Abstract: A process for melting metal in a shaft furnace operated without coke using a liquid or gaseous fuel, whose combustion products initially heat the molten metal which has collected below the furnace hearth (2) in furnace shaft (1) to the desired tapping temperature, followed by the introduction thereof into the furnace shaft for melting the metal. Furnace shaft and furnace hearth are separated by a water-cooled grid (6), which carries the charge introduced into the shaft. The flame temperature of burner (3) is controlled through preheating the combustion air. The combustion air is recuperatively heated by the waste gases of the shaft furnace. The heat transfer in the recuperator (4) is variable and can be influenced by the supply of cooling air to the waste gases prior to recuperation, by a controllable induced draft blower behind the recuperator and/or after-burning of the waste gases prior to the introduction thereof into the recuperator.

Abstract: A process for melting metal in a shaft furnace operated without coke using a liquid or gaseous fuel, whose combustion products initially heat the molten metal which has collected below the furnace hearth (2) in furnace shaft (1) to the desired tapping temperature, followed by the introduction thereof into the furnace shaft for melting the metal. Furnace shaft and furnace hearth are seperated by a water-cooled grid (6), which carries the charge introduced into the shaft. The flame temperature of burner (3) is controlled through preheating the combustion air. The combustion air is recuperatively heated by the waste gases of the shaft furnace. The heat transfer in the recuperator (4) is variable and can be influenced by the supply of cooling air to the waste gases prior to recuperation, by a controllable induced draft blower behind the recuperator and/or after-burning of the waste gases prior to the introduction thereof into the recuperator.