By Fluid Current Patents (Class 266/182)
  • Patent number: 11233484
    Abstract: Processes and systems for producing glass fibers having regions devoid of glass using submerged combustion melters, including feeding a vitrifiable feed material into a feed inlet of a melting zone of a melter vessel, and heating the vitrifiable material with at least one burner directing combustion products of an oxidant and a first fuel into the melting zone under a level of the molten material in the zone. One or more of the burners is configured to impart heat and turbulence to the molten material, producing a turbulent molten material comprising a plurality of bubbles suspended in the molten material, the bubbles comprising at least some of the combustion products, and optionally other gas species introduced by the burners. The molten material and bubbles are drawn through a bushing fluidly connected to a forehearth to produce a glass fiber comprising a plurality of interior regions substantially devoid of glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Johns Manville
    Inventors: Mark William Charbonneau, Kevin Patrick McHugh
  • Patent number: 10823506
    Abstract: An installation for distribution of granular or powder material via pneumatic transport comprising at least one dispensing hopper (3) for temporary storage of said granular or powder material, the dispensing hopper being suited to being, alternately, pressurized for emptying the dispensing hopper and depressurized to permit filling thereof, and a device for depressurizing said dispensing hopper. The depressurizing device comprises a depressurizing duct (12) connected to said dispensing hopper, a bag filter (11), having a maximum operating flow rate, connected to the depressurizing duct, and flow control means (15) for controlling the flow rate in said depressurizing duct through the bag filter. The bag filter (11) is suited to operating under pressure, and the flow control means (15) are located on the depressurizing duct (12) downstream of the bag filter (11) and are arranged to provide a flow rate which is at most equal to the maximum flow rate of the bag filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: PAUL WURTH S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Mahowald, Ben Muller, Louis Schmit
  • Patent number: 10746471
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement for controlling a burner of a suspension smelting furnace. The burner includes a reaction gas feeding device, and a fine solids feeding device. The fine solids feeding device being at an upstream end of the fine solids feeding device pivotably supported in the reaction gas feeding device. The burner including by at least one first mechanical actuator configured to center the fine solids feeding device in the annular reaction gas outlet opening. Said at least one first mechanical actuator being in response to receiving the control signal configured to perform a centering action to center the fine solids channel in the annular reaction gas outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Aki Laaninen, Jaana Romppanen, Peter Björklund, Valtteri Sonninen, Jani Jansson
  • Patent number: 10494199
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an applicator having an agricultural product conveying system which transfers particulate material from one or more source containers to application equipment on demand, and meters the material at the application equipment. The conveying system includes an inline metering system including a number of metering devices associated with each compartment of a particulate material tank on the applicator to meter the particulate material disposed within each compartment. The individual metering devices include gates to initially enable the particulate material from a compartment to enter the metering device, and a rotary metering shaft to meter the flow of the particulate material into the conduits while limiting the passage of pressurized air through the metering device and into the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd.
    Inventors: Martin J. Roberge, Joel Denis, Rex L. Ruppert, Guillaume C. Boily
  • Patent number: 10400292
    Abstract: A method for operating a blast furnace includes blowing pulverized coal and oxygen from an upstream lance configured by a double tube. LNG is blown from a downstream lance on the downstream side in a hot air blast direction, oxygen is supplied from the upstream lance, and the pulverized coal whose temperature has been increased by the combustion of the LNG is combusted along with the supplied oxygen or oxygen in an air blast. With respect to a direction perpendicular to the hot air blast and a downstream direction of the hot air blast, a blowing direction of the LNG from the downstream lance with respect to the blast direction ranges from ?30° to +45°. A blast pipe circumferential direction angle at a blowing position of the LNG from the downstream lance with respect to where the upstream lance is inserted into a blast pipe ranges from 160° to 200°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: JFE STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori Murao, Naoki Yamamoto, Tomoyuki Kawashima, Nobuyuki Ooyama
  • Patent number: 9983186
