Abstract: A method for operating a metallurgical furnace and a simplified way of providing synthesis gas for a metallurgical furnace, includes the following steps performing a combustion process outside the metallurgical furnace by combusting a carbon-containing material with an oxygen-rich gas to produce an offgas, which offgas is a CO2 containing gas; and combining the offgas, while having an elevated combustion-induced temperature due to the combustion process, with a hydrocarbon-containing fuel gas to obtain a first gas mixture having a temperature above a reforming temperature necessary for a reforming process, preferably a dry reforming process; the first gas mixture undergoing the reforming process, thereby producing a synthesis gas containing CO and H2, the reforming process being performed non-catalytically; and feeding the synthesis gas into the metallurgical furnace.

Abstract: Production method and apparatus for direct reduced iron (DRI), a.k.a sponge iron, by contacting iron oxides with recycled and regenerated hot reducing gases containing H2 & CO2. This invention decreases uncontained emission of CO2 to the atmosphere from combustion of carbon-bearing fuels in the reducing-gas heater by substituting, at least partially, a gas mainly comprising hydrogen in lieu of the usual carbon-bearing fuels. The hydrogen fuel stream, depleted of CO2 by means of a physical gas separation unit (which can be a PSA/VPSA type adsorption unit, a gas separation membrane unit or a combination of both such units) is derived from at least a portion of regenerated reducing gases being recycled to the reduction reactor. The derived hydrogen fuel stream is combusted in the reducing gas heater and/or other thermal equipment in the reduction plant, thus decreasing the CO2 emissions directly to the atmosphere.

Abstract: Methods and systems for the production of direct reduced iron, including: removing a top gas from a direct reduction furnace; carbon monoxide shifting the top gas using a carbon monoxide shift reactor to form a carbon monoxide shifted top gas having a reduced carbon monoxide content; adding one of a coal gas, a synthesis gas, and an export gas to at least a portion of the carbon monoxide shifted top gas to form a combined gas; removing carbon dioxide from the combined gas using a carbon dioxide removal unit to form a carbon dioxide lean combined gas; and providing the carbon dioxide lean combined gas to the direct reduction furnace as a reducing gas for producing direct reduced iron after heating to reduction temperature. Optionally, the method includes removing carbon dioxide from the top gas using a carbon dioxide removal unit prior to carbon monoxide shifting the top gas.

Abstract: A method for modifying existing direct reduction processes and retrofitting existing direct reduction facilities so as to increase the capacity of the facilities without the need for increasing the capacity of external reformers associated with the existing facilities comprises mixing preheated air with the reformed reducing gas produced in the external reformers and containing said mixture with excess natural gas in a reduction-reaction zone of the direct reduction reactor.