Apparatus for supplying blast to a blast furnace (1) having a plurality of hot blast stoves (4, 5, 6), each stove including a cold blast inlet, a fuel inlet, an air supply inlet, a hot blast outlet, and a waste gas outlet; a waste heat recovery unit (30) connected to a fuel supply, the stove fuel inlet and the cold blast inlet. The stove waste gas outlets are connected to the cold blast inlets, whereby stove waste gas from one stove (5) is supplied, via the waste heat recovery unit, as cold blast to another stove (4).

A geothermally powered iron production subsystem includes using heat transfer fluid heated by a geothermal system with a wellbore extending from a surface into an underground magma reservoir. A hopper receives iron ore that is crushed and provided to a blast furnace, along with limestone and coke. The blast furnace is heated by a heat exchanger configured to receive the heat transfer fluid heated by the geothermal system to generate the heat provided to the blast furnace. One or more components of the iron production subsystem may also be powered by the heated heat transfer fluid.

An information processing method includes: measuring profile data of deposited material that is a plurality of particles, the profile data including distance data to the deposited material or image data of the deposited material; detecting each of the plurality of particles based on the profile data; calculating an index based on the profile data; and extracting particles in a surface layer among the deposited material, based on results of the detecting for each of the plurality of particles and the index calculated based on the profile data.

An information processing method includes: measuring profile data of deposited material that is a plurality of particles, the profile data including distance data to the deposited material or image data of the deposited material; detecting each of the plurality of particles based on the profile data; calculating an index based on the profile data; and extracting particles in a surface layer among the deposited material, based on results of the detecting for each of the plurality of particles and the index calculated based on the profile data.

Method to produce hot metal in at least one blast furnace (1) including at least two levels of gas injection (3A, 3B) and emitting a blast furnace top gas (10) when working, the method including at least the steps of charging an iron-containing charge (4) and a first carbon-based reductant (5) into the blast furnace, injecting at the first level (3A) a hot blast (11) having a temperature upper or equal to 1000 C., the hot blast including oxygen (6), recovering the blast furnace top gas to extract hydrogen to produce an H2-rich stream (13) including more than 90% v of hydrogen and an H2-lean stream (12 an injecting the H2-rich stream (11) into the blast furnace at the second level of gas injection (3B). Associated network of plants.

On the basis of data obtained by means of analyzing coal, a first and second coal type satisfying conditions are selected, the ash melting point of the mixed coal resulting from mixing the first and second coal types is derived on the basis of a four-dimensional state diagram for SiO.sub.2CaOMgO-20% Al.sub.2O.sub.3, on the basis of the ash melting point of the mixed coal and the four-dimensional state diagram, an additive causing the ash melting point of the mixed coal to be at least 1400 C. at the lowest quantity when added to the mixed coal is selected from SiO.sub.2, MgO, and CaO, the addition quantity of the additive is derived, the first coal type and second coal type are mixed to result in the mixed coal, and the addition quantity of the additive is added to the mixed coal.

On the basis of data obtained by means of analyzing coal, a first and second coal type satisfying conditions are selected, the ash melting point of the mixed coal resulting from mixing the first and second coal types is derived on the basis of a four-dimensional state diagram for SiO.sub.2CaOMgO-20% Al.sub.2O.sub.3, on the basis of the ash melting point of the mixed coal and the four-dimensional state diagram, an additive causing the ash melting point of the mixed coal to be at least 1400 C. at the lowest quantity when added to the mixed coal is selected from SiO.sub.2, MgO, and CaO, the addition quantity of the additive is derived, the first coal type and second coal type are mixed to result in the mixed coal, and the addition quantity of the additive is added to the mixed coal.

A blast furnace system is used wherein the coke rate is decreased by recycling upgraded top gas from the furnace back into its shaft section (which upgraded top gas is heated in a tubular heater prior to being recycled). The top gas, comprising CO, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2, is withdrawn from the upper part of the blast furnace; cooled and cleaned of dust, water, and CO.sub.2 for increasing its reduction potential and is heated to a temperature above 850 C. before being recycled thus defining a first gas flow path used during normal operation of the blast furnace. Uniquely, a second gas flow path for continued circulation of top gas selectively through the heater and a cooler during operation interruptions of the blast furnace allows time for gradual controlled cool down of the heater in a manner to avoid heat-shock damage to the tubular heater.

Methods and systems for the valorization of carbon monoxide emissions from metallurgical furnaces into highly valuable low-carbon footprint chemicals using carbon monoxide electrolysis are disclosed herein are disclosed. A disclosed method includes operating a metallurgical furnace; obtaining, in connection with the operation of the metallurgical furnace, a volume of carbon monoxide; supplying the volume of carbon monoxide to a cathode area of a carbon monoxide electrolyzer to be used as a reduction substrate; and generating, using the carbon monoxide electrolyzer, the reduction substrate, and an oxidation substrate, a volume of generated chemicals. The volume of generated chemicals is at least one of: a volume of hydrocarbons, a volume of organic acids, a volume of alcohol, a volume of olefins and a volume of N-rich organic compounds.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for the production of molten metals direct oxidative combustion of one or more solid fuels. The systems and methods may be combined with coal gasifiers and related components for reducing overall energy requirements as well as external fuel sources, e.g., through the use of endogenously-generated hydrogen. In beneficial aspects, components of the carbonaceous exhaust produced in accordance with the disclosed systems and methods, such as carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2), may be isolated using carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) for reducing associated greenhouse gas emissions.