    Abstract: An optical computing device including a detector having a non-planar semiconductor structure is provided. The detector may include one or more structures having structure characteristics that may be optimized to respond to and weight predetermined wavelengths of light radiated from a sample that are related to characteristics of the sample. The detector may include an array of the one or more structures, wherein each of the structure units may be individually addressable to program or tune the detector to respond to and weight a spectra of light and generate an output signal based on the weighted spectra of light that is proportional to the characteristics of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Perkins, Li Gao, James M. Price
  • Patent number: 8956564
    Abstract: A supply system for providing a suspension smelting furnace with constant and continuous feed is disclosed. The installation of the invention comprises intermediate storage bins for fine-grained feed, a feed rate controller for accurately controlling the feed rate of the fine-grained material, and a pneumatic conveyor for lifting the feed up to the top level of the suspension smelting furnace where the burner of the furnace is adapted. In the installation, the heavy constructions of the storage bins are located close to the ground level and the constructions around and on top of the furnace have been designed essentially lighter than in conventional solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventor: Ilkka Kojo
  • Patent number: 8663360
    Abstract: A floating entrainment metallurgical process includes injecting a reaction gas and powdery materials into a reaction furnace, aiming to obtain a controllable highly rotating and floating state and reach the ignition point under the high-temperature radiation of the reaction furnace to combust intensely. Meanwhile, a rotating fluid injected in the reaction furnace will drive the furnace gas, and forms a relatively low-temperature circular backflow protection area around the rotating fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Yanggu Xiangguang Copper Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Songlin Zhou, Weidong Liu
  • Publication number: 20130160606
    Abstract: The present invention relates to formation of a controllable, high velocity, pneumatic stream of particulate solids which can be injected into a furnace containing, for instance, a liquid such as a bath of molten metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Sabuj Halder, William J. Mahoney, Bryan Bielec, Robert Churpita
  • Patent number: 8206643
    Abstract: A concentrate burner for feeding a pulverous concentrate mixture and reaction gas into a reaction shaft of a flash smelting furnace. The concentrate burner includes a feeder pipe for feeding a concentrate mixture into the reaction shaft and a dispersing device for directing dispersing gas to the concentrate mixture flowing around the dispersing device. For feeding the reaction gas into the reaction shaft, a gas supply device is provided which includes a reaction gas chamber for mixing the reaction gas with the concentrate mixture, and for directing the concentrate mixture to the side by the dispersing gas. The reaction gas chamber includes a turbulent flow chamber, to which an inlet channel opens tangentially for directing the reaction gas to the reaction gas chamber in a tangential direction. In the inlet channel, an adjusting member is arranged for adjusting the cross-sectional area of the reaction gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventors: Jussi Sipilä, Kaarle Peltoniemi, Peter Björklund, Jiliang Xia
  • Patent number: 7850902
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing molten iron that improves charging and discharge of the fine iron ore, and an apparatus for manufacturing molten iron using the same. The apparatus for manufacturing molten iron includes i) at least one fluidized-bed reduction reactor that reduces fine iron ore and converts the fine iron ore into reduced iron, ii) a fine iron ore charging bin that supplies the fine iron ore to the fluidized-bed reduction reactor, iii) a fine iron ore charging line that directly connects the fine iron ore charging bin to each of the fluidized-bed reduction reactors, and directly charges the fine iron ore into each of the fluidized-bed reduction reactor, iv) a melter-gasifier into which lumped carbonaceous materials and the reduced iron are charged and oxygen is injected, the melter-gasifier manufacturing molten iron, and v) a reducing gas supply line that supplies a reducing gas discharged from the melter-gasifier to the fluidized-bed reduction reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignees: POSCO, Siemens VAI Metals Technologies GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Sun-Kwang Jeong, Myoung-Kyun Shin, Min-Young Cho
  • Patent number: 7638088
    Abstract: Apparatus and process for producing metal products, in which a metal-containing charge material is melted in a melting unit, and a working gas, in particular an at least partially reducing working gas, is additionally produced in the melting unit. The working gas produced is extracted and if appropriate after cleaning, is used as a carrier gas, at least in part for—preferably pneumatic—transport of an at least partially reduced metal-containing material in the form of fine particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignees: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH & Co, Pohang Iron & Steel Co. Ltd., Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology Incorporated Foundation
    Inventor: Michael Nagl
  • Publication number: 20090243168
