An apparatus for removing a blockage in a solids injection lance extending into a direct smelting vessel The solids injection lance has a single inlet coupled to a section of supply line that conveys gas and solids to the solids injection lance and that is upstream and co-axial with the solids injection lance. The apparatus has a tool that extends through the supply line section and the solids injection lance to remove a blockage of solid material and an assembly for advancing the tool through the solids injection lance and the supply line section to the blockage from an upstream side of the blockage.

A method of operating a top submerged lance furnace, and more particularly but not exclusively to a method of coating an end of a lance of a top submerged lance furnace with a slag layer, as well as a method of maintaining a uniform heat distribution about the periphery of the lance of the top submerged lance furnace. In terms of the method, the lance is caused to rotate, and a fluid is passed through the lance before it is inserted into the molten material bath inside the crucible.

A molten metal treatment lance includes a refractory having at least one channel extending through the refractory. A first tubular member having two open ends is located in the channel of the refractory. The first tubular member has a side wall having an inner surface and an outer surface. A second tubular member having an open end and a closed end is positioned in the first tubular member. The second tubular member has a side wall having an inner surface, an outer surface and at least one opening extending from the inner surface of the side wall of the second tubular member to the outer surface of the side wall of the second tubular member. The second tubular member is positioned in the first tubular member so as to form a space between the inner surface of the side wall of the first tubular member and the outer surface of the side wall of the second tubular member.

A method for treating molten iron includes applying a metal treatment agent to molten iron; and stirring the molten iron using a rotary device comprising a rotor head. The rotary device can be resistant to corrosion and thermal shock, and thereby permit efficient application of metal treatment agents.

A rotary device and methods for treating molten metal, a tubular sleeve for said rotary device and the use of said rotary device in the treatment of molten metal. The rotary device comprises: a tubular sleeve comprising a rotor head at one end, the rotor head comprising a gas outlet for dispersing gas into molten metal; and a hollow shaft extending inside the tubular sleeve such that at least a portion of the hollow shaft is enclosed by the tubular sleeve, wherein the hollow shaft is fluidly connected to the gas outlet of the rotor head, the tubular sleeve is formed from a refractory material that is resistant to corrosion and thermal shock, and the hollow shaft is formed from a material comprising graphite. A first method comprises: applying a layer of synthetic slag material onto an exposed surface of the molten metal; and stirring the molten metal using a rotary device comprising a rotor head, such that the molten metal flows past the layer of synthetic slag material. A second method comprises: applying a metal treatment agent to molten metal; stirring the molten metal using a rotary device comprising a rotor head; and discharging gas into the molten metal through the rotor head.

A multiple chamber material-stirring lance and method used to treat molten metal in a ladle, the lance having a stirring gas chamber, and a plurality of gas permeable ports arranged at a terminal end of the gas chamber, and at least one material chamber positioned parallel to the gas chamber and terminating in a plurality of material ports. In use, the multiple chamber material-stirring lance is lowered into the ladle of molten metal, and gas and material are both introduced into a respective chamber and emitted through their respective ports. Stirring gas emitted through the gas permeable ports under a gas pressure between 40 and 600 cfm causes the stirring gas to create a boiling effect in the molten metal, drawing material into the stirring gas bubbles and away from the lance body, improving material dispersion efficiency and thus impurity extraction from the molten metal.

A coaxial material-stirring lance (40) and method used to treat molten metal in a ladle, the lance having a stirring gas chamber (48), and a plurality of gas permeable ports (50 52) arranged as upper and lower port arrays along a length of the gas chamber, and at least one material chamber (43) positioned inside and coaxial with the gas chamber and terminating in at least one material ports (60). In another embodiment, a second material chamber is included inside the gas chamber, parallel to and immediately adjacent the material chamber. In use, the coaxial material-stirring lance is lowered into the ladle of molten metal, and gas and material are both introduced into a respective chamber. Gas mixes material through the molten metal, causing impurities to be removed from the metal.

This invention relates to a method of operating a top submerged lance furnace, and more particularly but not exclusively to a method of coating an end of a lance of a top submerged lance furnace with a slag layer, as well as a method of maintaining a uniform heat distribution about the periphery of the lance of the top submerged lance furnace. In terms of the method, the lance is caused to rotate, and a fluid is passed through the lance before it is inserted into the molten material bath inside the crucible.

A lance for top submerged lancing injection in a pyro-metallurgical operation, wherein the lance has at least two substantially concentric pipes, with an annular passage for oxygen-containing gas defined between an outermost one of the pipes and a next adjacent pipe and a further passage for fuel defined within an innermost one of the pipes; the outermost pipe has a lower part of its length, from a submergible lower outlet end of the lance, by which the outermost pipe extends beyond an outlet end of the or each other pipe to define between the outlet end of the outermost pipe and the outlet end of the or each other pipe a chamber with which the passage for oxygen-containing gas communicates; and the lance further includes a defined gas flow-modifying device that is disposed in a lower end section of the passage for oxygen-containing gas.

The instant invention relates to a blow lance assembly for metal manufacturing and refining, developed so as to control slag formation and oxidation, as well as the heat capacity of the reactor, and the conservation of the operational conditions during charging and blowing, having, in its lower part, two groups of gas outlets which determine two blowing conditions, the first group consisting of oxygen passage nozzles having a converging-diverging shape, main responsible for the oxidation reactions and for the conveyance of the basic solid material, mainly calcium oxide, for initial slag formation, and dephosphorization at the final stages during batch refining; the second group consisting of secondary jets with various functions during each blowing stage, the first function, at the beginning of the process as an afterburning agent, through the reaction of oxygen with carbon monoxide generated by the main jets, and the second function being that of accelerating the reaction with carbon by increasing oxygen jet speed, accelerating scrap melting in the early stages and, finally, incrementing the oxidation of the elements of the metal bath, iron, in order to reduce the phosphorus content in the final stages of batch refining.