A system and method for the fluidized direct reduction of iron ore concentrate powder. A two-phase fluidized bed is used for the direct reduction of iron ore concentrate powder. Each phase of the fluidized bed is formed by a bubbling bed and a circulating bed. Use of serial-connection processing involving gas and of high-gas-velocity processing of the circulating bed increase the gas utilization rate and the reduction efficiency of single-phase reduction. Once reduced gases are subjected to preheating, each gas is sent into an initial reduction phase and a final reduction phase so as to implement reduction of minerals. Use of mixed-connection processing involving gas appropriately reduces processing pressure. Hot flue gas produced by combustion in a gas heater is sent to a mineral pre-heating system that is used for pre-heating iron ore concentrate powder.

A system and method for the fluidized direct reduction of iron ore concentrate powder. A two-phase fluidized bed is used for the direct reduction of iron ore concentrate powder. Each phase of the fluidized bed is formed by a bubbling bed and a circulating bed. Use of serial-connection processing involving gas and of high-gas-velocity processing of the circulating bed increase the gas utilization rate and the reduction efficiency of single-phase reduction. Once reduced gases are subjected to preheating, each gas is sent into an initial reduction phase and a final reduction phase so as to implement reduction of minerals. Use of mixed-connection processing involving gas appropriately reduces processing pressure. Hot flue gas produced by combustion in a gas heater is sent to a mineral pre-heating system that is used for pre-heating iron ore concentrate powder.

The invention relates to a method of using a suspension smelting furnace and to a suspension smelting furnace and to a concentrate burner (4). The concentrate burner (4) comprises a first gas supply device (12) for feeding a first gas (5) into the reaction shaft (2) and a second gas supply device (18) for feeding a second gas (16) into the reaction shaft (2). The first gas supply device (12) comprises a first annular discharge opening (14), which which is arranged concentrically with the mouth (8) of a feeder pipe (7), so that the first annular discharge opening (14) surrounds the feeder pipe (7). The second gas supply device (18) comprises a second annular discharge opening (17), which is arranged concentrically with the mouth (8) of the feeder pipe (7), so that the second annular discharge opening (17) surrounds the feeder pipe (7) opening (14).

The invention relates to a method of using a suspension smelting furnace and to a suspension smelting furnace and to a concentrate burner (4). The concentrate burner (4) comprises a first gas supply device (12) for feeding a first gas (5) into the reaction shaft (2) and a second gas supply device (18) for feeding a second gas (16) into the reaction shaft (2). The first gas supply device (12) comprises a first annular discharge opening (14), which which is arranged concentrically with the mouth (8) of a feeder pipe (7), so that the first annular discharge opening (14) surrounds the feeder pipe (7). The second gas supply device (18) comprises a second annular discharge opening (17), which is arranged concentrically with the mouth (8) of the feeder pipe (7), so that the second annular discharge opening (17) surrounds the feeder pipe (7) opening (14).

The present invention relates to device for heat-treating solid material, in particular in granular form, wherein the device comprises a kiln and an external heat source, wherein said device comprises at least two steps arranged above each other, wherein each step comprises a gas permeable sloped sliding surface on which a bed of said solid material slides down within said device due to gravity and wherein said sloped sliding surfaces of said steps directly consecutive to each other slope in opposite directions, wherein the kiln comprises at least one, preferably at least two, of said steps and the kiln is configured such that a hot gas generated by the external heat source is led through said solid material inside the kiln to heat said solid material to a desired temperature in order to change the substance properties of said solid material. According to the invention, said device comprises at least one gas temperature adjustment system comprising a gas outlet in a second step of said steps, a temperature adjustment zone and a gas inlet in a first step of said steps, preferably the first step being arranged directly consecutive and above the second step, wherein at least the first step is one of said at least one step inside the kiln and wherein said gas temperature adjustment system is adapted such that hot gas is extracted from said second step through the gas outlet, directed into the temperature adjustment zone where a hot gas temperature is adjusted to an adjusted temperature by the external heat source and reintroduced into said first step at said adjusted temperature. The invention further relates to a method for producing supplementary cementitious materials.

The present invention relates to device for heat-treating solid material, in particular in granular form, wherein the device comprises a kiln and an external heat source, wherein said device comprises at least two steps arranged above each other, wherein each step comprises a gas permeable sloped sliding surface on which a bed of said solid material slides down within said device due to gravity and wherein said sloped sliding surfaces of said steps directly consecutive to each other slope in opposite directions, wherein the kiln comprises at least one, preferably at least two, of said steps and the kiln is configured such that a hot gas generated by the external heat source is led through said solid material inside the kiln to heat said solid material to a desired temperature in order to change the substance properties of said solid material. According to the invention, said device comprises at least one gas temperature adjustment system comprising a gas outlet in a second step of said steps, a temperature adjustment zone and a gas inlet in a first step of said steps, preferably the first step being arranged directly consecutive and above the second step, wherein at least the first step is one of said at least one step inside the kiln and wherein said gas temperature adjustment system is adapted such that hot gas is extracted from said second step through the gas outlet, directed into the temperature adjustment zone where a hot gas temperature is adjusted to an adjusted temperature by the external heat source and reintroduced into said first step at said adjusted temperature. The invention further relates to a method for producing supplementary cementitious materials.

The invention provides a method of reducing ferrous metal fines derived from waste or from ferrous ore, including feeding a fine ferrous material with a particle size distribution of between 10 microns to less than 6 mm and a reductant into an indirectly heated vibratory bed furnace, and contacting the fine ferrous material with the reductant in the indirectly heated vibratory bed furnace at a temperature of up to 1350 C. to produce a hot direct reduced ferrous metal.

The invention provides a method of reducing ferrous metal fines derived from waste or from ferrous ore, including feeding a fine ferrous material with a particle size distribution of between 10 microns to less than 6 mm and a reductant into an indirectly heated vibratory bed furnace, and contacting the fine ferrous material with the reductant in the indirectly heated vibratory bed furnace at a temperature of up to 1350 C. to produce a hot direct reduced ferrous metal.

A powder sintering system is disclosed. The powder sintering system includes a furnace body, at least one first dispersing device, at least one second dispersing device, a heating device, and a gas introducing device. The furnace body includes a bottom and a side wall defines a funnel shaped chamber. The at least one first dispersing device is located on the bottom of the furnace body, and disperses powder from the bottom of the furnace body to the side wall of the furnace body. The at least one second dispersing device is located on the side wall of the furnace body, and centrifugally disperse powder from the side wall of the furnace body to a center of the funnel shaped chamber. The heating device is located outside the furnace body. The gas introducing device supplies a protecting gas into the funnel shaped chamber.

Described are cementitious reagent materials produced from globally abundant inorganic feedstocks. Also described are methods for the manufacture of such cementitious reagent materials and forming the reagent materials as microspheroidal glassy particles. Also described are apparatuses, systems and methods for the thermochemical production of glassy cementitious reagents with spheroidal morphology. The apparatuses, systems and methods makes use of an in-flight melting/quenching technology such that solid particles are flown in suspension, melted in suspension, and then quenched in suspension. The cementitious reagents can be used in concrete to substantially reduce the CO.sub.2 emission associated with cement production.