    Abstract: The process for the synthesis of rhenium powders comprises the injection of ammonium perrhenate powder through a carrier gas in a plasma torch of a plasma reactor operated using a mixture including hydrogen as the plasma gas, yielding metallic rhenium under the following chemical reaction: 2NH4ReO4+4H2?2Re+N2?+8H2O?. The reactor is provided with a quench zone for cooling the metallic rhenium so as to yield rhenium nano and micro powders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: TEKNA PLASMA SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Jerzy W. Jurewicz, Jiayin Guo
  • Patent number: 6953547
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for feeding finely divided solids, containing at least sulphidic metal concentrate, and oxygenous oxidizing gas into a suspension smelting furnace, said apparatus comprising elements for conducting solids and oxidizing gas into the suspension smelting furnace. According to the invention, in the feed orifice (7) of the suspension smelting furnace through which solids (2) and oxidizing gas (3) are fed into the reaction chamber (1) of the suspension smelting furnace, there is installed a suspension creation chamber (5,11) for a suspension containing solids (2) and oxidizing gas (3), in which chamber the solids (2) and at least part of the oxidizing gas (3) can be mixed to form a suspension before they flow into the reaction chamber (1) of the suspension smelting furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Outokumpu Technology Oy
    Inventor: Risto Saarinen
  • Patent number: 6764642
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for feeding shredder dust to a furnace such as a reverberatory furnace. This device comprises a feeding chute that passes to the inside of the reverberatory furnace and is fitted to the ceiling of the reverberatory furnace. Shredder dust can be fed from this feeding chute which also allows oxygen enriched air to be supplied to the feeding chute and fed to the inside of the reverberatory furnace. Further, the present invention relates to a reverberatory furnace in which a burner is able to be installed in a wall portion of one end side thereof. A plurality of feeding ports to which are connected the feeding chutes of the shredder dust feeding devices are provided at the one end side in the ceiling portion thereof forming a plurality of staggered rows facing the other end side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Onahama Smelting and Refining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michio Nishiwaki, Kiyomi Tobe, Takayuki Sato, Kaoru Suzuki, Shigeru Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 6565799
    Abstract: This invention relates to equipment for the feed of pulverous material to a concentrate burner of a suspension-melting furnace, so that the feed of solid finely divided material into the furnace is distributed evenly in the concentrate burner. According to the invention, a vibrating feeder is located between the raw material conveyor and the actual burner, and the concentrate burner feed pipes are equipped with blades for distributing the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Outokumpu Oyj
    Inventors: Ilkka Kojo, Markku Lahtinen, Kaarle Peltoniemi
  • Patent number: 6491864
    Abstract: Plant for charging metal carriers which contain a portion of fines and are at least partially reduced to a melter gasifier in which a melt-down gasifying zone formed by a bed is maintained, the metal carriers and carbon carriers are fed into the melter gasifier above the level of the melt-down gasifying zone. The metal carriers descend to the melt-down gasifying zone and travel through the same forming a metal melt and producing a reducing gas by coal gasification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignees: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH, Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology, Inc., Foundation
    Inventors: Udo Gennari, Johannes-Leopold Schenk
  • Patent number: 6478846
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for injecting reducing agents into a shaft furnace in which the reducing agent is transported within a pneumatic delivery stream to the shaft furnace according to the flowing steps; a) dividing the delivery stream into a number of partial streams, b) transferring the individual partial streams through a heating unit, and c) heating the reducing agent within the individual partial streams inside of the heating device. A device for carrying out the inventive method comprises, for example, a delivery line in order to pneumatically deliver the reducing agent to the shaft furnace, and a number of heat exchange pipes which are integrated in the delivery line using a parallel connection, said connection relating to flow techniques, such that the pneumatic delivery stream is divided into a number of partial streams. The inventive device also comprises a heating unit for transmitting heat energy to the individual partial streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignees: Thyssen Krupp Stahl AG, Kuettner GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Louis Schmit, Raymond Mack, Karl Langner, Klaus Schott
  • Patent number: 6383251
    Abstract: Solid state iron oxide reduction in a gas-solid reduction zone is combined with continuous melting of the hot solid reduced iron in a fuel-fired gas-solid-liquid melting zone within a rotary furnace by pneumatic transfer of the hot reduced iron by carrier gases through a transfer duct connected into an injection lance projecting into the melting zone and carrying a nozzle which directs a jet of hot reduced iron downwards into the metal bath, with a preferred embodiment of continually traversing the lance and thereby the jet of carrier gases and hot reduced iron longitudinally forwards and backwards enhancing heat transfer. The invention embraces a broad range of known solid-state reduction processes, classified either as: Group A. those employing gases within a gravity contact-supported or fluidized moving bed at substantial pressures of 1-5 atmospheres; or Group B. solid carbonaceous reductants in a rotary kiln or rotary hearth conducted at near ambient atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Inventor: William Lyon Sherwood
