An apparatus for feeding and preheating a metal charge toward a melting furnace of a melting plant, comprising at least one conveyor channel for said metal charge, at least one hood disposed above said conveyor channel and scrap detection means able to identify the profile of the metal charge entering said conveyor channel. The present invention also concerns a plant for melting metal comprising said apparatus, and a method to feed and preheat a metal charge.

A Material hopper, in particular for a blast furnace, includes a containing hollow shell for storing material, the shell having an upper shell part with an inlet portion and an asymmetric funnel-shaped lower shell part with an outlet portion, a wear plate arrangement covers at least part of an inner wall of the lower shell part, the wear plate arrangement having a plurality of wear plates arranged adjacent to one another in a plurality of rows stacked along the inner wall, the wear plates being arranged in rows that follow parallel mounting lines that are defined by the intersection of the lower shell part with planes perpendicular to the axis of a virtual right circular cone substantially matching the shape of the funnel-shaped lower shell part.

Method for melting metal material in a melting plant comprising at least an electric furnace having at least a shell into which said metal material is introduced, and feed means to load said metal material into said shell, said method comprising at least a step of loading said metal material into said shell by means of said feed means, a melting step in which said metal material is melted, and a subsequent tapping step in which the molten metal material is tapped.

Method for melting metal material in a melting plant comprising at least an electric furnace having at least a shell into which said metal material is introduced, and feed means to load said metal material into said shell, said method comprising at least a step of loading said metal material into said shell by means of said feed means, a melting step in which said metal material is melted, and a subsequent tapping step in which the molten metal material is tapped.

A vortex metal insertion system for a metal recycling furnace, the system

having a molten metal flow cycling through the furnace and through a vortex bowl in the system. The system includes one or more process sensors in the furnace, an automated molten metal flow adjustment device, and a computer controller. The computer controller reads the sensor(s) and adjusts the adjustment device to control the flow of molten metal through the vortex bowl based on the reading(s). The system has an insertion port through which scrap metal and other materials may be controllably inserted into the molten metal flow.

A vortex metal insertion system for a metal recycling furnace, the system

having a molten metal flow cycling through the furnace and through a vortex bowl in the system. The system includes one or more process sensors in the furnace, an automated molten metal flow adjustment device, and a computer controller. The computer controller reads the sensor(s) and adjusts the adjustment device to control the flow of molten metal through the vortex bowl based on the reading(s). The system has an insertion port through which scrap metal and other materials may be controllably inserted into the molten metal flow.

Apparatus for melting metal material comprising a container for metal material, by way of example, but not limited to, metal scrap, DRI, cast iron, supplied in an electric arc-type melting furnace, and a plurality of electrodes to melt the metal material, which can be inserted in said container.

The invention relates to a charging installation (1) of a metallurgical reactor, with a cooling assembly (4) disposed for cooling a reactor side of the charging installation (1). In order to facilitate the installation and maintenance of a heat protection shield in a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor, the cooling assembly (4) comprises a plurality of cooling panels (10), each cooling panel (10) comprising at least one coolant channel (12). The channel (12) is formed as a groove in the base plate (11), which groove is covered by a cover plate (13) mounted on the base plate (11).

The invention relates to a charging installation (1) of a metallurgical reactor, with a cooling assembly (4) disposed for cooling a reactor side of the charging installation (1). In order to facilitate the installation and maintenance of a heat protection shield in a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor, the cooling assembly (4) comprises a plurality of cooling panels (10), each cooling panel (10) comprising at least one coolant channel (12). The channel (12) is formed as a groove in the base plate (11), which groove is covered by a cover plate (13) mounted on the base plate (11).

A metal scrap submergence device comprising an open top chamber including walls of a heat resistant material, an inlet positioned in the chamber, an outlet positioned in the base of the chamber, and a ramp adjacent the side wall of the chamber. The device further including a removable vane, an inwardly or outwardly sloped ramp surface, and/or diverter.