Abstract: A system and method of controlling a metal melting process in a melting furnace, including determining at least one furnace parameter characterizing a melting furnace, adding a charge containing solid metal into the melting furnace, detecting at least one charge parameter characterizing the charge, firing a burner into the melting furnace to provide heat to melt the charge, and exhausting burner combustion products from the furnace, detecting at least one process parameter characterizing progress of melting the charge, calculating a furnace efficiency based on the at least one furnace parameter, calculating a predicted process pour readiness time based on the at least one charge parameter, the at least one process parameter, and the furnace efficiency, and controlling the metal melting process based on the predicted process pour readiness time.

Abstract: A method for the production of cast iron starting from pre-reduced iron ore (DRI) with an electric arc furnace includes the steps of preparing a charge of pre-reduced iron ore DRI having a metallization higher than 90% and containing over 2.8% by weight of carbon, wherein at least 80% of the carbon is combined with the iron to form iron carbide Fe3C; charging the charge of pre-reduced iron ore into the electric arc furnace; and melting the DRI charge to form liquid cast iron having at least 80% by weight of actual carbon content deriving from the carbon in the charge of pre-reduced iron ore, the melting step being in a reducing atmosphere and in a melting chamber of the electric arc furnace subjected to a positive internal pressure generated by the gases produced by reduction reactions that develop during melting.

Abstract: There is provided a method of producing reduced iron compacts with high crushing strength, low powderization and a high reduction rate in a solid reduction-type firing reducing furnace such as a rotary hearth-type reducing furnace, as well as reduced iron compacts obtained by the method and a method of melt-reducing the reduced iron compacts in a blast furnace.

Abstract: A method of pyroprocessing mineral ores. The method includes forming the mineral ore fines into small balls or pellets, drying and preheating the pellets and then subjecting the pellets to further heat with an oxidizing gas to substantially oxidize and indurate the pellets prior to discharging the pellets into a cooler. The essential equipment used in the process are machines such as a balling pan or drum for agglomerating the ore, a grate traveling through a furnace and a rotary kiln for transporting the pellets from the grate to a cooler. Also, means are provided to supply hot oxidizing gas to both the furnace and the kiln to heat the pellets. In addition, means are provided to supply an oxidizing gas beneath the tumbling bed of pellets in the kiln.

Abstract: The invention is a process for steelmaking in a rotary furnace from a solid metallic charge adapted to realize greatly increased heat transfer and melting rates and thereby greater steel production. A hot liquid metal bath is maintained over the length of an oxy-fuel fired rotary furnace. Solid metallic scrap is continually introduced by way of a charge end opening into a melting zone, wherein the bath melting point temperature is depressed on the order of 300 degrees celsius at the furnace charge end, by means of coincident additions of supplementary carbon into the melt. The effect is a multifold increase in temperature differential between the flame temperature and the temperatures of the furnace walls and charge, with a proportionate increase in the quantity of heat transferred.

Abstract: In a process for at least temporarily simultaneously subjecting a molten metal (5) in a metallurgical vessel (3) to the action of a gas and fine-grain solid materials, with a water-cooled first lance (17) for supplying the gas, in accordance with the invention the solid materials are supplied in the form of a conveyor stream (27) by way of a second lance (19). The solid materials are supplied in such a way that, after leaving the outlet opening (25) of the second lance (19), they are deflected by the gas (29) issuing from the outlet opening (23) of the first lance (17) and are supplied with said gas to the molten metal (5).