  • Patent number: 6315943
    Abstract: In a method of producing molten metal (8) from at least partially fine-particulate metal carriers in a melter gasifier (2) in which under supply of carbon-containing material and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas under simultaneous formation of a reducing gas in a bed (11) formed of solid carbon carriers (4) the metal carriers are melted, the supplied fine-particulate metal carriers in order to avoid discharging thereof are charged to a high-temperature combustion zone (13) maintained by a combustion process and there are melted at least for the most part or completely, wherein the high-temperature combustion zone (13) is spatially isolated from the freeboard (12) of the melter gasifier (2) located above the bed (11) and extends into the bed (11), wherein the offgases formed in the high-temperature combustion zone (13) exit the same passing through at least a portion of the bed (11) and wherein furthermore the offgases are cooled in the bed (11) and are withdrawn from the melter gasifier (2) along with the r
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignees: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH, Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology, Incorporated Foundation
    Inventor: Michael Nagl
  • Patent number: 5968448
    Abstract: A process for producing molten pig iron uses direct reduction of iron ore in a pre-reduction stage followed by a final reduction stage. In the pre-reduction stage iron ore is pre-reduced in a melting cyclone by means of a reducing process gas originating from the final reduction stage. A post-combustion occurs in the reducing process gas in the melting cyclone so that said iron ore in said melting cyclone is at least partly melted. The partly melted iron ore passes downwardly into a metallurgical vessel situated beneath the cyclone in which the final reduction takes place by supply of coal and oxygen, thereby forming a reducing process gas. A partial post-combustion occurs in the reducing process gas in the metallurgical vessel by means of said oxygen supplied thereto. The post-combustion ratio of the gas on exiting the metallurgical vessel is not more than 0.55.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Hoogovens Staal BV
    Inventors: Huibert W. den Hartog, Hendrikus K. A. Meijer
  • Patent number: 5948139
    Abstract: In a process for the production of molten pig iron or steel pre-products from fine-particulate iron-cintaining material, in a meltdown-gasifying zone of a melter gasifier (1), under the supply of carbon-containing material and oxygen-containing gas at the simultaneous formation of a reducing gas, in a bed formed of sold carbon carriers, the iron-containing material is melted when passing the bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignees: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH, Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology Incorporated Foundation
    Inventors: Werner Leopold Kepplinger, Felix Wallner, Johannes Schenk
  • Patent number: 5858302
    Abstract: A burner/injector for providing a localized impingement flame or multiple flames for scrap heating and melting through use of a fluid fuel and at least one oxygen rich oxidizing gas. The burner/injector includes a liquid-cooled combustor for generating an impinging flame directed toward a scrap pile and a structure for injecting a controllable amount of a solid carbonaceous fuel and a controllable flow of high velocity oxidizing gas into space that has been previously occupied by the impinging flame. The burner/injector may be equipped to inject a solid slag forming materials and/or slag deoxidizing materials and/or to inject an additional oxidizing gas for burning a small portion of preheated scrap, post-combustion of CO and iron-carbon melt refining. The burner/injector may be arranged as a simple liquid-cooled combustor permanently mounted through the furnace wall or roof, and may be equipped with single or multiple channels for injection of solid material and high velocity oxidizing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: American Combustion, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory M. Gitman, Grigori Galperine, Stanislav I. Zhigach
  • Patent number: 5843368
    Abstract: A burner/injector for providing a localized impingement flame or multiple flames for scrap heating and melting through use of a fluid fuel and at least one oxygen rich oxidizing gas. The burner/injector includes a liquid-cooled combustor for generating an impinging flame directed toward a scrap pile and a structure for injecting a controllable amount of a solid carbonaceous fuel and a controllable flow of high velocity oxidizing gas into space that has been previously occupied by the impinging flame. The burner/injector may be equipped to inject a solid slag forming materials and/or slag deoxidizing materials, and/or to inject an additional oxidizing gas for burning a small portion of preheated scrap, post-combustion of CO and iron-carbon melt refining. The burner/injector may be arranged as a simple liquid-cooled combustor permanently mounted through the furnace wall or roof, and may be equipped with single or multiple channels for injection of solid material and high velocity oxidizing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: American Combustion, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory M. Gitman, Grigori Galperine, Stanislav I. Zhigach
