Steel manufacturing facility and method

A steel manufacturing facility comprising:

• at least one furnace having a top opening providing access to a processing chamber of the furnace;
• at least one material container adapted to hold a steel making product therein and to be selectively movable throughout the facility, the material container having a a container wall, an open top and a bottom opening that can be opened and closed;
• at least one shell assembly that is selectively movable throughout the facility, the shell assembly having a shell with a cylindrical wall defining an interior chamber, a bottom opening adapted to removably couple with the furnace, a closable access opening through the wall to the interior chamber, and a support mechanism adapted to removably support the material container within the interior chamber of the shell;
• and
• at least one vehicle having a plurality of wheels and a prime mover for operating the vehicle throughout the facility, the vehicle having a lift frame adapted to lift and support each of the material container and the shell assembly either together or separately, wherein the vehicle can be moved to position the shell assembly over the furnace.

A method of making steel in a manufacturing facility having at least one furnace with a top opening, the method comprising the steps of:

• loading at least one material container with steel making product;
• picking up the loaded material container with a vehicle that is movable throughout the facility;
• placing the material container within an interior chamber of a furnace coupling shell assembly utilizing the vehicle such that the material container is supported by a support mechanism of the shell assembly;
• moving the shell assembly and material container to the furnace utilizing the vehicle;
• positioning a bottom opening of the shell assembly over the top opening of the furnace utilizing the vehicle;
• charging the furnace with the steel making product through the top opening;
• removing the material container and the shell assembly from above the furnace utilizing the vehicle;
• and
• operating the furnace.