# US 8,540,930 B2 · Reducing furnace and apparatus for manufacturing molten iron comprising the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,930 B2 - Document ID: US8540930B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/810,383 - Filed: 2008-12-18 - Published: 2010-11-11 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2007-12-24 - Assignees: Posco - Applicants: Ki-Woong Kwon; Suk-Kwang Jung; Young-Gil Choi; Do-Seung Kim; Sung-Hee Chae - Inventors: Ki-Woong Kwon; Suk-Kwang Jung; Young-Gil Choi; Do-Seung Kim; Sung-Hee Chae - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540930B2 ## CPC - C21B 13/143: {Injection of partially reduced ore into a molten bath} - C21B 7/20: with appliances for distributing the burden - C21B 13/002: {Reduction of iron ores by passing through a heated column of carbon} - F27B 1/20: Arrangements of devices for charging - F27D 3/0025: {Charging or loading melting furnaces with material in the solid state} - F27D 3/0033: {charging of particulate material} - F27D 3/10: Charging directly from hoppers or shoots - C21B: MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR STEEL (preliminary treatment of ferrous ores or scrap C22B1/00) - F27B: FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS - F27D: DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE ## Abstract An apparatus for manufacturing molten iron includes a reduction furnace having a charging device that is capable of preventing segregation. The reduction furnace for reducing an iron-containing material used for manufacturing molten iron may include a charging hole where the iron-containing material is charged, a first guide plate sloped toward a first direction in the reduction furnace to guide the iron-containing material to the inside of the reduction furnace, and a second guide plate fixed and sloped toward a second direction intersecting the first direction in the reduction furnace to guide the iron-containing material dropped and guided by the first guide plate. A dropping direction of the iron-containing material dropped and guided by the first guide plate is changed when the iron-containing material is guided by the second guide plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A reduction furnace for reducing an iron-containing material used for manufacturing molten iron, the reduction furnace comprising: a charging hole where the iron-containing material is charged into the reduction furnace; a first guide plate in the reduction furnace, the first guide plate being sloped toward a first direction to guide the iron-containing material to a lower space of the inside of the reduction furnace; a second guide plate in the reduction furnace, the second guide plate being fixed and sloped toward a second direction intersecting the first direction to guide the iron-containing material dropped and guided by the first guide plate; and a guide tube where the first guide plate and the second guide plate are installed, wherein a dropping direction of the iron-containing material dropped and guided by the first guide plate is changed when the iron-containing material is guided by the second guide plate, and wherein the guide tube comprises: a first guide tube portion; and a second guide tube portion connected to the first guide tube portion to be communicated with the first guide tube portion, wherein a cross-section of the first guide tube portion decreases along a preceding direction of the iron-containing material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the first guide plate and the second guide plate face the charging hole, respectively. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The reduction furnace of claim 2, wherein at least one guide plate selected from the group consisting of the first guide plate and the second guide plate is formed as an arch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the second guide plate is spaced apart from an imaginary line extending in a length direction of the reduction furnace to pass a center of the reduction furnace. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The reduction furnace of claim 4, wherein the imaginary line meets the first guide plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The reduction furnace of claim 4, wherein a convex portion is formed at a lower portion of the second guide plate and the convex portion is convex toward the imaginary line. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the first guide tube portion is larger than a cross-section of the second guide tube portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the first guide plate includes an arch-type edge and the arch-type edge contacts an inner face of the first guide tube portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the second guide plate is installed such that the second guide plate crosses the inside of the second guide tube portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the first guide plate is installed at the first guide tube portion and the second guide tube portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the second guide tube portion includes a sloped portion and the sloped portion is sloped in a direction that is substantially the same as the second direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The reduction furnace of claim 11, wherein the sloped portion is substantially parallel with the second guide plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the first direction is toward a plate face of the second guide plate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the first and second directions forms an angle of about 60° to about 140°. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein a protrusion member protruded toward the charging hole is formed on the first guide plate to contact the iron-containing material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The reduction furnace of claim 15, wherein the protrusion member include a first sloped face and a second sloped face meeting the first sloped face, and the first and second sloped faces contact the first guide plate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The reduction furnace of claim 16, wherein an end portion of an edge formed at a portion where the first and second sloped faces meet contacts the first guide plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the first direction forms an angle of about 20° to about 60° with an imaginary line extending in a length direction of the reduction furnace to pass a center of the reduction furnace. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the second direction forms an angle of about 20° to about 60° with an imaginary line extending in a length direction of the reduction furnace to pass a center of the reduction furnace. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The reduction furnace of claim 1, wherein the iron-containing material includes partially reduced iron or iron ore. ### Claim 21 An apparatus for manufacturing molten iron, comprising: a reduction furnace reducing an iron-containing material to form reduced iron; and a melter-gasifier connected to the reduction furnace, the reduced iron being charged into the melter-gasifier to form the molten iron, wherein the reduction furnace comprises: a charging hole where the iron-containing material is charged into the reduction furnace; a first guide plate in the reduction furnace, the first guide plate being sloped toward a first direction to guide the iron-containing material to a lower space of the reduction furnace; a second guide plate in the reduction furnace, the second guide plate being fixed and sloped toward a second direction intersecting the first direction to guide the iron-containing material dropped and guided by the first guide plate; and a guide tube where the first guide plate and the second guide plate are installed, wherein a dropping direction of the iron-containing material dropped and guided by the first guide plate is changed when the iron-containing material is guided by the second guide plate, and wherein the guide tube comprises: a first guide tube portion; and a second guide tube portion connected to the first guide tube portion to be communicated with the first guide tube portion, wherein a cross-section of the first guide tube portion decreases along a preceding direction of the iron-containing material. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the reduction furnace is a packed-bed reduction furnace. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the iron-containing material includes iron ore. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a device for forming compacted iron connected to the packed-bed reduction furnace to provide the packed-bed reduction furnace with the iron-containing material, wherein the iron-containing material is compacted by the device for forming the compacted iron. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a fluidized-bed reduction furnace connected to the device for forming the compacted iron to provide the device for forming compacted iron with the iron-containing material, wherein the fluidized-bed reduction furnace pre-reduces the iron-containing material.