Method and apparatus for carrying out a metallurgical process
AssigneeIron Mount Corporation
InventorLeonard Reiffel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A metallurgical process involves providing an ingredient enclosure and placing a plurality of granules of a first material in the ingredient enclosure. The first material contains a first ingredient in a metallurgical process. A metallurgical process furnace having a chamber in which ingredients for the metallurgical process are added is provided and the ingredient enclosure and the first material are added to the chamber. The chamber is heated after the addition of the ingredient enclosure and the first material to the chamber, although it may also be heated prior to such addition. In one form, the granules comprise mill scale and the metallurgical process furnace is a blast furnace.
Claims20
A metallurgical process carried out in a furnace, the process comprising:
- providing a burden above liquid iron in a furnace, the burden comprising sources of iron, carbon and flux;
- providing an ingredient enclosure that includes a venting system;
- placing a first material in the ingredient enclosure, wherein the first material comprises a first ingredient for carrying out a metallurgical process in the furnace;
- adding the ingredient enclosure and the first material to the burden;
- heating the burden after the ingredient enclosure and the first material have been added to the chamber thereby heating the first ingredient and causing a reaction gas to form within the enclosure;
- opening the venting system by opening a vent;
- expelling at least a portion of the formed gas via the enclosure venting system;
- opening the ingredient enclosure by the application of heat for a period of time;
- and
- exposing the first material to the liquid iron.
A metallurgical process comprising:
- providing an ingredient enclosure having a vent;
- placing a first material in the ingredient enclosure, wherein the first material contains a first ingredient in a metallurgical process;
- enclosing the first material in the ingredient enclosure;
- providing a metallurgical process chamber in which ingredients for the metallurgical process are added;
- adding the ingredient enclosure and the first material to the chamber;
- applying heat to the enclosure;
- opening the vent in the ingredient enclosure;
- opening the enclosure by the application of heat for a period of time to expose the first material to the chamber.
A metallurgical process carried out in a blast furnace, the process comprising:
- providing a burden above the liquid iron in a blast furnace, the burden comprising iron, coke and a flux;
- providing a plurality of ingredient enclosures that contain at least one ingredient for carrying out a metallurgical process in the blast furnace;
- pre-determining a desired distribution of a first set of ingredient enclosures;
- distributing the first set of ingredient enclosures on top of the burden while taking into account the pre-determined desired distribution;
- applying heat to the burden;
- opening at least one ingredient enclosure by the application of heat for a period of time;
- and
- exposing the contents of the enclosure to the liquid iron.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.