Metal agglomerate manufacturing structure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a metal aggregate production arrangement (1) including a hardening device (3) configured to provide a metal oxide material production thermal process (MTE) including hardening a metal ore material (5) into a metal oxide material (7), and a method for producing metal aggregates. The cooling device (9) is configured to cool the metal oxide material (7) discharged from the hardening device (3) and includes a first heat transfer facility (11) configured to transfer a first thermal energy content (HE') recovered from the metal oxide material (7) retaining said thermal energy (TE) to the hardening device (3). The arrangement (1) includes a second heat transfer facility (13) configured to transfer a second thermal energy content (HE'') recovered from the metal oxide material production thermal process (MTE) from the hardening device (3) to the cooling device (9) in order to cool the metal oxide material (7).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a metal aggregate production arrangement as claimed in claim 1 and further to a method for producing a metal oxide material as claimed in claim 7. The present invention further relates to a data medium arranged to store a data program programmed with a program code adapted to cause a metal aggregate production arrangement to perform an automated or semi-automated production of a metal oxide material.

[0002] The present invention relates to the mining and metal material manufacturing industries. The present invention relates to the metallurgical processing industry that produces industrial metal oxide materials such as iron oxide aggregates or other types of metal oxide materials. The present invention may also relate to manufacturers and suppliers of metal aggregate manufacturing compositions.

[0003] In particular, the present invention may be relevant to the steel industry, which processes ferrous metals such as steel, but the present invention may also be relevant to other types of metal producers, which process non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, copper, lead, and zinc. [Background technology]

[0004] background The metal oxide material is produced by heating the metal ore material at a manufacturing site that includes an induration facility configured to indurate the metal ore material to produce a hot metal oxide material. The metal oxide material is then cooled by a cooler and distributed from the manufacturing site. The metal oxide material can be an iron oxide material, e.g., iron oxide pellets, or other forms of aggregates that are shipped to metal manufacturing industries, such as steel mills.

[0005] The hardening facility or device may be part of a pelletizing process such as the straight grate process or the grate-kiln process. In the straight grate process, the metal ore material or raw pellets may be moved on a continuous grate through different zones for drying, oxidation, and sintering. The straight grate process additionally includes a cooling unit configured to cool the metal oxide material. The grate-kiln process may use a short grate coupled to a rotary kiln to achieve homogenous heat treatment of the metal ore material.

[0006] Known manufacturing sites for the production of metal oxide materials use fluid transfer equipment to recycle waste heat energy content to reduce fuel consumption and achieve efficient energy usage.

[0007] There are various implementations of heated fluid gas recirculation in such manufacturing sites: Prior art manufacturing sites may use waste heat recovered from a cooling system to dry and preheat metal ore material in a hardening system.

[0008] One of the problems with prior art manufacturing sites is that they do not optimize waste heat recovery.

[0009] One problem in prior art manufacturing sites is the potential for dust dispersion due to insufficiently cooled metal oxide material exiting the cooling system.

[0010] One problem with prior art manufacturing sites is the potential for damage to conveyor equipment which throws off insufficiently cooled metal oxide material.

[0011] One problem with prior art manufacturing sites is that they can require costly separation of currently provided metal oxide materials to separate metal oxide aggregates with different temperature contents. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] Summary of the Invention It is an objective to advance known techniques for utilizing waste heat in metal aggregate manufacturing configurations.

[0013] It is an object to provide a metal agglomerate production arrangement that operates in an energy efficient manner.

[0014] It is an object to provide a metal aggregate manufacturing configuration that facilitates efficient control and operation of hardening and cooling equipment.

[0015] The objective is to increase the production rate of metal aggregate manufacturing setups.

[0016] The objective is to minimize the energy consumption for operating the metal aggregate production setup.

[0017] It is an object to provide a metal aggregate production configuration that allows efficient control of the thermal energy content delivered from the cooling device to the hardening device.

[0018] It is an objective to provide a metal aggregate manufacturing configuration that provides high temperatures, such as temperatures of about 1000-1100° C. or higher, in the baking section of the curing equipment.

[0019] The aim is to reduce the thermal work during the oxidation stage of the metal ore material and / or metal oxide material in the hardening device and / or in the cooling device.

[0020] The aim is to reduce fossil carbon emissions by reducing the use of coal or oil to heat metal ore materials in the induration plant.

[0021] The objective is to provide manufacturing time savings for metal oxide materials.

[0022] It is an objective to provide a reduced cooling rate of the metal oxide material in order to provide a steady cooling of the metal oxide material within the cooling device.

