A furnace as described in this invention comprises a temperature regulating portion to assist in melting a non-ferrous material, such as an aluminium, and to reserve said material for the subsequent casting or injection molding procedure. The furnace provides a mean to eliminate an oxide, such as iron oxide, which generally floats on the top layer of a molten material inside a melting portion and a heating portion by preventing the flow of said oxide into the temperature regulating portion. A sensor or any detector that can detect the level of the molten material is utilized to measure the surface level of said molten material. A temperature regulating burner, which is a flat flame type, is utilized on the ceiling of the temperature regulating portion in order to prevent any oxidation reaction to occur as well as to reduce the concentration of oxygen inside the portion.

A direct flame impingement system for preheating metal pellets before charging into a melting furnace, wherein the pellets are transported by a conveyor belt to a chute discharging into the melting furnace, including a refractory-lined preheater hood including a chute hood covering the chute and a conveyor hood covering at least a portion of the conveyor belt, the preheater hood having an entrance end through which pellets enter and an exit end through which pellets exit toward the melting furnace, and at least one bank of burners each containing at least one burner disposed in the hood positioned to direct flames into contact with the pellets being transported to preheat the pellets prior to discharge into the melting furnace.

A direct flame impingement system for preheating metal pellets before charging into a melting furnace, wherein the pellets are transported by a conveyor belt to a chute discharging into the melting furnace, including a refractory-lined preheater hood including a chute hood covering the chute and a conveyor hood covering at least a portion of the conveyor belt, the preheater hood having an entrance end through which pellets enter and an exit end through which pellets exit toward the melting furnace, and at least one bank of burners each containing at least one burner disposed in the hood positioned to direct flames into contact with the pellets being transported to preheat the pellets prior to discharge into the melting furnace.

A method for supplying energy to a scrap metal pile (9) in an electric arc furnace (2). Energy is supplied by jets of hot gas in a first phase. Energy is supplied by electric arcs in a second phase after the first phase is completed. Hot gas is supplied via at least six jets. A device (1) for the method has an electric arc furnace (2), one or more blowing devices (6a, 6b, 6c), supply jets of reactant hot air into the chamber (7) of the electric arc furnace (8). The devices have a total of at least six nozzles (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) with nozzle openings. Fuel conducting devices (8) supply fuel to the jets of reactant hot air.

A process and apparatus for direct smelting metalliferous material is disclosed. The invention concentrates injection of solid feed materials comprising metalliferous material and carbonaceous material into a direct smelting vessel during the course of the process into a relatively small region within a metal layer in a molten bath in the vessel in order to generate a substantial upward movement of molten material and gas from the metal layer into a region in the vessel that is above the molten bath. In particular, the invention injects the solid food materials with sufficient momentum and/or velocity via an opposed pair of lances that are oriented within the vessel and arranged to form overlapping plumes of injected material in the molten bath.

A process and apparatus for direct smelting metalliferous material is disclosed. The invention concentrates injection of solid feed materials comprising metalliferous material and carbonaceous material into a direct smelting vessel during the course of the process into a relatively small region within a metal layer in a molten bath in the vessel in order to generate a substantial upward movement of molten material and gas from the metal layer into a region in the vessel that is above the molten bath. In particular, the invention injects the solid food materials with sufficient momentum and/or velocity via an opposed pair of lances that are oriented within the vessel and arranged to form overlapping plumes of injected material in the molten bath.

The invention relates to a device having a bottom, side walls and a ceiling, which together define a channel, as well as transportation means, extending in an axial direction of the channel from an entry port of the channel to an exit port of the channel, for transferring a metallurgical material from the entry port to the exit port.

The invention relates to a device having a bottom, side walls and a ceiling, which together define a channel, as well as transportation means, extending in an axial direction of the channel from an entry port of the channel to an exit port of the channel, for transferring a metallurgical material from the entry port to the exit port.

A furnace system includes a furnace and a preheater configured to preheat material before it enters the furnace. The system further includes a duct system including a mixing chamber disposed between the furnace and preheater. The duct system further includes an exhaust duct in fluid communication with an exhaust fluid outlet of the furnace and configured to vent fluid exhausted from the furnace. The exhaust duct is in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and configured to redirect a portion of the fluid exhausted from the furnace to the mixing chamber. The duct system further includes a preheater duct in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and a fluid inlet of the preheater and configured to direct fluid from the mixing chamber to the preheater. The system further includes a duct scraper configured for movement within the mixing chamber to move particulates from the mixing chamber into the exhaust duct.

An improved apparatus for steam calcining aluminium trihydroxide (Al(OH).sub.3) to produce alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3) is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an Al(OH).sub.3 preheater configured to heat an Al(OH).sub.3feedstock by contacting it with steam. The Al(OH).sub.3 preheater comprises at least one gas solid separator for separating preheated Al(OH).sub.3 from carrier steam. The apparatus further comprises a calciner configured to accept preheated Al(OH).sub.3 from the Al(OH).sub.3 preheater and to produce heated Al.sub.2O.sub.3 by steam calcination. The apparatus also comprises an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 cooler configured to remove heat from the heated Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and produce Al.sub.2O.sub.3 product. The Al.sub.2O.sub.3 cooler comprises at least one gas solid separator. The apparatus further comprises a steam compressor in fluid communication with the Al(OH).sub.3 preheater, the calciner and the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 cooler and configured to accept and pressurise carrier steam from the Al(OH).sub.3preheater and to provide pressurised carrier steam to the Al(OH).sub.3 preheater and pressurised carrier steam the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 cooler to transfer Al(OH).sub.3 feedstock to and within the Al(OH).sub.3 preheater, and pressurised carrier steam to transfer preheated Al(OH).sub.3 from the Al(OH).sub.3 preheater to the calciner, and to transfer heated Al.sub.2O.sub.3 from the calciner to and within the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 cooler.