The invention relates to a device and a method for thermal treatment of a raw material in an oscillating hot gas flow of a pulsation reactor, comprising a burner, which is supplied with a mass flow, via at least one pipeline, for forming at least one flame, which produces the oscillating hot gas flow, wherein the flame is arranged in a combustion chamber, and wherein a reaction chamber follows the combustion chamber downstream of the combustion chamber. In order to be independent of the dimension of the device, it is proposed to provide the mass flow that is supplied to the flame with an externally impressed pulsation. The combustion chamber and/or the reaction chamber can then be varied in geometry to avoid resonances.

The invention relates to a method for controlling suspension in a suspension smelting furnace, to a suspension smelting furnace, and to a concentrate burner. The method comprises feeding additionally to pulverous solid matter and additionally to reaction gas reducing agent into the suspension smelting furnace, wherein reducing agent is fed in the form of a concentrated stream of reducing agent through the suspension in the reaction shaft onto the surface of the melt to form a reducing zone containing reducing agent within the collection zone of the melt.

The invention relates to a method for controlling suspension in a suspension smelting furnace, to a suspension smelting furnace, and to a concentrate burner. The method comprises feeding additionally to pulverous solid matter and additionally to reaction gas reducing agent into the suspension smelting furnace, wherein reducing agent is fed in the form of a concentrated stream of reducing agent through the suspension in the reaction shaft onto the surface of the melt to form a reducing zone containing reducing agent within the collection zone of the melt.

The invention relates to a method for producing an expanded granulate from sand grain-shaped mineral material (1) with a propellant, wherein the material (1) is fed into a vertically upright furnace (2) from above and said material (1) falls along a drop section (4) through multiple heating zones (5) in a furnace shaft (3) of the furnace (2), wherein each heating zone (5) is heatable using at least one independently controllable heating element (6), and the material (1) is heated to a critical temperature at which the surfaces (7) of the sand grains (15) plasticize and the sand grains (15) are expanded by the propellant. In order to enable setting a closed surface of the expanded granulate in a purposeful fashion, it is provided in accordance with the invention that upon detection of a first reduction in the temperature of the material (1) between two successive positions (9) along the drop section (4) the heating elements (6) are controlled along the remaining drop section (4) depending on the critical temperature.

The invention relates to a method for producing an expanded granulate from sand grain-shaped mineral material (1) with a propellant, wherein the material (1) is fed into a vertically upright furnace (2) from above and said material (1) falls along a drop section (4) through multiple heating zones (5) in a furnace shaft (3) of the furnace (2), wherein each heating zone (5) is heatable using at least one independently controllable heating element (6), and the material (1) is heated to a critical temperature at which the surfaces (7) of the sand grains (15) plasticize and the sand grains (15) are expanded by the propellant. In order to enable setting a closed surface of the expanded granulate in a purposeful fashion, it is provided in accordance with the invention that upon detection of a first reduction in the temperature of the material (1) between two successive positions (9) along the drop section (4) the heating elements (6) are controlled along the remaining drop section (4) depending on the critical temperature.

A column oven includes a main unit, an auxiliary unit, an outside sensor, an internal sensor, a temperature range holding section for holding a plurality of temperature ranges, a temperature range specifying portion for specifying the temperature range to which the outside temperature belongs, a temperature control program holding section for holding a temperature control program for a control method of the main unit and the auxiliary unit in each temperature range in such a way that outputs of the main unit and the auxiliary unit are continuous in the temperature ranges that are adjacent to each other, a control method setting portion for setting a control method of the main unit and the auxiliary unit based on the temperature range specified and the temperature control program, and a temperature control portion for controlling the main unit and the auxiliary unit.

A direct reduction shaft furnace having at least one probe disposed vertically within the reduction zone thereof. The probe preferably extends from the top to the bottom of the reduction zone. The probe allows for gas sampling along the length thereof and transmittal of the gas to at least one type of gas analysis device. The probe may also allow for the measurement of the temperature and pressure of the gas sample as it is taken.

Invention relates to a vertical ring shaft kiln comprising a vertical burning region (1); an intermediate sintering zone (Z.sub.3) surrounded by a first wall (10) and an opposite second wall (20) at the burning region (1) to obtain a clinker from a particulate raw material flowing downwards direction.

A method for operating a blast furnace, including collecting a blast furnace gas from the blast furnace, the blast furnace gas being a CO.sub.2 containing gas, combining the blast furnace gas with a fuel gas to obtain a gas mixture, the fuel gas being a hydrocarbon containing gas, subjecting the gas mixture to a reforming process, thereby producing a synthesis gas containing CO and H.sub.2; and feeding at least a portion of the synthesis gas and an oxygen-rich gas into the blast furnace, where the blast furnace gas is combined with the fuel gas while containing substantially the same amount of CO.sub.2 as when exiting the blast furnace and wherein the blast furnace gas is combined with the fuel gas in an over-stoichiometric ratio, so that the synthesis gas contains a surplus portion of the blast furnace gas.

A method for operating a blast furnace, including collecting a blast furnace gas from the blast furnace, the blast furnace gas being a CO.sub.2 containing gas, combining the blast furnace gas with a fuel gas to obtain a gas mixture, the fuel gas being a hydrocarbon containing gas, subjecting the gas mixture to a reforming process, thereby producing a synthesis gas containing CO and H.sub.2; and feeding at least a portion of the synthesis gas and an oxygen-rich gas into the blast furnace, where the blast furnace gas is combined with the fuel gas while containing substantially the same amount of CO.sub.2 as when exiting the blast furnace and wherein the blast furnace gas is combined with the fuel gas in an over-stoichiometric ratio, so that the synthesis gas contains a surplus portion of the blast furnace gas.