Abstract:
A method for injecting a solid feed material through a solids injection lance includes creating flow conditions in an injection passageway of the lance so that at least a part of the feed material flowing along the passageway forms a buffer zone between a wall of a tube that defines the passageway and feed material flowing along a central section of the passageway.
Abstract:
A method of starting a molten-bath based melting process includes commencing supplying cold oxygen-containing gas and cold carbonaceous material into a main chamber of a smelting vessel within at most 3 hours after completing a hot metal charge into the vessel and igniting the carbonaceous material and heating the main chamber and molten metal in the main chamber.
Abstract:
Solids injection lances (27a, 27b) for injecting solids into a metallurgical vessel are normally supplied with cooling water from a cooling water circuit through water supply lines (71) and return lines (72). Supply lines (71) are provided with spaced pairs of connectors (80) and bypass valves (73), and return lines (72) are provided with similar pairs of spaced connectors (81) and bypass valves (74). Flexible hoses (75, 76) can be connected between the pairs of connectors (80, 81) to establish supply and return flows of cooling water which bypass segments of the main supply and return lines (71, 72) which can be isolated and removed to allow withdrawal and subsequent replacement of the lances.
Abstract:
Cooling panels (31) are attached to the shell (11) of a metallurgical vessel to form an internal lining of the shell. Each panel (31) comprises a coolant flow tube (36) bent to form inner and outer panel sections (37, 38) of zig-zag formation. Panel mounting pins (43) connected to the outer panel section (38) by connector straps project laterally outwardly from the panel through openings (45) in the shell and tubular shell protrusions (46) surrounding the openings (45). The ends of pins (43) are connected to the outer ends of protrusions (46) by welding metal discs (47) thus forming connections exteriorly of the shell in a way which seals the openings (45). Coolant inlet and outlet connectors (42) for the panel project outwardly through openings (48) in the shell and surrounding tubular protrusions (49) and connections are made by welding discs (51) between the connectors (42) and protrusions (49).
Abstract:
A molten-bath based direct smelting process and apparatus for producing metals from a ferrous material is disclosed. The process includes injecting feed materials being solid material and carrier gas into a molten bath at a velocity of at least 40m/s through at least one downwardly extending solids injection lance having a delivery tube of internal diameter of 40-200mm that is located so that a central axis of an outlet end of the lance is at an angle of 20 to 90 degrees to a horizontal axis. The feed materials injection generates a superficial gas flow of at least 0.04 Nm3/s/m2 within the molten bath at least in part by reactions of injected material in the bath. The gas flow causes molten material to be projected upwardly as splashes, droplets and streams and form an expanded molten bath zone, with the gas flow and the upwardly projected molten material causing substantial movement of material within the molten bath and strong mixing of the molten bath. The feed materials are selected so that, in an overall sense, the reactions of the feed materials in the molten bath are endothermic. The process also includes injecting an oxygen-containing gas into an upper region of the vessel via at least one oxygen gas injection lance and post-combusting combustible gases released from the molten bath.
Abstract:
A method of producing iron from iron carbide is disclosed. Solid iron carbide is injected into a molten bath comprising molten iron and slag and dissolves in the molten bath. An oxygen-containing gas is injected into a gas space above the surface of the molten bath to cause combustion of at least a portion of combustible material in the gas space. In addition splashes and/or droplets of molten iron and/or slag are ejected upwardly from the molten bath into the gas space above the quiescent bath surface to form a transition zone. The transition zone is a region in which heat generated by combustion of combustible material is transferred to the splashes and/or droplets of molten iron and/or slag and thereafter is transferred to the molten bath when the splashes and/or droplets of molten iron and/or slag return to the molten bath.
Abstract:
A lance (5) for injecting a feed material, preferably a solid feed material, into a metallurgical vessel, is disclosed. The lance comprises: an inlet (21) for introducing the feed material into the lance; an outlet (23) at a forward end of the lance (5) for discharging the feed material from the lance (5); a hollow elongate member (25) that defines a passageway (33) for the feed material between the inlet (21) and the outlet (23) and is adapted to be cooled by a first cooling fluid; and an outer jacket (35) positioned around a section of the length of the member (25) and is adapted to be cooled by a second cooling fluid.