Direct smelting process
AssigneeTechnological Resources Pty. Limited
InventorRodney James Dry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for direct smelting a metalliferous feed material is disclosed. The process includes the steps of partially reducing metalliferous feed material and substantially devolatilising coal in a pre-reduction vessel and producing a partially reduced metalliferous feed material and char. The process also includes direct smelting the partially reduced metalliferous feed material to molten metal in a direct smelting vessel using the char as a source of energy and as a reductant and post-combusting reaction gas produced in the direct smelting process with pre-heated air or oxygen-enriched air to a post-combustion level of greater than 70% to generate heat required for the direct smelting reactions and to maintain the metal in a molten state.
Claims20
A process for direct smelting a metalliferous feed material comprising:
- (a) supplying metalliferous feed material and coal to a fluidized bed;
- (b) partially reducing metalliferous feed material and substantially devolatilizing coal in the fluidized bed and producing a partially reduced metalliferous feed material and char;
- (c) supplying the partially reduced metalliferous feed material and char produced in step (b) to a direct smelting vessel;
- (d) using off-gas discharged from the fluidized bed as a source of energy and pre-heating air or oxygen-enriched air and thereafter supplying the pre-heated air or oxygen-enriched air to the direct smelting vessel;
- and
- (e) direct smelting the partially reduced metalliferous feed material to molten metal in the direct smelting vessel using the char as a source of energy and as a reductant and post-combusting reaction gas produced in the direct smelting process with the pre-heated air or oxygen-enriched air to a post-combustion level of greater than 70% to generate heat required for the direct smelting reactions and to maintain the metal in a molten state.
A process for direct smelting a metalliferous feed material comprising:
- (a) supplying metalliferous feed material and medium or high volatile coal to pre-reduction vessel comprising a fluidized bed;
- (b) partially reducing metalliferous feed material and substantially devolatilizing coal in the pre-reduction vessel and producing a partially reduced metalliferous feed material and char;
- (c) supplying the partially reduced metalliferous feed material and char produced in step (b) to a direct smelting vessel;
- (d) using off-gas discharged from the pre-reduction vessel as a source of energy and pre-heating air or oxygen-enriched air and thereafter supplying the pre-heated air or oxygen-enriched air to the direct smelting vessel;
- and
- (e) direct smelting the partially reduced metalliferous feed material to molten metal in the direct smelting vessel using the char as a source of energy and as a reductant and post-combusting reaction gas produced in the direct smelting process with the pre-heated air or oxygen-enriched air to a post-combustion level of greater than 70% to generate heat required for the direct smelting reactions and to maintain the metal in a molten state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.