  • Patent number: 5772955
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the suspension smelting of sulfidic, finely divided raw materials containing metals, such as copper, nickel and lead, by using oxygen enrichment. In this method into the suspension smelting furnace (1) there is fed the raw material (4,5) to be smelted together with flux (6) and oxidizing gas (7) and the walls (18) of the reaction space of the suspension smelting furnace are cooled and at least two molten phases created (16,17). According to the invention the degree of oxygen enrichment of the oxidizing gas is at least 40% in order to raise the temperature of the particles in suspension to at least 200.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Outokumpu Engineering Contractors OY
    Inventors: Pekka Hanniala, Risto Saarinen, Erkki Krogerus, Ilkka Kojo
  • Patent number: 5749937
    Abstract: A fast quench reaction includes a reactor chamber having a high temperature heating means such as a plasma torch at its inlet and a restrictive convergent-divergent nozzle at its outlet end. Reactants are injected into the reactor chamber. The resulting heated gaseous stream is then rapidly cooled by passage through the nozzle. This "freezes" the desired end product(s) in the heated equilibrium reaction stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Lockheed Idaho Technologies Company
    Inventors: Brent A. Detering, Alan D. Donaldson, James R. Fincke, Peter C. Kong
  • Patent number: 5714113
    Abstract: A burner/injector for providing a localized impingement flame or multiple flames for scrap heating and melting through use of a fluid fuel and at least one oxygen rich oxidizing gas. The burner/injector includes a liquid-cooled combustor for generating an impinging flame directed toward a scrap pile and a structure for injecting a controllable amount of a solid carbonaceous fuel and a controllable flow of high velocity oxidizing gas into space that has been previously occupied by the impinging flame. The burner/injector may be equipped to inject a solid slag forming materials and/or slag deoxidizing materials, and/or to inject an additional oxidizing gas for burning a small portion of preheated scrap, post-combustion of CO and iron-carbon melt refining. The burner/injector may be arranged as a simple liquid-cooled combustor permanently mounted through the furnace wall or roof, and may be equipped with single or multiple channels for injection of solid material and high velocity oxidizing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: American Combustion, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory M. Gitman, Grigori Galperine, Stanislav I. Zhigach
  • Patent number: 5700144
    Abstract: During thermal treatment in a melting cyclone of solids that yield molten products at treatment temperatures, an exhaust gas is separated from the melt in an apparatus following the melting cyclone. The separation of the exhaust gas is implemented in a cyclone-like separating chamber that is fashioned such that a thermal after-treatment of the melt and/or of the exhaust gas can ensue therein in addition to the separation of the exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Klockner-Humboldt-Deutz AG
    Inventors: Friedrich Schleimer, Dieter Ameis
  • Patent number: 5674310
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for feeding reaction gas and solids into a suspension smelting furnace, which apparatus comprises at least conduits for receiving reaction gas and solids and for further conducting them into a suspension smelting furnace, and in which apparatus at least the major part of the reaction gas is fed into the suspension smelting furnace through a reaction gas channel surrounding the solids feeding channel. According to the invention, in the reaction gas channel, essentially near to its end on the side of the suspension smelting furnace, there are installed adjusting members whereby the flow rate of the reaction gas fed into the suspension smelting furnace can be adjusted essentially steplessly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Outokumpu Engineering Contractors Oy
    Inventors: Francisco Miralles, Enrique Delgado, Patricio Barrios, Heikki Olavi Savolainen, Teuvo Pekka Tapio Hanniala, Ilkka Veikko Kojo
  • Patent number: 5662860
    Abstract: Apparatus for producing molten pig iron by direct reduction of iron ore, comprises(i) a metallurgical vessel, in which with supply of coal and oxygen the iron ore undergoes a final reduction with production of a process gas and said process gas undergoes a partial post-combustion, and(ii) a melting cyclone in which the iron ore undergoes a pre-reduction and is melted. To improve the control of the thermal flows and to reduce maintenance, the vessel has(a) a top part, in which the partial post-combustion of said process gas takes place, in the form of a pressure-resistant hood having an interior wall comprising cooling water pipes, and(b) a bottom part for accommodating an iron bath having a slag layer in which said final reduction of said iron ore takes place, the bottom part having an internal refractory lining and means for water cooling the internal refractory lining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Hoogovens Staal B.V.
