Additive composition and method for chemically adjusting molten metal
AssigneeHatch Ltd.
InventorsSa GE, Ian Archibald CAMERON, Terrence Leonard George KOEHLER
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Abstract
An additive composition for providing a chemical additive to liquid metal in a furnace, and a method for adjusting the chemical composition of molten metal in a furnace. The additive composition comprises an additive component and a ballast component. The ballast component is a high-density component, the high-density component for helping the additive composition to sink through the slag layer to contact the molten metal using the force of gravity.
Claims38
An additive composition for carburizing molten metal iron, the composition comprising an additive component comprising carbon bound with a ballast component comprising iron, wherein a density of the ballast component is greater than a density of slag to enable the additive composition to contact the molten metal iron produced by an electric smelting furnace from direct reduced iron, and to melt or dissolve at least a portion of the additive component within the molten metal iron for carburizing the molten metal iron.
The additive composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the additive component comprises any one or more of:
- coal, coke, anthracite, charcoal, biocarbon, biomass, cementite and various metal carbides, elemental carbon, carbon black, graphite or another carbon-containing component.
The additive composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ballast component comprises direct reduced iron (DRI).
The additive composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ballast component comprises any one or more of:
- direct reduced iron (DRI) fines, finely shredded metal scrap, and powdered or granulated iron, iron carbide/ferroalloys.
The additive composition of any one of the preceding claims for use in a furnace with a quiescent slag layer.
The additive composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ballast component is comprised of material that is compatible with the molten metal iron.
The additive composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ballast component comprises the same material as found in the molten metal iron.
The additive composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the additive component comprises materials for adjusting the composition of the molten metal iron, through direct dissolution or through one or more intermediate reactions.
The additive composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the density of the ballast is equal to or greater than the density of the molten metal iron.
The additive composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the density of the composition is equal to or greater than the density of the molten metal iron.
A method for carburizing molten metal iron, the method comprising
- forming an additive composition comprising an additive component for the molten metal iron bound with a ballast component, the additive component comprising carbon, the ballast component comprising iron with a density greater than a density of slag;
- providing the additive composition to come into contact with the molten metal iron produced by an electric smelting furnace from direct reduced iron;
- melting or dissolving the additive composition to release at least a portion of the additive component to the molten metal iron;
- and
- carburizing the molten metal iron with the additive component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.