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US 4,238,226 AGranted
Method for producing molten iron by submerged combustion
AssigneeMidrex Corporation
InventorsCharles W. Sanzenbacher, John C. Scarlett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for reducing particulate iron oxide and producing molten iron in which coal and oxygen are injected into a molten iron bath to melt the iron, gasify the coal and produce a hot off-gas which is then used as the reductant in a counterflow shaft furnace to reduce iron oxide pellets and/or natural ore in a continuous manner. The hot reduced iron product from the shaft furnace is discharged directly into the molten iron bath from which the molten iron product is discharged.
Claims9
A method for reducing particulate iron oxide and producing molten iron comprising:
- (a) chemically reducing particulate iron oxide to particulate metallized iron product by reaction with a hot reducing gas consisting principally of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and forming a spent reducing gas;
- (b) discharging said particulate metallized iron product into a submerged combustion melter-gasifier chamber and melting said product therein to form a molten metal bath in said chamber;
- (c) injecting fossil fuel and oxygen into the molten metal bath beneath the surface of the bath to gasify the fossil fuel, melt the iron, and form a hot gas within said chamber;
- (d) continuously humidifying the hot gas in the chamber by injecting water into said chamber above said bath;
- (e) removing the humidified hot gas from the chamber, partially cooling said hot gas and removing entrained solids therefrom to form a hot reducing gas;
- (f) reacting said hot reducing gas with said particulate iron oxide to directly reduce said particulate iron oxide to said particulate metallized iron product;
- and
- (g) drawing off the molten iron from said melter-gasifier.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.