Method and apparatus for heating and smelting pulverous solids and for volatilizing the volatile ingredients thereof in a suspension smelting furnace

A method for raising the temperature and mixing efficiency of substantially non-combustible pulverous solid particles in a suspension melting furnace, such that smelting and volatilizing is achieved, wherein:

• at a first stage of heating, a mixture of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air and a fuel is supplied from at least three different burners and is made to discharge downwardly from an arch of a reaction shaft;
• said mixture, when ignited, creates a short and wide flame to which flame a pulverous, substantially non-combustible solid is fed through a distributor member located in a middle area of the burners;
• and
• said solid material is dispersed to flow down in an umbrella-like fashion;
• and
• at a second stage of the heating, in an upper part of said reaction shaft there is arranged, symmetrically in relation to the flows, yet at least one series of burners, and the oxygen-fuel suspension fed through said one series of burners burns with a long, hot flame and smelts the suspension;
• and
• the molten drops fall into a settler, and the gases and volatilized ingredients are discharged through an uptake shaft.