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US 4,701,217 AGranted
Smelting reduction
AssigneeThe University of Birmingham
InventorNoel A. Warner
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AssigneeThe University of Birmingham
InventorNoel A. Warner
Estimating the term…
Smelting reduction of metallic oxide material, e.g. pelletized iron oxide ore or iron oxide ore fines is effected by contacting such material with a circulating molten carrier material, e.g. molten iron in the case of iron oxide smelting, in a furnace, and by introducing a carbonaceous reductant e.g. coal into the carrier material. The reductant converts the metal oxide to metal in a smelting reduction zone. Carbon monoxide thereby produced is combusted in a heating zone through which the carrier material passes to effect heat recovery. Slag is removed from the carrier material surface before entering the heating zone. A protective layer of molten material, e.g. lead, which is substantially stationary is maintained below the circulating carrier material to inhibit erosion of the furnace hearth. In other processes, deepsea manganese nodules are conjointly smelted with chalcopyrite in a circulating molten Cu-Ni-Co matte carrier while maintaining a protective layer of Cu-Ni-Co alloy below the matte; and high silica nickel laterite and limonitic ores are conjointly metallized and sulphided while being supported by a circulating molten nickel matte carrier, with controlled addition of carbon to cause a protective layer of ferronickel alloy containing carbon to be maintained below the matte carrier.
A method of smelting metal oxide material comprising the steps of forcibly circulating molten carrier material in a closed loop path serially through a smelting reduction zone, a slag separation zone and a heating zone;
A method of smelting a metal oxide material comprising the steps of forcibly circulating a molten carrier material through an extraction circuit;
A method of smelting a metal oxide material comprising the steps of converting at least one metal oxide in said metal oxide material to at least one metal sulphide;
A method of smelting metal oxide material comprising the steps of forcibly circulating molten carrier material which consists predominantly of molten iron in a closed loop path through a feed zone, a reducing zone, a combustion zone and a slag separation zone;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.