Two-zone countercurrent smelter system and process

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:869687

Cox, James H ^[1]; Fruehan, Richard J ^[2]

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1. Toronto, CA
2. Murrysville, PA

A process for continuously smelting iron ore by use of coal to yield molten iron or semi-steel is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of establishing a melt covered by slag; inducing the slag and the molten iron to flow countercurrently to one another, toward opposite ends of the smelter; maintaining iron oxide-reducing conditions in that zone of the smelter towards which the slag flows; maintaining carbon-oxidizing conditions in that zone of the smelter towards which the molten iron flows; continuously or semicontinuously tapping the slag from the reducing zone end of the smelter; continuously or semicontinuously tapping the molten iron from the oxidizing zone end of the smelter; and adding to both zones iron ore, coal, oxygen, and flux at addition rates sufficient to keep the molten iron in the reducing zone substantially saturated with carbon, maintain in the slag being tapped an FeO content of about 5 weight percent or less, and maintain in the molten iron being tapped a carbon content of about 0.5 to 5 weight percent. A slag dam preferably is included in the smelter, to impede the backflow of the slag from the reducing zone to the oxidizing zone. A metal bath dam with one or more flow-through portals also is preferably used, submerged below the slag dam, to impede the backflow of the hot metal.

• Research Organization: American Iron and Steel Inst., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FC07-89ID12847
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5378260
• OSTI ID: 869687
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

two-zone
countercurrent
smelter
process
continuously
smelting
iron
coal
yield
molten
semi-steel
disclosed
comprises
steps
establishing
melt
covered
slag
inducing
flow
countercurrently
opposite
maintaining
oxide-reducing
conditions
zone
towards
flows
carbon-oxidizing
semicontinuously
tapping
reducing
oxidizing
adding
zones
oxygen
flux
addition
rates
sufficient
substantially
saturated
carbon
maintain
tapped
feo
content
weight
percent
dam
preferably
included
impede
backflow
metal
bath
flow-through
portals
submerged
below
hot
oxidizing conditions
weight percent
iron oxide
process comprises
hot metal
molten iron
reducing conditions
carbon content
smelting iron
/75/266/