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US 4,540,432 AGranted
Continuous process of melting sponge iron
AssigneeMetallgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsMartin Hirsch, Peter Fischer, Harry Serbent
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AssigneeMetallgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsMartin Hirsch, Peter Fischer, Harry Serbent
Estimating the term…
The melting operation is carried out in an elongated horizontal reactor, in which sponge iron is charged onto the molten material in an intermediate region of the reactor, carbonaceous fuel and high-oxygen gases are blown into the molten material and slag and sponge iron are tapped at opposite ends of the reactor. To permit an economical melting of sponge iron having a large particle size range with the aid of virtually only solid carbonaceous fuels, the sponge iron is charged into the reactor in an intermediate region of 20 to 40% of the total length of the reactor, fine-grained carbonaceous fuel and high-oxygen gas are blown into the molten material from below in that region, the rates of oxygen and carbon are so controlled that a molten iron containing 1 to 3% carbon is produced, the remaining carbon contained in the molten material is reacted in the melt to produce CO, and the remaining energy required in the process is produced in that the CO and hydrogen are virtually completely burnt above the molten material as a result of a supply of oxygen-containing gases into the free space of the reactor.
A continuous process of melting sponge iron which comprises introducing sponge iron into an elongated horizontal reactor in an intermediate region thereof comprising 20 to 40% of the total length of said reactor and depositing said sponge iron onto molten material contained in said horizontal reactor, introducing fine grain solid containing carbonaceous fuel hydrocarbons and a high-oxygen containing gas into said reactor by blowing the same into said molten material from below in said intermediate region, the amount of oxygen and carbon being so controlled such that the resultant molten iron contains 1 to 3% by weight carbon, converting substantially all of the remaining solid carbonaceous fuel containing hydrocarbon to carbon monoxide and hydrogen, introducing an oxygen containing gas into the free space above said molten material and in said free space burning said carbon monoxide and hydrogen whereby to supply energy to said process and removing slag and molten iron at opposite ends of said horizontal reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.