A feed charging device comprises a holding vessel having an interior chamber for holding a reserve of a solid particulate feed material in a fluidized state, wherein the feed material is held in said fluidized state in a lower zone of the interior chamber. The feed material is supplied to the interior chamber through at least one outlet opening, and is discharged from the interior chamber through at least one outlet opening. The at least one outlet opening is in flow communication with the lower zone of the interior chamber. A gas supply means supplies a fluidizing gas to the lower zone of the interior chamber, and an outlet conduit in flow communication with the at least one outlet opening receives said feed material discharged from the interior chamber.

A feed charging device comprises a holding vessel having an interior chamber for holding a reserve of a solid particulate feed material in a fluidized state, wherein the feed material is held in said fluidized state in a lower zone of the interior chamber. The feed material is supplied to the interior chamber through at least one outlet opening, and is discharged from the interior chamber through at least one outlet opening. The at least one outlet opening is in flow communication with the lower zone of the interior chamber. A gas supply means supplies a fluidizing gas to the lower zone of the interior chamber, and an outlet conduit in flow communication with the at least one outlet opening receives said feed material discharged from the interior chamber.

A reactor furnace for coating fiber tow includes an elongate reactor having a fiber tow inlet and a fiber tow outlet; a thermo-chemical reactor section positioned along the elongate reactor; a first microwave source for directing microwave energy along the reactor from a first end of the reactor toward a second end of the reactor; a second microwave source for directing microwave energy along the reactor from the second end of the reactor toward the first end of the reactor; a gas inlet upstream of the thermo-chemical reactor; and a gas outlet downstream of the thermo-chemical reactor.

A method determines the consumption of electrode material during the operation of an electric furnace, particularly an arc furnace for producing steel. The method determines a weight of an electrode column, which is arranged in the electric furnace or is to be introduced into the electric furnace, using a weighing device. A device for determining the consumption of electrode material of an electric furnace, particularly an arc furnace for producing steel, is provided for performing the method. The device contains a weighing device for determining the weight of at least one electrode column which is arranged in the electric furnace or is to be introduced into the electric furnace, wherein the weighing device is integrated in an operating device of a system containing the electric furnace. Vibration conditions of the electrode column during operation of the electric furnace can also be determined with the method and with the device.

A method determines the consumption of electrode material during the operation of an electric furnace, particularly an arc furnace for producing steel. The method determines a weight of an electrode column, which is arranged in the electric furnace or is to be introduced into the electric furnace, using a weighing device. A device for determining the consumption of electrode material of an electric furnace, particularly an arc furnace for producing steel, is provided for performing the method. The device contains a weighing device for determining the weight of at least one electrode column which is arranged in the electric furnace or is to be introduced into the electric furnace, wherein the weighing device is integrated in an operating device of a system containing the electric furnace. Vibration conditions of the electrode column during operation of the electric furnace can also be determined with the method and with the device.

Sensors measure magnetic field components, and the measured fields are used to calculate and estimated transverse position of a longitudinal electric current flowing as an electric discharge across a discharge gap. Based on the estimated position, and according to a selected transverse trajectory or distribution of the estimated discharge position, magnetic fields are applied transversely across the discharge gap so as to control or alter the estimated discharge position. Inventive apparatus and methods can be employed, inter alia, during operation of a vacuum arc furnace.

A system and method for monitoring consumption of graphite electrodes during the operation of an electric arc furnace (EAF) uses machine vision cameras operatively communicating with a computer processor. The system can determine, track, manage, and optimize the consumption of the graphite electrodes in real time. Electrode consumption is determined for each EAF heat by measuring the length and tip diameter of the electrode. The length and tip diameter are used to determine the electrode consumption amount using a consumption model. Measured hydraulic pressure within the EAF correlating with a known electrode weight can also be used to determine electrode consumption and correlated with the model calculation. Butt loss can also be determined based on the machine vision measured lengths of the electrode and/or based on the hydraulic pressure. The calculated electrode consumption amounts are also stored in a database and correlated to other measured EAF parameters for multiple EAFs.

An installation for thermal treatment of free-floating raw material, in particular cement raw meal and/or mineral products, may include a riser line through which hot gases can flow. The riser line has at least one fuel inlet for introducing fuel into the riser line. The riser line has at least one raw meal inlet for introducing raw meal into the riser line, which raw meal inlet is arranged upstream of the fuel inlet in a flow direction of gas inside the riser line. Further, a method for thermal treatment of free-floating raw material may involve introducing fuel via a fuel inlet into a riser line for guiding hot gases and introducing raw meal into the riser line. The raw meal is introduced into the riser line upstream of the fuel inlet in the flow direction.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling the pressure in the exhaust gas duct of a converter in a steel mill using a pressure control loop. To optimize the defined pressure setpoint for the pressure control loop so as to prevent excessive amounts of outside air from being drawn in via the converter mouth, the pressure setpoint is determined according to the invention by adapting a raw value based on the extent to which smoke or flames is/are formed at the mouth (120) of the converter (100).

A method of controlling a production process includes illuminating a portion of a workpiece undergoing a production process with a light having a selected wavelength, processing a portion of the workpiece, capturing a digital image of the light reflecting from a surface of the workpiece with a digital camera, performing, with a processor, a specular reflectance analysis of the digital image, and adjusting a production process parameter based on the specular reflectance analysis.