Abstract:
A method of starting a molten-bath based melting process includes establishing a sufficiently large and stable “hot zone” for ignition of oxygen and coal in a main chamber of a smelting vessel by independent means, i.e. independently of and before supplying cold oxygen and coal into the main chamber.
Abstract:
The production of highly metallised feed, an intermediate product produced solely by gaseous reductants in two stage reduction processes of that kind, encounters sticking problems, which interfere with continuous processing and productivity. This problem has been overcome by exploiting a high volatile carbonaceous material, such as coal, as the reducing agent for the (partially reduced) oxide ore starting material in the solid state prereduction stage of a duplex process, in which the final stage consists of smelting, to produce the final metal (alloy). Intermediate products of the first stage are char from the coal, which avoids the sticking problem, partially reduced ore and CO and H2, which participate in the prereduction. The process has particular application to iron ores, such as haematite and magnetite and similar derivatives, namely, chromite and oxidic nickel ores. The process may be extended to a triplex, which includes drying, preheating and partial reduction in the first stage, followed by further partial reduction and finally the smelting step. Plant for the process may consist of a shaft furnace or fluidised bed for the prereduction sequence, preferably the latter. For the triplex process, two associated fluidised beds (3, 5) are preferred. Any suitable furnace (7) may be used for smelting, as long as it is equipped for the injection of partially reduced ore, char and fluxes, hot air lancing, off gas and the tapping of molten metal and slag. The final stage of solid state reduction takes place at a temperature of at least 550 DEG C, preferably 750-900 DEG C. At least 50 % of metallisation is essential for satisfactory processing, preferably at least 80 %.
Abstract:
A molten bath-based direct smelting process comprises controlling the process conditions in a direct smelting vessel so that molten slag in a molten bath of metal and slag in the vessel has a viscosity in a range of 0.5-5 poise when the slag temperature is in a range of 1400-1550° C. in the molten bath in the vessel.
Abstract:
A steelmaking process is disclosed. The process includes producing molten steel and molten steelmaking slag in a steelmaking process, the steelmaking slag including iron units and flux units, and thereafter producing molten iron in a molten bath based direct smelting process using a substantial portion of the steelmaking slag as part of the feed material requirements for the direct smelting process. A direct smelting process is also disclosed. The process includes pre-treating ferrous material including steelmaking slag and thereafter direct smelting molten iron using the pretreated ferrous material as part of the feed material for the process.
Abstract:
A process for direct smelting metalliferous feed material is disclosed. Iron oxides are partially reduced in a solid state in a pre-reduction vessel. The partially reduced iron oxides are smelted to molten iron in a direct smelting vessel which contains a molten bath of iron and slag and is supplied with a solid carbonaceous material as a source of reductant and energy and with an oxygen containing gas for post-combusting carbon monoxide and hydrogen generated in the vessel. The direct smelting step generates an off-gas that contains sulphur and the off-gas is released from the direct smelting vessel. Part only of the off-gas released from the direct smelting vessel is used in the pre-reduction step to pre-reduce iron oxides in the pre-reduction vessel. Part only of the off-gas is used in the pre-reduction step in order to control the amount of sulphur that is returned with the partially reduced iron oxides to the direct smelting vessel.
Abstract:
A direct smelting process for producing metals from a metalliferous feed material is disclosed. The process includes forming a molten bath having a metal layer (15) and a slag layer (16) on the metal layer in a metallurgical vessel, injecting metalliferous feed material and solid carbonaceous material into the metal layer via a plurality of lances/tuyeres (11), and smelting metalliferous material to metal in the metal layer. The process also includes causing molten material to be projected as splashes, droplets, and streams into a top space above a nominal quiescent surface of the molten bath to form a transition zone (23). The process also includes injecting an oxygen-containing gas into the vessel via one or more than one lance/tuyere (13) to post-combust reaction gases released from the molten bath, whereby the ascending and thereafter descending splashes, droplets and streams of molten material in the transition zone facilitate heat transfer to the molten bath, and whereby the transition zone minimises heat loss from the vessel via the side walls in contact with the transition zone. The process is characterised by controlling the process by maintaining a high slag inventory.
Abstract:
A method of producing metals and metal alloys from metal oxides is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of partially pre-reducing the metal oxides to a pre-reduction degree of at least 60 % in one or more pre-reduction stages. Thereafter, the method comprises completely reducing the metal oxides and melting the metal in a smelt reduction stage. The method is further characterised by carrying out at least one of the pre-reduction stages with one or more of natural gas, reformed natural gas, and partially reformed natural gas as a source of reductant.
Abstract:
A smelting apparatus that includes (a) a smelting vessel (4) that is adapted to contain a bath of molten metal and slag and (b) a smelt cyclone (2) for pre-treating a metalliferous feed material positioned above and communicating directly with the smelting vessel The apparatus also includes an oft-gas duct (9) extending from the smelt, cyclone for discharging an off-gas from the smelt cyclone. The off-gas duct has an inlet section (18) that extends upwardly from the smelt cyclone and is formed to cause off-gas to undergo a substantial change of direction as it flows through the inlet section of the off-gas duct.
Abstract:
A process for direct smelting a metalliferous feed material containing at least 0.2 wt.% sulphur in a smelt cyclone and a direct smelting vessel containing a bath of molten metal is disclosed. The process is characterised by maintaining an oxygen potential in the smelt cyclone that is sufficient so that an offgas from the smelt cyclone has a post combustion degree of at least 75%.