Plasma and oxygas fired furnace

A process for smelting metallurgical charges, comprising:

• providing an apparatus comprising a bath furnace susceptible to contain a molten charge up to a determined level, characterized in that the furnace is equipped with:
• at least one non-transferred plasma torch for the generation of first hot gases;
• at least one oxygas burner for the generation of second hot gases;
• and,
• submerged injectors for injecting said first and second hot gases below said determined level;
• feeding a metallurgical charge including transition metals and slag formers to the furnace;
• smelting the charge using the oxygas burner(s) as a primary enthalpy source, thereby forming a first alloy comprising a first part of the transition metals and a slag comprising a second part of the transition metals;
• separating the first alloy by tapping, leaving the slag in the furnace;
• treating the slag in strongly reducing conditions using the plasma torch(es) as primary enthalpy source, thereby forming a second alloy enriched in transition metals and a slag depleted in transition metals by transferring said second part of the transition metals from the slag to said second alloy;
• and,
• separating the second alloy and the depleted slag by tapping.

A process for smelting metallurgical charges, comprising the steps of:

• providing an apparatus comprising a bath furnace susceptible to contain a molten charge up to a determined level, characterized in that the furnace is equipped with:
• at least one non-transferred plasma torch for the generation of first hot gases;
• at least one oxygas burner for the generation of second hot gases;
• and,
• submerged injectors for injecting said first and second hot gases below said determined level;
• feeding a metallurgical charge including transition metals and slag formers to the furnace;
• smelting the charge in strongly reducing conditions using the plasma torch(es) as a primary enthalpy source, thereby forming an alloy comprising transition metals and a first slag depleted in transition metals;
• separating the first slag by tapping, leaving the alloy in the furnace;
• treating the alloy using the oxygas burner(s) as primary enthalpy source, thereby forming an alloy partially depleted in transition metals and a second slag enriched in transition metals by transferring part of the transition metals from the alloy to the second slag;
• and,
• separating the enriched alloy and the second slag by tapping.

Apparatus for smelting metallurgical charges comprising a bath furnace susceptible to contain a molten charge up to a determined level, characterized in that the furnace is equipped with:

• at least one non-transferred plasma torch for the generation of first hot gases;
• at least one oxygas burner separate from the plasma torch for the generation of second hot gases;
• and,
• submerged injectors for injecting said first and second hot gases below said determined level of said molten charge in said bath furnace.