In a method for oxygen-blowing refining of molten iron, an oxygen-containing gas as a main supply gas is supplied from an inlet side of a blowing nozzle for the oxygen-containing gas passing through an outer shell of the top-blowing lance and blown from the blowing nozzle while a control gas is jetted toward inside of the blowing nozzle for at least part of a period of the oxygen-blowing refining from a spout arranged in a side face of the nozzle at a site where the cross-sectional area of the nozzle minimum takes the minimum in the axial direction of the nozzle or a neighborhood thereof so that at least part of the spout exists in each space formed by dividing into two portions by an arbitrary plane passing through a central axis of the nozzle.

In a method for oxygen-blowing refining of molten iron, an oxygen-containing gas as a main supply gas is supplied from an inlet side of a blowing nozzle for the oxygen-containing gas passing through an outer shell of the top-blowing lance and blown from the blowing nozzle while a control gas is jetted toward inside of the blowing nozzle for at least part of a period of the oxygen-blowing refining from a spout arranged in a side face of the nozzle at a site where the cross-sectional area of the nozzle minimum takes the minimum in the axial direction of the nozzle or a neighborhood thereof so that at least part of the spout exists in each space formed by dividing into two portions by an arbitrary plane passing through a central axis of the nozzle.

The invention relates to a process for injecting particulate material into a liquid metal bath wherein the liquid metal bath contains species to be oxidized, wherein the particulate material is carried to the liquid bath by means of a first gas stream. The solids injection rate is controlled such that the liquid bath temperature and/or the evolution of the liquid bath temperature is maintained within a pre-defined temperature range and the penetration depth of the first gas stream into the liquid bath is controlled by adjusting the flow of the first gas stream. At least one second gas stream is injected into the liquid, wherein the first and the second gas streams are an oxidizing gas, in particular oxygen, and the sum of the gas flows of the first and the second gas streams is determined based on the mass of the species to be oxidized and on the desired time for oxidizing the mass of the species.

The invention relates to a process for injecting particulate material into a liquid metal bath wherein the liquid metal bath contains species to be oxidized, wherein the particulate material is carried to the liquid bath by means of a first gas stream. The solids injection rate is controlled such that the liquid bath temperature and/or the evolution of the liquid bath temperature is maintained within a pre-defined temperature range and the penetration depth of the first gas stream into the liquid bath is controlled by adjusting the flow of the first gas stream. At least one second gas stream is injected into the liquid, wherein the first and the second gas streams are an oxidizing gas, in particular oxygen, and the sum of the gas flows of the first and the second gas streams is determined based on the mass of the species to be oxidized and on the desired time for oxidizing the mass of the species.

The present invention preferably comprises a system and method for operating and/or positioning a lance and nozzle assembly relative to a molten metal bath in a vessel. Specifically, at least one temperature sensor is provided proximate a tip of the lance and nozzle assembly and at least one temperature sensor is provided on or in the vessel. A processing unit is configured to receive at least one signal from each of the temperature sensors, process the signals to determine the active position of the lance and nozzle assembly relative to the metal bath, and move the lance and nozzle assembly to a preferred position the corresponds to a stage of operation in the vessel.

The present invention preferably comprises a system and method for operating and/or positioning a lance and nozzle assembly relative to a molten metal bath in a vessel. Specifically, at least one temperature sensor is provided proximate a tip of the lance and nozzle assembly and at least one temperature sensor is provided on or in the vessel. A processing unit is configured to receive at least one signal from each of the temperature sensors, process the signals to determine the active position of the lance and nozzle assembly relative to the metal bath, and move the lance and nozzle assembly to a preferred position the corresponds to a stage of operation in the vessel.

When the decarburization refining of molten iron is performed by top-blowing oxygen gas from the top blowing lance, the oscillation of molten iron, a bubble burst, and spitting due to the bubble burst are suppressed. A refining method for a converter includes decarburizing molten iron in the converter with a top blowing lance having Laval nozzles disposed at the lower end thereof by blowing oxygen gas on the surface of the molten iron in the converter through the Laval nozzles, in which one or both of an oxygen feeding rate from the top blowing lance and lance height LH are adjusted in such a manner that an oxygen accumulation index S(F) is 40 or less.

When the decarburization refining of molten iron is performed by top-blowing oxygen gas from the top blowing lance, the oscillation of molten iron, a bubble burst, and spitting due to the bubble burst are suppressed. A refining method for a converter includes decarburizing molten iron in the converter with a top blowing lance having Laval nozzles disposed at the lower end thereof by blowing oxygen gas on the surface of the molten iron in the converter through the Laval nozzles, in which one or both of an oxygen feeding rate from the top blowing lance and lance height LH are adjusted in such a manner that an oxygen accumulation index S(F) is 40 or less.

A molten iron refining method having, an auxiliary material, and an oxidizing gas supplied through a top-blowing lance, to a cold iron source and molten pig iron that are contained/fed in a converter-type vessel, and molten iron is subjected to a refining process. A pre-charged cold iron source is charged into the converter-type vessel at an amount not larger than 0.15 times. A furnace-top-added cold iron source that's part or all of the cold iron source and added from a furnace top is fed during the refining process. A burner at a leading end of the top-blowing lance that spray holes through which a fuel and a combustion-supporting gas are ejected. During the refining process, a powdery auxiliary material processed into powder that's part of the auxiliary material is blown in, to pass through a flame formed by the burner.

Proposed is a molten iron refining method capable of securing an in-flame staying time period of a heat transfer medium without being influenced by height adjustments of a blowing-purpose oxygen-blowing lance. As far as to a position lower than an upper end inside a converter-type vessel 1, a blowing-purpose oxygen-blowing lance 3 that supplies oxidizing gas and is capable of ascending and descending and at least one burner lance 4 capable of ascending and descending independently of the blowing-purpose oxygen-blowing lance are inserted. From the blowing-purpose oxygen-blowing lance, either oxidizing gas or oxidizing gas and CaO-containing refining agent are blown onto the molten iron. Also, a flame is formed by causing the burner lance to discharge fuel gas and combustion supporting gas. Powder particles discharged from the burner lance are caused to pass through the flame and to be blown onto the molten iron in a heat-transferred state, so that the molten iron is thermally compensated.