Apparatus for producing hot briquetted iron

An apparatus for producing hot briquetted iron, the apparatus comprising:

• a briquetting press comprising two rollers, each roller comprising a plurality of pockets, wherein the two rollers are arranged to be synchronously counter-rotatable, thereby forming a continuous series of cooperating pockets defining briquetting cavities at a nip of the briquetting press;
• a force feeder arrangement comprising a material supply tank arranged to be able to contain a hot sponge iron pellet feed to be fed to the briquetting press, the force feeder arrangement further comprising a screw feeder comprising a screw arranged within the material supply tank and arranged to be able to convey the sponge iron pellet feed contained within the material supply tank towards the nip of the briquetting press, wherein the screw comprises a screw shaft and a screw flighting arranged on the screw shaft at an end of the screw shaft in proximity to the nip of the briquetting press;
• and
• a powder injection arrangement, the powder injection arrangement comprising a powder dosing unit and at least one injection line,
• wherein the powder dosing unit is arranged to be able to dose powder at a predetermined rate to the at least one injection line, and
• wherein each injection line extends from a line inlet to a line outlet, wherein each line inlet is arranged to be connectible to a source of pressurized carrier gas and each line outlet is arranged to be able to inject powder into the material supply tank.