Method and apparatus for producing direct reduced iron (DRI) powder or molten iron from iron ore fines by mixing said iron ore fines with hydrogen and oxygen and igniting the mixture in a flame reactor with flame temperatures controlled to produce solid iron powder or molten iron.

A rotary hearth furnace includes: a furnace body which surrounds a ring-like space; a hearth portion which forms a bottom portion of the ring-like space and is rotatable in the rotational direction; a gas exhaust portion which discharges an exhaust gas generated in the ring-like space to the outside of the furnace body; an introducing portion; and a flow rate regulating portion. The introducing portion is disposed upstream of the gas exhaust portion in the rotational direction and introduces a pressure regulating gas into a non-heating section of the ring-like space. The flow rate regulating portion is disposed between the introducing portion and the gas exhaust portion and regulates a flow rate of a gas by adjusting an opening area of the non-heating section.

Method for producing direct reduced metal material (106) in a continuous process, wherein hydrogen gas and inert gas is circulated in respective closed-loop first and second gas circuits via different respective gas connection stations (130,140120-122,150-151), comprising for individual mobile furnaces (101): a) charging metal material (106) into the furnace; b) moving and connecting the furnace to an inert gas connection station; c) providing heated inert gas to the furnace; d) disconnecting the furnace; e) moving and connecting the furnace to a hydrogen gas connection station; f) providing heated hydrogen gas to the furnace; g) disconnecting the furnace; h) moving and connecting the furnace to an inert gas connection station; i) providing cooled inert gas to the furnace; j) disconnecting the furnace; and k) discharging the metal material. The invention also relates to a system.

The invention relates to a direct-fired heating method and to a facility for implementing same, According to said method, a load is heated in a furnace with heat generated by burning fuel with an oxidant; the smoke generated is evacuated from the furnace, the evacuated smoke containing residual heat energy; residual heat energy is recovered from the evacuated smoke and introduced into a synthesis reactor wherein syngas is produced; and at least part of the syngas is burned in the furnace in order to heat the load.

A method for reducing metal oxide containing charge materials (1): reducing the metal oxide containing charge materials (1) in at least two fluidized bed units (RA,RE) by means of a reduction gas (2), wherein at least some of the resulting off-gas (3) is recycled and wherein the metal oxide containing charge materials (1) are conveyed into the fluidized bed unit RE by a propellant gas. Also, apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention is disclosed.

In one aspect, the invention relates to a system for producing direct reduced iron wherein a portion of the top gas from a first module for reducing iron oxide by a direct reduction process is utilized as fuel in the thermal equipment of a second module for reducing iron oxide by a direct reduction process, wherein the second module comprises a process gas heating unit. In various aspects, the thermal equipment of the second module is a reducing gas heater and/or a steam boiler. In a further aspect, the top gas from multiple instances of the first module can be utilized collectively as fuel in the thermal equipment of the second module. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

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.

A system for reducing ore includes a hydrogen supply unit configured to supply hydrogen, a furnace configured to reduce the ore using the supplied hydrogen, and a hydrogen recovery unit configured to recover hydrogen from an exhaust gas that is exhausted from the furnace.

A method for manufacturing Direct Reduced Iron wherein iron ore is reduced in a DRI shaft by a reducing gas including hydrogen obtained by extraction from coke oven gas through a hydrogen separation unit, the remaining part of such coke oven gas being at least partly injected in the transition section of said DRI shaft to set the carbon amount of said Direct Reduced Iron from 0.5 to 3 wt. % and a DRI manufacturing equipment including a DRI shaft (1) and a hydrogen separation unit (5), wherein said hydrogen separation unit (5) inlet is connected to a coke oven gas supply (6) and includes a first outlet connected to the DRI shaft to inject hydrogen separated from said coke oven gas and a second outlet connected to the transition section of said DRI shaft (1) to inject at least part of the remaining part of such coke oven gas.

A method for manufacturing Direct Reduced Iron wherein iron ore is reduced in a DRI shaft by a reducing gas including hydrogen obtained by thermal cracking of methane inside a plasma torch, the reducing gas further including top gas coming from the DRI shaft and a DRI manufacturing equipment including a DRI shaft (1) and a plasma torch (40), wherein the plasma torch is connected on one side to a methane supply (41) and, on the other side, to the DRI shaft (1), the DRI shaft being provided with a recycling loop allowing to inject its top gas back in the DRI shaft.