The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for feeding fine-grained matter to a concentrate or matte burner (1) of a suspension smelting furnace (2). The arrangement comprising a fluidization arrangement (3) for feeding fluidized fine-grained matter into a dosing bin (4), and a conveyor means (6) for feeding fluidized fine-grained matter from the dosing bin (4) to the concentrate or matte burner (1) of the suspension smelting furnace (2), and a loss-in-weight controller (5) between the dosing bin (4) and the conveyor means (6). The arrangement comprises an impact cone (8) arranged below a filling valve (7) between the fluidization arrangement (3) and the dosing bin (4) for distributing fluidized fine-grained matter flowing from the fluidization arrangement (3) within the dosing bin (4).

The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for feeding fine-grained matter to a concentrate or matte burner (1) of a suspension smelting furnace (2). The arrangement comprising a fluidization arrangement (3) for feeding fluidized fine-grained matter into a dosing bin (4), and a conveyor means (6) for feeding fluidized fine-grained matter from the dosing bin (4) to the concentrate or matte burner (1) of the suspension smelting furnace (2), and a loss-in-weight controller (5) between the dosing bin (4) and the conveyor means (6). The arrangement comprises an impact cone (8) arranged below a filling valve (7) between the fluidization arrangement (3) and the dosing bin (4) for distributing fluidized fine-grained matter flowing from the fluidization arrangement (3) within the dosing bin (4).

The invention relates to a bellow compensator for a charging installation of a metallurgical furnace. The bellow compensator comprises an inlet end pipe 40 and an opposite outlet end pipe 42 and a bellow section 44 arranged between the inlet end pipe 40 and the outlet end pipe 42, the bellow section 44 being formed by a series of folds and allowing relative movement between the inlet end pipe 40 and the outlet end pipe 42. According to the present invention, a non-structural flexible liner 60, preferably wire mesh gasket, is arranged along an inner wall 62 of the bellow compensator and extends over at least some of the length of the bellow section 44. The non-structural flexible liner 60 has a first end 64 and a second end 66, wherein the first end 64 is fixedly connected to the inlet end pipe 40 and the second end 66 is fixedly connected to the outlet end pipe 42.

The invention relates to a bellow compensator for a charging installation of a metallurgical furnace. The bellow compensator comprises an inlet end pipe 40 and an opposite outlet end pipe 42 and a bellow section 44 arranged between the inlet end pipe 40 and the outlet end pipe 42, the bellow section 44 being formed by a series of folds and allowing relative movement between the inlet end pipe 40 and the outlet end pipe 42. According to the present invention, a non-structural flexible liner 60, preferably wire mesh gasket, is arranged along an inner wall 62 of the bellow compensator and extends over at least some of the length of the bellow section 44. The non-structural flexible liner 60 has a first end 64 and a second end 66, wherein the first end 64 is fixedly connected to the inlet end pipe 40 and the second end 66 is fixedly connected to the outlet end pipe 42.

An arrangement for feeding fine-grained matter to a concentrate or matte burner (1) of a suspension smelting furnace (2). The arrangement comprising a fluidization arrangement (3) for feeding fluidized fine-grained matter into a dosing bin (4), and a conveyor means (6) for feeding fluidized fine-grained matter from the dosing bin (4) to the concentrate or matte burner (1) of the suspension smelting furnace (2), and a loss-in-weight controller (5) between the dosing bin (4) and the conveyor means (6). The arrangement comprises an impact cone (8) arranged below a filling valve (7) between the fluidization arrangement (3) and the dosing bin (4) for distributing fluidized fine-grained matter flowing from the fluidization arrangement (3) within the dosing bin (4).

An arrangement for feeding fine-grained matter to a concentrate or matte burner (1) of a suspension smelting furnace (2). The arrangement comprising a fluidization arrangement (3) for feeding fluidized fine-grained matter into a dosing bin (4), and a conveyor means (6) for feeding fluidized fine-grained matter from the dosing bin (4) to the concentrate or matte burner (1) of the suspension smelting furnace (2), and a loss-in-weight controller (5) between the dosing bin (4) and the conveyor means (6). The arrangement comprises an impact cone (8) arranged below a filling valve (7) between the fluidization arrangement (3) and the dosing bin (4) for distributing fluidized fine-grained matter flowing from the fluidization arrangement (3) within the dosing bin (4).

A vertical furnace processing system for processing semiconductor substrates, comprising the following modules: a processing module including a vertical furnace; an I/O-station module including at least one load port to which a substrate cassette is dockable; a wafer handling module configured to transfer semiconductor substrates between the processing module and a substrate cassette docked to the load port of the I/O-station module; and a gas supply module including at least one gas supply or gas supply connection for providing the vertical furnace of the processing module with process gas, wherein at least two of the said modules are mutually decouplably coupled, such that said at least two modules are decouplable from one another to facilitate servicing of the system, and in particular the vertical furnace thereof.

A vertical furnace processing system for processing semiconductor substrates, comprising the following modules: a processing module including a vertical furnace; an I/O-station module including at least one load port to which a substrate cassette is dockable; a wafer handling module configured to transfer semiconductor substrates between the processing module and a substrate cassette docked to the load port of the I/O-station module; and a gas supply module including at least one gas supply or gas supply connection for providing the vertical furnace of the processing module with process gas, wherein at least two of the said modules are mutually decouplably coupled, such that said at least two modules are decouplable from one another to facilitate servicing of the system, and in particular the vertical furnace thereof.

The invention relates to a method for producing an expanded granulate (29) made of a sand grain-shaped mineral material (1) using a propellant; wherein the material (1) is fed to a substantially upright furnace (2); wherein the material (1) is conveyed along a conveying path (4) through a plurality of vertically separated healing zones (5) in a furnace shaft (3) of the furnace (2), wherein each heating zone (5) can be heated by at least one independently controllable heating element (6); wherein the material (1) is heated to a critical temperature at which the surfaces (7) of the sand grains (1) become plastic and the sand grains (1) are expanded through the propellant. It is provided according to the invention that the material (1) is fed together with an amount of air from below, wherein the material (1) is conveyed from bottom to top along the conveying path (4) by means of the amount of air which flows from bottom to top within the furnace shaft (3) and forms an air flow (14), and wherein the expanding of the sand grains (1) occurs in the upper half, preferably in the uppermost third, of the conveying path (4).

The invention relates to a method for producing an expanded granulate (29) made of a sand grain-shaped mineral material (1) using a propellant; wherein the material (1) is fed to a substantially upright furnace (2); wherein the material (1) is conveyed along a conveying path (4) through a plurality of vertically separated healing zones (5) in a furnace shaft (3) of the furnace (2), wherein each heating zone (5) can be heated by at least one independently controllable heating element (6); wherein the material (1) is heated to a critical temperature at which the surfaces (7) of the sand grains (1) become plastic and the sand grains (1) are expanded through the propellant. It is provided according to the invention that the material (1) is fed together with an amount of air from below, wherein the material (1) is conveyed from bottom to top along the conveying path (4) by means of the amount of air which flows from bottom to top within the furnace shaft (3) and forms an air flow (14), and wherein the expanding of the sand grains (1) occurs in the upper half, preferably in the uppermost third, of the conveying path (4).