating device includes a tilting shaft connected to the shutter, an electric motor with an output shaft connected to the tilting shaft, and a braking device associated with the electric motor, where the braking device is configured for, when engaged, preventing the output shaft of the electric motor from rotating, the shutter-actuating device further including a transmission means arranged between the output shaft of the electric motor and the tilting shaft, wherein the transmission means is configured for transmitting rotational movement of the output shaft of the electric motor to the tilting shaft, where the transmission means includes a backlash configured for having a predetermined amount of allow

Abstract: The invention relates to a bellow compensator for a charging installation of a metallurgical furnace. The bellow compensator comprises an inlet end pipe 40 and an opposite outlet end pipe 42 and a bellow section 44 arranged between the inlet end pipe 40 and the outlet end pipe 42, the bellow section 44 being formed by a series of folds and allowing relative movement between the inlet end pipe 40 and the outlet end pipe 42. According to the present invention, a non-structural flexible liner 60, preferably wire mesh gasket, is arranged along an inner wall 62 of the bellow compensator and extends over at least some of the length of the bellow section 44. The non-structural flexible liner 60 has a first end 64 and a second end 66, wherein the first end 64 is fixedly connected to the inlet end pipe 40 and the second end 66 is fixedly connected to the outlet end pipe 42.

Abstract: A Material hopper, in particular for a blast furnace, includes a containing hollow shell for storing material, the shell having an upper shell part with an inlet portion and an asymmetric funnel-shaped lower shell part with an outlet portion, a wear plate arrangement covers at least part of an inner wall of the lower shell part, the wear plate arrangement having a plurality of wear plates arranged adjacent to one another in a plurality of rows stacked along the inner wall, the wear plates being arranged in rows that follow parallel mounting lines that are defined by the intersection of the lower shell part with planes perpendicular to the axis of a virtual right circular cone substantially matching the shape of the funnel-shaped lower shell part.

Abstract: A gearbox assembly for a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor includes a stationary casing housing a gear assembly. The casing includes a bottom section with a central opening. The assembly further includes a rotor mounted within the casing for rotation about a first axis, which defines an axial direction. The rotor includes a support for the gear assembly, wherein a lower section of the support is disposed within the central opening. To provide for a better protection of a gear assembly, the bottom section includes a first annular portion extending radially inwards to a first radius. The lower section has a second annular portion extending radially outwards to a second radius that is greater than the first radius. The second annular portion is disposed adjacent to the first annular portion. The first annular portion includes a ring element disposed for sliding contact with the second annular portion.

Abstract: A sealing valve arrangement for a shaft furnace charging installation, said arrangement comprising: a shutter arranged for cooperating with a valve seat; an integrated dual-motion shutter-actuating device for moving said shutter between a sealed closed position in sealing contact with the valve seat and an open position remote from the valve seat, said integrated dual-motion shutter-actuating device comprising: a primary motion assembly for moving said shutter from said sealed closed position to an undamped position wherein the shutter is released from the valve seat; a secondary motion assembly for tilting said shutter from said undamped position to said open position remote from the valve seat, said secondary motion assembly comprising a tilting arm carrying said shutter and connected to a tilting shaft that defines an axis of rotation and a tilting shaft actuator configured to impart an angular rotation about said axis to said tilting arm; wherein said integrated dual-motion shutter-actuating device furthe

Abstract: The invention relates to a bellow compensator for a charging installation of a metallurgical furnace. The bellow compensator comprises an inlet end pipe 40 and an opposite outlet end pipe 42 and a bellow section 44 arranged between the inlet end pipe 40 and the outlet end pipe 42, the bellow section 44 being formed by a series of folds and allowing relative movement between the inlet end pipe 40 and the outlet end pipe 42. According to the present invention, a non-structural flexible liner 60, preferably wire mesh gasket, is arranged along an inner wall 62 of the bellow compensator and extends over at least some of the length of the bellow section 44. The non-structural flexible liner 60 has a first end 64 and a second end 66, wherein the first end 64 is fixedly connected to the inlet end pipe 40 and the second end 66 is fixedly connected to the outlet end pipe 42.