A method of starting a molten-bath based melting process includes commencing supplying cold oxygen-containing gas and cold carbonaceous material into a main chamber of a smelting vessel within at most 3 hours after completing a hot metal charge into the vessel and igniting the carbonaceous material and heating the main chamber and molten metal in the main chamber.

A method for iron making by continuous smelting reduction, including: (1) mixing iron-containing mineral powder with a reducing agent and a slag former to obtain mixed powder materials; (2) placing furnace startup materials in a reducing furnace, and heating the furnace startup materials to be in a molten state to form a furnace startup molten pool; (3) conveying the mixed powder materials into the reducing furnace, and blowing oxidizing combustibles into the reducing furnace for heating; (4) performing stirring by a stirring paddle to form a molten slag layer and a molten iron layer; and performing stirring so that a vortex is formed in the molten slag layer; and (5) adjusting a position of the stirring paddle, a stirring speed and a conveying quantity of the mixed powder materials to enable the molten iron and the reduced molten slag to be respectively continuously discharged.

Disclosed are a recarburizer based on a solid iron-containing carbonaceous product derived from a process of pyrolyzing methane in a methane-containing feedstock in the presence of an iron-based catalyst and a method of producing the same, where a solid, iron-containing carbonaceous material formed during methane pyrolysis using the iron-based catalyst can be produced into a molded product having a predetermined shape without a costly purification process, and can thus be employed in high value-added applications such as recarburizers.

The present disclosure is directed to an improved direct smelting process for improving the efficiency of energy/heat recovery from hot smelter offgas for the purpose of steam raising and power generation. In examples, the formation of alkali sulfate accretions in the temperature range 500-1000 C. are removed by introducing a mechanical sweep-cleaning system to an offgas duct of the smelter. The sweep-cleaning system comprises at least one central rotating shaft with chains, with each chain optionally having an accretion-removal member at its distal end. When rotated, the chains lift and the accretion-removal member sweeps the walls of the duct to remove the accretions.