A tuyere sleeve for hydrogen-enriched carbonic oxide recycling oxygenate furnace includes a tuyere body, a front surface of the tuyere sleeve, and an oxygen channel. The front end is welded to a front welding interface with the front surface. The oxygen channel is defined inside the tuyere body, and the oxygen channel extends from an inner side of the front surface of the tuyere sleeve. The oxygen outlet is located at a distance of 20 mm-50 mm from the tuyere front surface, and an angle between the oxygen outlet and a centerline of the tuyere sleeve is in a range of 25-30. During a normal operation, controlling an oxygen flow rate in oxygen outlet to be not less than 150 m/s, and controlling a distance between a front high-temperature zone and a front surface to be not less than 200 mm.

A tuyere sleeve for hydrogen-enriched carbonic oxide recycling oxygenate furnace includes a tuyere body, a front surface of the tuyere sleeve, and an oxygen channel. The front end is welded to a front welding interface with the front surface. The oxygen channel is defined inside the tuyere body, and the oxygen channel extends from an inner side of the front surface of the tuyere sleeve. The oxygen outlet is located at a distance of 20 mm-50 mm from the tuyere front surface, and an angle between the oxygen outlet and a centerline of the tuyere sleeve is in a range of 25-30. During a normal operation, controlling an oxygen flow rate in oxygen outlet to be not less than 150 m/s, and controlling a distance between a front high-temperature zone and a front surface to be not less than 200 mm.

A method for operating a smelting furnace installation, in particular a blast furnace installation, the method including the following steps: feeding coke, iron oxide containing material and if required fluxing agents to the top of the smelting furnace; injecting a first reducing gas containing hydrogen at a tuyere level of the smelting furnace at a temperature above 1600 C.; and injecting a second reducing gas at a lower shaft level of the smelting furnace.

The coke is fed at a lump coke rate below 220 kg/t HM, and the density of the first reducing gas is below 0.80 kg/Nm.sup.3.