Pneumatic ore charging

A method for reducing metal oxide containing charge materials, comprising:

• reducing the metal oxide containing charge materials with a reduction gas in at least a first and a second fluidized bed units, and flowing the reduction gas through the fluidized bed units countercurrently to the metal oxide containing charge materials;
• removing as off-gas from the first fluidized bed unit the reduction gas used during reduction of the metal oxide containing charge materials in the at least two fluidized bed units;
• compressing at least some of the off-gas in at least one recycle gas compressor to produce hot recycle gas, and then cooling the hot recycle gas in at least one aftercooler to produce cold recycle gas;
• at least partially removing CO2 from the cold recycle gas to produce product gas;
• admixing the product gas with the reduction gas;
• optionally, after pre-heating in a heating device, conveying the metal oxide containing charge materials by a propellant gas from at least one delivery tank by a pipe line into the first fluidized bed unit;
• wherein the propellant gas comprises at least some of the hot recycle gas;
• the hot recycle gas has a lower temperature limit of 70° C. and an upper temperature limit of 150° C.;
• the product gas has a dew point of below −20° C.;
• and
• the pressure of the hot recycle gas is at least 4.5 bars.