Abstract:
This invention relates to a process for the direct smelting of ores, metallic compounds and the like with the use of a heat plasma. This process can be readily conducted with a simple installation irrespective of the shape of the object being smelted and without the necessity of using any plasma generating gas. The process of the invention is characterized by applying a multiphase AC voltage to a number of graphite electrodes to thereby cause arc discharge in the air and directly impinging a highly reductive non-transferred plasma arc generated by the oxidative decomposition of the graphite electrodes against the object from the tips of the electrodes.
Abstract:
An admixture of mineral ore or concentrate and particulate carbon is irradiated with microwave energy to produce metallic droplets and the droplets are collected. In a preferred form the apparatus includes a hopper (11) which feeds the admixture (12) to an inclined column (5) through which the mixture passes and is radiated with microwave energy. A suitable liquid metal collector (6) is disposed at an output (20) of the column.
Abstract:
A reduction process for the metallization of the iron content of ferrotitaniferous materials comprising a first reduction step in the range of 600`C to 850`C in an atmosphere of hydrogen so that more than 5% and not more than 50% of the iron content of the ferrotitaniferous material is converted to the metallic state and a second reduction step of heating the product from the first reduction step to at least 950`C in the presence of solid carbonaceous material so that at least 90% of the iron content of the product from the second reduction step is in the metallic state. At least 90% of the iron content of the ferrotitaniferous material is in the trivalent state when it is submitted to the first reduction step.
Abstract:
A method for processing a powdery material, wherein said material is contacted with a non-aqueous liquid substance heated by combustion gases and comprising at least 30 % by volume of a predominantly oxidised material, substantially without exposure to the gaseous atmosphere that may contain said combustion gases, and in such a way that the amount of dust released by said powdery material is minimised, and said substance is maintained at a temperature at which the substance is able to form a liquid phase with the powdery material.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for producing, in a reactor, a suitable prereduced product for final reduction from material containing metal oxide. The material is preheated in a fluidized bed by means of hot gases from a subsequent prereduction stage. The hot material is smelted and prereduced in a flame chamber utilizing hot reducing gases from a subsequent final reduction stage. The prereduced material is completely reduced in the final reduction stage.
Abstract:
A process for recovering valuable metals from an iron dust with a high concentration of zinc comprising (1) pelletizing said dust into a pellet in a pelletizer, (2) preheating the resulting pellets by charging a hot gas to remove water, the loss on ignition and carbonaceous materials contained in the pellets, and in case of need, the conditions of gas charged are set up so as to reduce selectively iron oxide while controlling the reduction of zinc oxide practically at zero level, (3) melting and reducing zinc oxide, iron oxide and lead oxide in said pellets in an induction furnace to separate zinc and a part of lead by vaporization and iron and lead by means of the difference in their specific gravities, and collecting zinc and lead as crude ones, iron as molten pig iron and lead as crude one respectively.
Abstract:
A novel mixed binder system for agglomerates is disclosed. The agglomerates are suitable for use in the production of metals and alloys in a carbothermic reduction process such as the production of silicon in a direct arc furnace by the carbothermic reduction of silica. The agglomerates prepared using this mixed binder system have high physical strength over a wide temperature range. The mixed binder system consists essentially of a primary binder selected from the group consisting of coal tar pitch, asphalt, and petroleum pitch and a secondary binder selected from the group consisting of lignosulfonate salts, carbohydrates, and silicates. !
Abstract:
A process for the smelting reduction of oxide ores, in particular iron ores, employs a mixture of the finely divided ore with equally finely divided reductant, which in the case of iron ores preferably is a coal. The mixture is fed into the interior of a heated tubular reaction vessel (10) and moved positively through a heated reaction zone by a screw conveyor 14 embedded in the charge. The conveyor (14) breaks away any accretions that stick to the vessel wall before they can built to a size that will stall the conveyor (14). The particles are in the range 75-1400 micrometers with a preferred size of at least 95% less than 600 micrometers, and the preferred ratio of ore to reductant is in the range of ratios 18:82 to 30:70. The reduced iron can be fed directly into a melting furnace (34) for separation of metal and non-metal, it can be powdered and separated magnetically or it can be briquetted. Multiple screw conveyors can be used to move multiple charges and the process can be used with nickel ores and in the production of metallurgical coke.