Plant for melting metal materials comprising at least a heating unit (11) provided with a container (13) to contain the mainly metal materials and with at least an induction heating device (22) configured to heat the mainly metal materials contained in the container (13). The plant also comprises a transfer unit (25) disposed downstream of the heating unit (11) and configured to move, substantially continuously, the mainly metal solid materials exiting from the heating unit (11) to a melting furnace (12). The container (13) is provided with an aperture (16) through which the mainly metal material, heated and in a solid state, is discharged onto the transfer unit (25), and opening/closing members (17) are associated with the aperture (16), commanded by an actuator (19) and configured to open, close and choke the aperture (16) in order to regulate the delivery of the metal materials that is discharged onto the transfer unit (25).

A method and system for recovering a high yield of low carbon ferroalloy, e.g., low carbon ferrochrome, from chromite and low carbon ferrochrome produced by the method. A stoichiometric mixture of feed materials including scrap aluminum granules, lime, silica sand, and chromite ore are provided into a plasma arc furnace. The scrap aluminum granules are produced from used aluminum beverage containers. The feed materials are heated, whereupon the aluminum in the aluminum granules produces an exothermic reaction reducing the chromium oxide and iron oxide in the chromite to produce molten low carbon ferrochrome with molten slag floating thereon. The molten low carbon ferrochrome is extracted, solidified and granulated into granules of low carbon ferrochrome. The molten slag is extracted, solidified and granulated into granules of slag.

A method and a system for determining a mass of feedstock discharged by a conveyor during a first time interval t are disclosed. The method includes taking successive digital images of the feedstock in a specific zone of the conveyor being separated by a second time interval t of smaller duration than the first time interval t, for each of the second time intervals t: computing the advancing distance of a sub-volume of feedstock during the second time interval t in the specific zone of the conveyor by numerical treatment of the two successive images associated with the second time interval t; determining at least one transversal height profile of the sub-volume of feedstock; and determining an effective feedstock density for the sub-volume of feedstock. The method further includes computing the mass of feedstock discharged by the conveyor during the first time interval t into the metallurgical furnace on the basis of the advancing distance, the at least one transversal height profile and the effective feedstock density, computed or determined for each of the second time intervals t.

A method for supplying energy to a scrap metal pile (9) in an electric arc furnace (2). Energy is supplied by jets of hot gas in a first phase. Energy is supplied by electric arcs in a second phase after the first phase is completed. Hot gas is supplied via at least six jets. A device (1) for the method has an electric arc furnace (2), one or more blowing devices (6a, 6b, 6c), supply jets of reactant hot air into the chamber (7) of the electric arc furnace (8). The devices have a total of at least six nozzles (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) with nozzle openings. Fuel conducting devices (8) supply fuel to the jets of reactant hot air.

The invention relates to a device having a bottom, side walls and a ceiling, which together define a channel, as well as transportation means, extending in an axial direction of the channel from an entry port of the channel to an exit port of the channel, for transferring a metallurgical material from the entry port to the exit port.

A method and system for recovering a high yield of low carbon ferroalloy, e.g., low carbon ferrochrome, from chromite and low carbon ferrochrome produced by the method. A stoichiometric mixture of feed materials including scrap aluminum granules, lime, silica sand, and chromite ore are provided into a plasma arc furnace. The scrap aluminum granules are produced from used aluminum beverage containers. The feed materials are heated, whereupon the aluminum in the aluminum granules produces an exothermic reaction reducing the chromium oxide and iron oxide in the chromite to produce molten low carbon ferrochrome with molten slag floating thereon. The molten low carbon ferrochrome is extracted, solidified and granulated into granules of low carbon ferrochrome. The molten slag is extracted, solidified and granulated into granules of slag.

A scrap steel preheating type electric arc furnace and a method for improving a heating cold region of a side wall charging electric arc furnace are provided. The scrap steel preheating type electric arc furnace includes an electric arc furnace body and an inclined scrap steel preheating chamber. An included angle between the scrap steel preheating chamber and a horizontal plane is 30? to 65?. The scrap steel preheating chamber is connected with the electric arc furnace body. A dust removal pipe chamber is at an upper end. A material blocking tooth rake is on the scrap steel preheating chamber. A driving mechanism is below the material blocking tooth rake. Flue gas enters the scrap steel preheating chamber, penetrates through the material blocking tooth rake and the scrap steel and is sucked out by the dust removal pipe chamber. The scrap steel is preheated; then, the material blocking tooth rake is opened; and the preheated scrap steel slides to a center of the electric arc furnace body along a slot bottom of the inclined scrap steel preheating chamber. A falling angle of the scrap steel is changed through a method of matching the scrap steel preheating chamber with a large inclined angle and the material blocking tooth rake, thereby overcoming a problem of lateral stacking of the side wall charging electric arc furnace, reducing impact force of the scrap steel to the device and greatly enhancing reliability of the device.

A metallurgical melting vessel has a vertical shaft, surrounded by a housing wall, which receives steel scrap. At least one closure element, having laterally spaced-apart fingers extending parallel to one another, is mounted such that it can move between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the fingers protrude at least partially into the shaft for the purpose of holding back steel scrap. In the open position, the fingers free the shaft at least to such an extent that the steel scrap can fall from the shaft into the melting vessel. The at least one closure element is mounted so as to be movable from the side of the shaft into the shaft and laterally thereoutof.

Provided are a fixed-type electric furnace enabling continuous operation which allows melting without the interruption of power supply and tapping in a fixed state, and a fixed-type electric furnace and a molten steel production method using same. The fixed-type electric furnace comprises: a preheating furnace which is disposed on the side of a melting furnace and preheats an iron source (scrap) using exhaust gas from the melting furnace; a supply means for supplying the iron source, which has been preheated in the preheating furnace, to the melting furnace; the melting furnace comprising electrodes for melting the preheated iron source; and a fixed-type discharge means for discharging molten steel which has been melted in the melting furnace, wherein the preheating furnace is integrally connected to the melting furnace.

A process and a plant for preheating a metal charge fed in continuous to an electric melting furnace through a preheating tunnel provided with a horizontal conveyor, wherein the metal charge is hit, in countercurrent, by the exhaust fumes or gas leaving the electric melting furnace and by jets of gas ejected through a plurality of nozzles positioned on the hood of the tunnel. The nozzles are arranged in groups interspaced from each other in a longitudinal direction with respect to the tunnel, and generate a small-scale turbulence or inject small fast gas jets that can penetrate the main gas stream passing through the preheating tunnel, and simultaneously generate a horseshoe vortex structure composed of a descending central gas flow (downwash), and ascending flows (upwash) close to the side walls of the preheating tunnel, which enable a desired circulation of the gases.