APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MOLTEN IRON

Abstract

Apparatus for the production of molten iron including a metallurgical vessel, having a surrounding wall, a cyclone part provided on top of a smelt reduction part, the cyclone part being in open connection with the smelt reduction part and having at least one supply apparatus around the circumference of the surrounding wall adjusted to introduce oxygen gas into the cyclone part, wherein the at least one supply apparatus is further adjusted to introduce a mixture of oxygen gas and a combustible gas.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the production of molten iron comprising a metallurgical vessel having a surrounding wall, a cyclone part provided on top of a smelt reduction part, the cyclone part being in open connection with the smelt reduction part and having at least one supply means around the circumference of the surrounding wall adjusted to introduce oxygen gas into the cyclone part, characterised in that the at least one supply means is further adjusted to introduce a mixture of oxygen gas and a combustible gas.

2. The apparatus for the production of molten iron according to claim 1, wherein the combustible gas is selected from the group of coke oven gas, converter gas, natural gas, hydrogen gas and liquefied petroleum gas.

3. The apparatus for the production of molten iron according to claim 2, wherein the combustible gas contains less than 20% nitrogen gas.

4. The apparatus for the production of molten iron according to claim 1, wherein the supply means are located at the top of the smelt reduction part.

5. The apparatus for the production of molten iron according to claim 1, wherein the supply means are symmetrically distributed over the circumference of the surrounding wall of the cyclone part.

6. The apparatus for the production of molten iron according to claim 1, wherein the supply means are symmetrically distributed over the circumference of the surrounding wall at the top of the smelt reduction part.

7. The apparatus for the production of molten iron according to claim 1, wherein the supply means are adjusted to mix the oxygen gas and the combustible gas before entering the cyclone part.

8. The apparatus for the production of molten iron according to claim 1, wherein the supply means are configured such that a group of oxygen gas outlets is surrounded by one or more combustible gas outlets.

9. The apparatus for the production of molten iron according to claim 1, wherein the supply means are configured such that a group of combustible gas outlets is surrounded by one or more oxygen gas outlets.

10. A method of producing molten iron by means of a metallurgical vessel having a surrounding wall, a cyclone part provided on top of a smelt reduction part, the cyclone part being in open connection with the smelt reduction part and having at least one supply means around the circumference of the surrounding wall introducing oxygen gas into the cyclone part, wherein a mixture of oxygen gas and a combustible gas is introduced by means of the at least one supply means.

11. The method of producing molten iron according to claim 10, wherein the combustible gas is selected from the group of coke oven gas, converter gas, natural gas, hydrogen gas and liquefied petroleum gas.

12. The method of producing molten iron according to claim 11, wherein the combustible gas contains less than 20% nitrogen gas.

13. The method of producing molten iron according to claim 10, wherein the supply means are symmetrically distributed over the circumference of the surrounding wall of the cyclone part.

14. The method of producing molten iron according to claim 10, wherein the supply means are symmetrically distributed over the circumference of the surrounding wall at the top of the smelt reduction part.

15. The method of producing molten iron according to claim 10, wherein the oxygen gas and the combustible gas are mixed by the supply means before entering the cyclone part.

Description

[0017] The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus operating according to the invention that is not limiting as to the appended claims.

[0018] In the drawing:

[0019] FIG. 1 shows an overview of the metallurgical vessel;

[0020] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the configuration of the supply means in the wall of the cyclone part;

[0021] Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows an overview of the metallurgical vessel according to the process disclosed in patent application EP-A-0 726 326, wherein a metallurgical vessel 1 is applied with on top of the metallurgical vessel 1 a cyclone part 10. FIG. 1 clearly shows the introduction point 7 where oxygen gas or a mixture of oxygen gas and a combustible gas is injected in the smelt cyclone 10 at the top of the metallurgical vessel 1. Further FIG. 1 shows the bath of molten iron 2, a layer of slag 3, the introduction points for carbon containing material 5 and metalliferous feed 4, iron outlet 8, slag outlet 9 and the reaction gases outlet 11. For this invention only the introduction point of the oxygen gas 7 or a mixture of oxygen gas and a combustible gas 7 are of importance.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows, in a top view, an example of the position of the supply means 12 in the surrounding wall 13 of the cyclone part 10. In this example six supply means 12 are symmetrically distributed around the circumference of the surrounding wall 13 of the cyclone part 10. This has found to give good results with respect to the control of the temperature in the cyclone part 10. Naturally, other configurations may be possible.

[0024] Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to exemplary embodiments of the invention, the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiments which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiments shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary, the embodiments are merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims, without intent to limit the claims to these exemplary embodiments. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using these exemplary embodiments.