    Inventors: Antonius A. M. Klaassen, Hendrikus K. A. Meijer
  • Patent number: 5639293
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for production of iron from iron compounds is provided. There is a first stage of pre-reducing the iron compounds in a first chamber having a rotationally symmetrical wall, and a second stage of further reducing the iron compounds in a second chamber below the first chamber, fuel and oxygen being supplied to the second chamber. A reducing gas passes upwardly into the first chamber to effect the pre-reduction therein. Oxygen is fed to the first chamber. The iron compounds in the first chamber at least partly melt and then flow downwardly along the wall towards said second chamber. The iron compounds are introduced into the first chamber in particle form and by means of a carrier gas which provides one or more jets. The oxygen is fed into the first chamber at least partly in the form of one or more jets having tangential components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Hoogovens Staal B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes G. Bernard, Hendrikus K. A. Meijer, Cornelis P. Teerhuis
  • Patent number: 5567379
    Abstract: A plant is provided for producing molten pig iron or molten steel pre-products from lumpy, iron-ore-containing charging substances. The plant comprises a reduction shaft furnace for receiving lumpy, iron-ore-containing charging substances, the plant including a melter gasifier for receiving the reduction product formed in the reduction shaft furnace. The plant also includes a first charging device for at least one of iron ore and ore dust and a second charging device for solid carbon carriers, the melter gasifier being provided with a device for flow-connecting the first charging device for at least one of iron ore and ore dust and the second charging device for charging carbon carriers to at least one dust burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignees: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH, Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology, Incorporated Foundation
    Inventors: Leopold W. Kepplinger, Panajiotis Matzawrakos, Johannes Schenk, Dieter Siuka
  • Patent number: 5544868
    Abstract: An improved fuel lance and blow pipe system for injecting supplemental fuel into a blast furnace includes a lance support on the blow pipe housing by use of a quick disconnect coupling for releasably coupling the lance to the blow pipe and accurately fix the lance to discharge supplemental fuel into the hot blast. The coupling can be manually operated to disconnect the lance, without use of tools, to permit the lance to be retracted for inspection or replacement, or to facilitate packing of the tuyeres directing the hot blast into the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: National Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Guy Randall, Gregory P. Calvin
  • Patent number: 5472478
    Abstract: A method of reducing metal oxides in a vessel containing a molten bath, the bath comprising a metal layer and a slag layer, wherein metal oxides and carbonaceous material are introduced into the bath, gas is injected into the slag layer to case the eruption of molten slag parts, droplets and/or streams into the gas space above the bath and oxygen-containing gas is injected into the gas space to case post-combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Karl Brotzmann
  • Patent number: 5451034
    Abstract: A method and device is provided for the combined injection of pulverized coal and a gaseous oxidant into a crucible of a shaft furnace, especially a blast furnace, through a hot-air blast tuyere. In the region of the nozzle end of the tuyere in the crucible, the pulverized coal is injected into the hot-air blast, in the form of a hollow annular jet and the gaseous oxidant is injected inside the hollow annular jet. A lance for implementing the method comprises two coaxial tubes and a distributing unit provided with a central bore for the pulverized coal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Leon Ulveling, Yvon Kroemmer, Charles Schmit
  • Patent number: 5445363
    Abstract: In method and apparatus for producing iron and steel from iron cores largely composed of iron oxides, wherein a direct reduction process is used to produce a solid particulate intermediate product, generally known as sponge Iron or Direct Reduced Iron (DRI); pneumatically conveying large iron-bearing particles, such as pelletized iron ore or particularly DRI, in a closed transport pipe, eg. from the reduction reactor of the direct reduction process to the metallurgical furnaces where liquid iron or steel are produced, for example electric arc furnaces, induction furnaces, basic oxygen furnaces, etc. or to a briquetting press to form DRI briquettes, or simply to a silo or storage bin, or in general to a subsequent processing step for said DRI. When the carrier gas is recirculated for reuse, surprisingly air can be a preferred source of such gas, especially for reactive hot DRI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Hylsa S.A. de C.V.
