Continuous feeding system to a smelting furnace of pre-heated metal material, in continuous, potentiated and combined form

A process for heating a metal feedstock comprising:

• feeding said feedstock in continuous to a smelting furnace through a second horizontal heating section, through which second discharge fumes collected from said smelting furnace pass, said second discharge fumes exerting a heating step of said feedstock,
• wherein, immediately before entering said second heating section, the feedstock is subjected to a pre-heating step by a different heating system other than the second discharge fumes, the pre-heating step producing first discharge fumes,
• wherein said different heating system is provided in a first pre-heating section, which is operatively connected with said second heating section by an intermediate fume evacuation section, the first and second discharge fumes being conveyed to said intermediate fume evacuation section,
• wherein said first pre-heating section and second horizontal heating section have tunnel configurations,
• wherein said pre-heating step is performed with burners, and
• wherein the burners are tilted toward the intermediate fume evacuation section, such to produce flames that direct the fumes toward the intermediate fume evacuation section.

A plant for heating a metal feedstock fed in continuous to a smelting furnace, comprising:

• a second horizontal heating section, through which second discharge fumes collected from said smelting furnace pass, said second discharge fumes exerting a heating step of said feedstock;
• and
• a first pre-heating section to heat the feedstock before entering said second heating section,
• wherein the feedstock is subjected to a pre-heating step in the first heating section by a heating system utilizing other than the second discharge fumes, the pre-heating step producing first discharge fumes, and
• wherein said heating system is situated inside the first pre-heating section, which is operatively connected with said second heating section by an intermediate section that receives and evacuates the first and second discharge fumes
• wherein said heating system utilizing other than the discharge fumes collected from the smelting furnace consists of burners, and
• wherein said burners are disposed such to produce flames that direct the fumes toward the intermediate section for evacuation of fumes.

A plant for heating a metal feedstock fed in continuous to a smelting furnace, comprising:

• a second horizontal heating section, through which second discharge fumes collected from said smelting furnace pass, said second discharge fumes exerting a heating step of said feedstock;
• and
• a first pre-heating section to heat the feedstock before entering said second heating section,
• wherein the feedstock is subjected to a pre-heating step in the first heating section by a heating system utilizing other than the second discharge fumes, the pre-heating step producing first discharge fumes,
• wherein said heating system is situated inside the first pre-heating section, which is operatively connected with said second heating section by an intermediate section that receives and evacuates the first and second discharge fumes,
• wherein said first pre-heating section and second heating section have tunnel configurations,
• wherein said heating system utilizing other than the discharge fumes collected from the smelting furnace consists of burners,
• wherein said burners are provided inside said tunnel of said first pre-heating section, and
• wherein the burners are tilted toward the intermediate section for evacuation of fumes, such to produce flames that direct the fumes toward the intermediate section for evacuation of fumes.