Method and apparatus for charging raw and carbonaceous materials into a moving hearth furnace

A method of charging a raw material and a carbonaceous material into a moving hearth furnace comprising:

• charging said carbonaceous material onto a moving hearth of said moving hearth furnace to form a carbonaceous material layer thereon;
• charging said raw material or a mixture of said raw material and a carbonaceous material onto said carbonaceous material layer to form a raw material layer on said carbonaceous material;
• and
• forming a plurality of recesses on a surface of said carbonaceous material layer, wherein said recesses are formed by pressing a projection against said raw material layer.

An apparatus for charging a raw material and a carbonaceous material into a moving hearth furnace comprising:

• carbonaceous material charger for charging a carbonaceous material onto a moving hearth of said moving hearth furnace to form a carbonaceous material layer;
• raw material charger for charging raw material or a mixture of said raw material and a carbonaceous material on said carbonaceous material layer formed on said moving hearth to form a raw material layer thereon;
• and
• a denting device provided downstream of said raw material charger and which is capable of forming a plurality of recesses on a surface of said carbonaceous material layer lying under said raw material layer.