A device for manufacturing molten iron is provided. The device for manufacturing the molten iron includes a multi-stage fluidized reduction furnace for reducing a powdered iron ore including hematite and limonite, a melting gas furnace connected to the fluidized reduction furnace through an ore conduit and a gas conduit, a fluidized bed oxidation furnace for oxidizing magnetite to be converted into hematite through steam provided from the fluidized reduction furnace, and a hydrogen processing unit for processing hydrogen generated by the oxidation reaction of magnetite in the fluidized bed oxidation furnace.

A direct reduction process comprises providing a shaft furnace of a direct reduction plant to reduce iron oxide with reducing gas; providing a direct reduced iron melting furnace; and coupling a discharge chute between a discharge exit of the direct reduced shaft furnace and an inlet of the direct reduced iron melting furnace; wherein direct reduced iron and the reducing gas from the shaft furnace flow through the discharge chute and the reducing gas controls the melting furnace atmosphere to reducing environment.

According to embodiments, disclosed is a method and system to maintain the soft and sparse slag characteristic favorable for an electric arc to efficiently transfer the energy to molten iron with the power input per furnace area higher than 600 KW/m2 while keeping FeO amount less than 5% in the slag and carbon amount higher than 2.5% in the product hot metal at a DRI melting furnace.

A method of direct reduction of iron (DRI) is disclosed, the method comprising generating metallic iron by removing oxygen from iron ore using a reducing gaseous mixture with excess carbon monoxide that produces an excess CO.sub.2 by-product is provided. CO.sub.2 by-product is optionally sequestered. A system for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Provided herein are novel devices, systems, and methods of using the same, that enable plasma-enhanced gasification of biogenic hydrocarbon waste material comprising: a geometrically designed reactor having a biochar carbon catalyst bed, together with a gas inlet system disposed around a lower section of the apparatus to supply oxidant gas generated by an integrated oxygen absorber system; to enhance the partial oxidation of biogenic hydrocarbon waste materials using exothermic heat generated by an oxidation reaction created in part by the integrated oxygen absorber system into the apparatus, in order to optimize the quantity and quality of hydrogen production in the synthetic gas produced therein.

Method for producing direct reduced metal material, comprising the steps: a) charging metal material to be reduced into a first furnace space (120) of a first furnace (220); b) evacuating an existing atmosphere from the first furnace space (120) so as to achieve an underpressure; c) providing, in a main heating step, heat and first hydrogen gas to the first furnace space (120), so that metal oxides present in the metal material are reduced, in turn causing water vapour to be formed; and d) condensing and collecting the water vapour formed in step c in a condenser (160) below the charged metal material. The first hydrogen gas in step c is provided without recirculation of the first hydrogen gas, the method further comprises a subsequently performed charged material cooling step, in which thermal energy from the charged material is absorbed by said first hydrogen gas, and in which thermal energy, by heat exchange, is transferred from said first hydrogen gas to second hydrogen gas to be used in a second furnace (210) for producing direct reduced metal material. The invention also relates to a system.

The invention relates to a method for reducing metal oxides to metallized material by means of contact with reduction gas, wherein an accumulated top gas is dry dedusted and reformed in a raw gas mixture together with gaseous hydrocarbons. The water vapor content of the dry dedusted top gas designated for the preparation of the raw gas mixture is adjusted in a saturator in the countercurrent by means of saturation water, wherein the temperature of the saturation water is adjusted, by mixing cold water with a hot water having a higher temperature than the cold water, in order to produce the saturation water at a target value. The invention further relates to a device for carrying out such a method, having corresponding conduits.

A direct reduction process comprises providing a shaft furnace of a direct reduction plant to reduce iron oxide with reducing gas; providing a direct reduced iron melting furnace; and coupling a discharge chute between a discharge exit of the direct reduced shaft furnace and an inlet of the direct reduced iron melting furnace; wherein direct reduced iron and the reducing gas from the shaft furnace flow through the discharge chute and the reducing gas controls the melting furnace atmosphere to reducing environment.

The present invention relates to a waterless system and method for cooling a metallurgical processing furnace. Supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO.sub.2) is used as a coolant, as opposed to water, which provides several advantages. For example, sCO.sub.2 can be used at higher temperatures, the risk of an explosion (with use of water) is eliminated, there are no problems with regard to reverse solubility of water at higher temperatures that can foul passageways, and smaller cooling passages can be used thus reducing the cost of cooling panels. A system is disclosed which uses a reservoir to store the sCO.sub.2, a compressor or pump to cause the delivery of the sCO.sub.2 to cooling passages in the furnace, a pressure reducing valve or a turbine to decrease the pressure of the sCO.sub.2, and a heat exchanger to cool the sCO.sub.2 to a liquid state as the sCO.sub.2 travels back to the reservoir.

A direct reduction system and process for reducing a metal oxide to a metal, including and utilizing: a process gas line configured to deliver a portion of a process gas to a reformer operable for reforming the process gas to form a reformed gas; a bustle gas line configured to deliver the reformed gas to a shaft furnace as a bustle gas, wherein the shaft furnace is operable for reducing the metal oxide to the metal; and a direct recycle line including a direct recycle cooler configured to selectively deliver a portion of the process gas to the bustle gas line while circumventing the reformer, thereby selectively cooling and lowering the moisture content of the bustle gas delivered to the shaft furnace. Optionally, the direct reduction system further includes a reheat line configured to deliver a portion of the bustle gas to the shaft furnace as reheat gas.