    Inventors: Jorge O. Becerra-Novoa, Ricardo Viramontes-Brown, Marco A. Flores-Verdugo, Jose J. Garza-Ondarza
  • Patent number: 5427604
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding alloy additive and burden materials to the burden in a vertical shaft furnace working volume generally by gravity-feeding the alloy additive to the furnace tuyere for entrainment in the blast media and transfer to the burden, which improves the recovery rate of the charged additive components in the molten metal and, allows utilization of undersized materials without secondary handling and treatment of the feed materials or utilization of pneumatic feed apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: AMSTED Industries Incorporated
    Inventors: C. Gilmer Loving, Eugene B. Bailey, Robert G. Peting
  • Patent number: 5370369
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for feeding a reaction gas, such as oxygen or oxygen-enriched air to a flash smelting furnace through a concentrate burner, so that the gas is fed in around a pulverous material distribution channel located in the middle of the burner. Oxygen or oxygen-enriched air is fed into the reaction shaft through tubular channels in several separate gas jets, and the discharge velocity of the gas jets is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignee: Outokumpu Research Oy
    Inventors: Launo L. Lilja, Valto J. Makitalo
  • Patent number: 5362032
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for feeding reaction gases, advantageously oxygen and air or a mixture thereof, into a smelting furnace so that the cross-sectional area wherethrough the reaction gases are fed can be adjusted. Thus the velocity of the gases when they are discharged into the smelting furnace can be maintained sufficiently high while the quantity and quality of the gas varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Outokumpu Engineering Contractors Oy
    Inventor: Markus K. T. Ranki
  • Patent number: 5358222
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for oxidizing the pulverous fuel of a furnace, advantageously a flash smelting furnace, by means of a burner, so that the oxidation takes place mainly owing to an effective mixing of two different combustion gases, pulverous fuel and possibly an extra fuel in the furnace space. The combustion gases are conducted into the furnace space in separate flows, so that oxygen is fed in through the center in an at least partly turbulent flow, and the air is fed around it in several separate flows. The invention also relates to a burner for mixing pulverous fuel and combustion gas and for burning them in the said furnace space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Outokumpu Engineering Contractors Oy
    Inventors: Pentti J. Kaasinen, Launo L. Lilja, Valto J. Makitalo, Lasse J. Valli
  • Patent number: 5282883
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for high temperature treatment of particulate metal ore concentrate solids with a cyclone having a tangentially positioned burner directing a jet flame into the cyclone, an ore injecting nozzle positioned to inject a stream of ore with oxygen containing gas into the jet flame of the burner at a location at least one-third of the travel of the flame and into the hottest region thereof so that the particles are melted and do not abrasively impact the walls of the cyclone in an unmelted stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Assignee: Kloeckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG
    Inventors: Kiranenda Chaudhuri, Gerhard Melcher
  • Patent number: 5228901
    Abstract: A closed-cover hot cyclone reactor is used to melt and partially reduce particulate iron or ferro-alloy ores fed to it in a stream. Tangential streams of fuel gas or, preferably, producer gas supplied by an associated bath smelter, interact with the spiralling particles as they pass through the reactor. The molten metal travels downwardly along the reactor walls and can be discharged by gravity onto the receiving bath. The system eliminates the need for pelletizing ore and coking coal in smelting of iron products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Idaho Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Taylor, Robert W. Bartlett, Masud Abdel-Latif
  • Patent number: 5227117
    Abstract: A blast furnace blowpipe is provided having multipe bosses for a plurality of fuel injection lances spaced around the periphery of the blowpipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: USX Corporation
    Inventor: Julian D. Derucki
  • Patent number: 5173245
    Abstract: An injector for introducing particulate material into the bath of a pyrometallurgical vessel via existing tuyeres. An existing mechanical puncher may be removed and replaced with an injector adapted to be attached to the existing tuyere body so as not to disturb the existing blast air connections. The injector, including a housing spatially circumscribing an injector pipe and forming an annular space part way therewith, is inserted into the tuyere. A source of pressurized fluid is injected into the annular space keeping the tuyere open so the particulate material can be introduced through the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignee: Inco Limited
