Solid fuel combustion for industrial melting with a slagging combustor

A method for supplying heat to a melting furnace for forming a molten product, the method comprising:

• introducing a first fuel having an ash component and a combustible component into a slagging chamber of a slagging combustor;
• introducing a first oxidant mixture into the slagging chamber of the slagging combustor, the first oxidant mixture having an oxygen concentration of 10 volume % to 100 volume %;
• introducing a second fuel into the slagging chamber of the slagging combustor;
• introducing a second oxidant mixture into the slagging chamber of the slagging combustor, the second oxidant mixture having an oxygen concentration of 22 volume % to 100 volume % wherein the second fuel and the second oxidant mixture are introduced having an equivalence ratio of 1.4 to 3;
• combusting at least a portion of the combustible component of the first fuel and at least a portion of the second fuel in the slagging chamber of the slagging combustor thereby forming a separated ash component and forming a slagging combustor gas effluent;
• collecting at least a portion of the separated ash component as a layer of a molten slag contiguous with at least a portion of an inner surface of the slagging chamber;
• passing at least a portion of the slagging combustor gas effluent from the slagging chamber of the slagging combustor into a combustion space in the melting furnace at a temperature of 1000° C. to 2500° C. to supply heat to form the molten product;
• and
• withdrawing the molten slag from the slagging chamber of the slagging combustor.