Abstract: A process for preparing crude iron and energy-rich, gases, the raw materials being comprised of iron ore concentrate, carbon-containing materials, optionally oxygen gas and electric energy, comprising the combination of the following operations:1.1: preheating of the iron ore concentrate by means of combustion gases from the combustion of discharged gases from the prereduction according to 1.2 below;1.2: prereduction of the iron oxides of the concentrate preheated according to 1.1 by means of part of the discharged gases from the arc furnace according to 1.3 below;1.3: introduction of the concentrate prereduced according to 1.2 into the plasma zone below the electrode of an arc furnace, which contains a crude iron melt, the temperature of which is maintained above 1300.degree. C.

Abstract: In a combined process crude iron and a synthesis gas particularly suitable for the preparation of methanol are prepared by supplying iron ore concentrate to the plasma zone between an electrode and a crude iron melt in an arc furnace, while injecting gaseous or volatile hydrocarbons, for example natural gas mainly consisting of methane, into the crude iron melt.

Abstract: A method is suggested for the reduction of finely-divided iron oxide in a fluidized bed, with the air of reducing gases formed by partial combustion in the bed of finely-divided carbonaceous material by gas containing molecular oxygen, which is supplied through nozzles (4). The exterior surface of the nozzles is cooled to a temperature lower than 200.degree. C below the melting point of the reduced metal. In this way the particles of the reduced iron are prevented from adhering to the nozzles.

Abstract: Apparatus for reducing finely divided iron oxide material, comprising a reactor containing a vertical upper reaction chamber connected downwardly to a narrower, vertical reaction chamber. A cyclone separator is connected to the upper reaction chamber for separating solid material and recycling it to the reactor so that a circulating fluidized bed can be maintained in the apparatus. In accordance with the invention, a recycling conduit is connected to the bottom of the lower reaction chamber. A tapping-off shaft for reduced material is also connected to the bottom of the lower reaction chamber. A reducing agent is supplied to the upper reaction chamber, and combustion air is supplied to the bottom of the upper reaction chamber. The apparatus also comprises means for preheating the iron oxide material with the exhaust gas from the reactor and for passing said preheated iron oxide into the lower reaction chamber. The apparatus also comprises means for stripping the exhaust gas from CO.sub.2 and H.sub.

Abstract: A process for removing sulphur from crude iron, comprising:bringing an adjusted flow of crude iron at a high temperature into contact with CaO by bringing the crude iron to flow through a bed of granules of CaO-containing material of about the same temperature and of such depth that the crude iron leaving the bottom of the bed has the desired low sulphur content,regenerating CaO from CaS formed hereby in the bed by bringing an O.sub.2 - and/or SO.sub.2 -containing gas to flow through the bed, andrecovering the sulphur and an adjusted fraction of SO.sub.2 in the gas flow from the regenerating operation, the residual gas flow being utilized for regeneration as above after introducing necessary oxygen.

Abstract: An iron oxide melt reduction furnace has a hearth with a raised periphery forming an annular shelf, the hearth holding a carbonaceous iron melt up to a level forming a thin layer on the shelf. The furnace side wall extends upwardly from the periphery of the hearth's shelf, and means are provided for feeding material containing iron oxide to the melt at a location inside of the shelf, for reduction of the oxide by the melt's carbon. Means are provided for feeding solid steel scrap to the hearth's shelf and the shallow melt layer thereon so as to maintain on the shelf an annular pile of the scrap sloping downwardly from the furnace side wall to the inner periphery of the shelf.

Abstract: Carbonaceous material, preferably coal or like finely divided solids with a mean particle diameter of 30 to 250 microns, is burned to produce steam in a fluid-bed furnace having a lower free space without internal fixtures and provided above this free space with internal cooling surfaces. A secondary-gas inlet introduces the secondary gas so that the volume ratio of fluidizing gas to secondary gas ranges from 1:20 to 2:1 at a location above the fluidizing-gas and fuel inlets but below the internal cooling surfaces, the gas velocity of the several gases being adjusted so that the mean suspension density of the solids above the secondary-gas inlet is 15 to 100 kg/m.sup.3. Approximately stoidiometric conditions are maintained with respect to the oxygen in the gases introduced and the carbonaceous material and solids are recycled to the bed after being separated from the gases emanating therefrom.

Abstract: A method for making crude steel has been disclosed where the crude steel is obtained by melt reduction using as raw materials fine grained oxide containing material, fine grained solid, liquid and/or gaseous fuels and oxygen gas; the method comprises the following interrelated steps of feeding the reaction materials into a molten steel bath through at least one compound nozzle, each of which has a central opening and two concentrically surrounding annular slits, injecting said iron oxide containing material, wherein the same may be prereduced to FeO, by admixing said iron oxide material with a fuel including fine grained slag formers, said injecting of the iron oxide, fuel or slag formers being into the steel bath through the inner annular slit at such a depth under the surface of the bath that said iron oxides become melt reduced before these reach the surface of the bath, injecting oxygen, at the same time as said iron oxide containing material, fuel or slag formers are being injected, through the central,

Abstract: A method of reducing a pulverized material containing iron oxides mixed with carbonaceous material wherein: (a) a circulating fluidized bed is maintained in a vertically elongated reaction zone by supplying it with suitable quantities of pulverized material containing iron oxides, pulverized solid carbonaceous material and optionally liquid carbonaceous material, and gas containing molecular oxygen and that gas and solid material leaving the reaction zone are separated, the solid material being returned to the reaction zone; (b) the pulverized material containing iron oxides, the carbonaceous material and the gas containing molecular oxygen are supplied to an intermediate section of the reaction zone; (c) the flow of carbonaceous material fed to the bed is controlled so that there is always sufficient coke in the bed to prevent interference of the fluidization caused by sticking or agglomeration; (d) gas and solid material leaving the reaction zone are extracted from the upper part of the reaction zone, the s