    Inventors: David E. Hall, Robert C. Francki
  • Patent number: 5060913
    Abstract: A smelting reduction process is carried out in a smelting reactor which includes a central internal carburization/combustion plenum or chamber in which hot metal is carburized by the injection of coal fines and heated by post combustion of the coal gases. The chamber has outlets to the first zone of an outer coaxial annular channel where the coal slag is separated off and a carburized hot metal passes into a second zone or smelting channel-chamber that permits introduction of feed material into a molten metal. A majority of the material that passes through the smelting channel-chamber is recycled to the internal carburization/combustion chamber for further processing. The internal carburization/combustion chamber and the smelting channel are completely separate so that the slag and the off gases from the two processes can be kept separate as well. The channel is positioned around the circumference of the internal carburization/combustion chamber where active heating occurs to form a compact reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Reid
  • Patent number: 5050848
    Abstract: Process and apparatus for post combustion of reaction gases generated in a molten iron bath above the bath by means of at least one jet of oxidizing gases, whereby energy thereby produced is transferred to the bath and whereby the or each jet of oxidizing gases is injected with a swirl through one or more tuyeres towards the surface of the bath or the or each jet of oxidizing gases is injected in the form of a hollow jet through one or more tuyeres towards the surface of the bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Klockner CRA Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Gregory J. Hardie, John M. Ganser
  • Patent number: 4995906
    Abstract: A method for smelting reduction of iron ore, comprises the steps of: introducing iron ore into a preheat and prereduction furnace and preheating and prereducing the iron ore, a prereduction degree being less than 30%; charging the iron ore, carbonaceous material and flux into a smelting reduction furnace; blowing oxygen gas, through decarburization nozzles and post-combustion nozzles placed in a top end of an oxygen lance, into the smelting reduction furnace, the top end of the oxygen lance being located so as to be between a top level and a bottom level of a slag layer; blowing a stirring gas through side tuyeres placed in a side wall and bottom tuyeres placed in a bottom wall of the smelting reduction furnace; and controlling a flow amount of the oxygen gas and the stirring gas so that an oxidation degree of an exhaust gas generated in the smelting reduction furnace ranges 0.4 to 0.9 and still a temperature of the exhaust gas ranges 300.degree. to 1300.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: NKK Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Iwasaki, Kenji Takahashi, Shigeru Inoue, Haruyoshi Tanabe, Masahiro Kawakami, Osamu Terada
  • Patent number: 4921532
    Abstract: A method of ironmaking by means of a smelting shaft furnace including the steps of supplying iron ore and coke to the top of the furnace; and injecting coal and oxygen into the smelting zone of the furnace to promote combustion, to control reaction temperature and provide heat for smelting, the quantities of coal and oxygen injection being within the range of 0.7 to 1.7 of stoichiometric conditions with respect to combustion to carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: British Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Martin J. Corbett, Richard B. Smith
  • Patent number: RE37853
    Abstract: A fast quench reaction includes a reactor chamber having a high temperature heating means such as a plasma torch at its inlet and a restrictive convergent-divergent nozzle at its outlet end. Reactants are injected into the reactor chamber. The resulting heated gaseous stream is then rapidly cooled by passage through the nozzle. This “freezes” the desired end product(s) in the heated equilibrium reaction stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Betchel BWXT Idaho, LLC
    Inventors: Brent A. Detering, Alan D. Donaldson, James R. Fincke, Peter C. Kong
  • Patent number: RE36598
    Abstract: Fire-refined blister copper is produced from copper concentrate by a process comprising:A. melting and oxidizing the copper concentrate in a smelting furnace to produce molten matte and slag, and to separate one from the other;B. removing the molten matte from the smelting furnace;C. solidifying the molten matte;D. injecting the solidified matte into a converting furnace in which the matte is converted to blister copper and slag; andE. transfering the blister copper from the converting furnace to an anode furnace to produce fire-refined blister copper.After the fire-refined blister copper is produced in the anode furnace, it is typically transferred to an anode casting wheel on which it is converted to copper anodes suitable for subsequent electrolytic refining to cathode copper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Kennecott Holdings Corporation
    Inventor: David B. George