Continuous process of melting sponge iron

US4540432A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Metallgesellschaft AG · DE

Inventors

• Martin Hirsch · Friedrichsdorf, DE
• Peter Fischer
• Harry Serbent · Hanau, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 8, 1984
• Grant date: Sep 10, 1985
• Expiry date: Feb 8, 2004

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P10/134
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The melting operation is carried out in an elongated horizontal reactor, in which sponge iron is charged onto the molten material in an intermediate region of the reactor, carbonaceous fuel and high-oxygen gases are blown into the molten material and slag and sponge iron are tapped at opposite ends of the reactor. To permit an economical melting of sponge iron having a large particle size range with the aid of virtually only solid carbonaceous fuels, the sponge iron is charged into the reactor in an intermediate region of 20 to 40% of the total length of the reactor, fine-grained carbonaceous fuel and high-oxygen gas are blown into the molten material from below in that region, the rates of oxygen and carbon are so controlled that a molten iron containing 1 to 3% carbon is produced, the remaining carbon contained in the molten material is reacted in the melt to produce CO, and the remaining energy required in the process is produced in that the CO and hydrogen are virtually completely burnt above the molten material as a result of a supply of oxygen-containing gases into the free space of the reactor.