Method for stable operation of a smelter reactor
US6171364A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 21, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jan 9, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 21, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P10/134
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process of producing molten iron involves: PA1 a) introducing iron oxide, flux, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen to a smelter reactor; PA1 b) maintaining conditions to cause (i) the iron oxide to be reduced, (ii) molten iron to be created and stirred in the bottom of the reactor, surmounted by a layer of foaming, FeO-containing slag, and (iii) carbon monoxide gas to rise through the slag; PA1 c) causing at least some of the carbon monoxide to react with the oxygen; PA1 d) releasing an offgas containing CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2, and H.sub.2 O; and PA1 e) removing at least some of the molten iron and slag from the reactor. Good process stability is achieved by: PA1 f) repeatedly measuring, during the process, the conditions of the slag height, the temperature of the molten iron, the levels of CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2, and H.sub.2 O in the offgas, the carbon level in the molten iron, and the FeO level in the slag, and PA1 g) subsequently adjusting one or more process variables (e.g., a reactant feed rate, the iron bath stirring rate, or the height of the oxygen lance above the slag) so as to help keep one or more of those process conditions within a predetermined range.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.