[0023] It is an object to provide a metal aggregate production arrangement that produces metal oxide materials such as iron ore pellets that have low thermal energy when discharged from a cooling system.

[0024] The aim is to provide a constant and / or stable production of thermal energy (heat) by the cooling device from multiple cooling zones and / or particularly from the cooling zone located at the outermost part of the cooling device.

[0025] It is an object to provide an operation of a metal aggregate production configuration that promotes stable and consistent production of metal oxide material that is fed into a reduction facility configured to produce a metal material such as sponge iron.

[0026] The aim is to optimise the thermal energy content generated by the outermost cooling zone and to optimise the thermal energy content recycled by the hardener for the production of metal oxide materials while at the same time realising an environmentally friendly process for the production of metal aggregates.

[0027] It is an object to provide a metal aggregate manufacturing arrangement that can be operated in an energy efficient manner regardless of the time of a particular season (eg, winter and summer).

[0028] The objective is to minimize the loss of condensation heat from the cooling system.

[0029] It is an object to provide a metal aggregate production configuration that facilitates efficient control of the production of metal oxide materials.

[0030] The objective is to minimize the use of power required by the curing device.

[0031] The objective is to increase the temperature and / or mass flow rate of the fluid carrying the first thermal energy content that is transferred from the cooling device to the curing device.

[0032] The objective is to enable efficient control of the operation of the metal aggregate manufacturing setup to precisely provide desired properties of the finished metal oxide material.

[0033] The aim is to provide an energy-efficient reuse of heat from finished metal oxide materials.

[0034] The purpose is to reduce the temperature of the finished metal oxide material, thereby, for example, avoiding the dispersion of dust, preventing heat damage to the metal oxide material conveyor equipment, and avoiding costly separation of the metal oxide material after dispersion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0035] This object or at least one of the objects is achieved by a metal aggregate manufacturing arrangement as claimed in claim 1.

[0036] Alternatively, the second heat transfer facility is configured to transfer a second thermal energy content from the curing apparatus to the cooling apparatus to provide a reduced cooling rate for cooling the metal oxide material, the second thermal energy content being recovered from a metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process.

[0037] Alternatively, the first heat energy content constitutes a portion of thermal energy resulting from said metal oxide material producing thermal process.

[0038] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content includes low-grade thermal energy recovered from a curing device.

[0039] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content is partially added to the first thermal energy content.

[0040] In this manner, a closed loop of thermal energy including the waste heat discharged from the curing device is achieved, whereby the waste heat (containing a second thermal energy content) is used to slow down the cooling rate of the metal oxide material so that it can be reused by the metal oxide material production thermal process carried out by the curing device.

[0041] Alternatively, the second heat transfer facility includes a first air cooling chamber configured to cool the metal oxide material in the first step and includes a second air cooling chamber configured to cool the metal oxide material in the second step.

[0042] Alternatively, the heat exchange unit of the second heat transfer equipment is coupled between the curing device and the cooling device.

[0043] Alternatively, the control circuitry of the metal aggregate production arrangement is configured to control the metal oxide material production thermal process by monitoring the first thermal energy content and / or the second thermal energy content.

[0044] Alternatively, the control circuit of the metal aggregate production configuration is configured to control the metal oxide material production thermal process by taking into account the temperature and / or mass flow rate of the first thermal energy content and / or the second thermal energy content.

[0045] Alternatively, the cooling device may include an annular cooler, a belt cooler, a vertical cooler, etc., or any other cooling device configured to provide high cooling efficiency, cost-effective maintenance and service, compact installation, and low energy consumption.

[0046] Alternatively, the cooling device is configured to additionally oxidize the metal oxide material to reduce the FeO content and improve the quality of the finished metal oxide material.

[0047] Alternatively, the induration apparatus includes a drying section configured to dry the metal ore material, a preheating section configured to preheat the metal ore material, an oxidation section configured to oxidize the metal ore material, and a sintering section configured to sinter the preheated and oxidized metal ore material.

[0048] Alternatively, the cooling device comprises a first air cooling chamber (first cooling zone), and / or a second air cooling chamber (second cooling zone), and / or a third air cooling chamber (third cooling zone), and / or a fourth air cooling chamber (fourth cooling zone), and / or a fifth air cooling chamber (fifth cooling zone).

[0049] In this manner, it is possible for the thermal energy extracted from the metal oxide material to be transportable to a curing device and / or to an external commercial heat supplier, such as a heat distribution company.

[0050] Alternatively, the drying section comprises an updraft drying chamber (updraft section) and / or a downdraft drying chamber (downdraft section).

[0051] Alternatively, the upward draft drying chamber and / or the downward draft drying chamber are configured to be heated by a combustion burner device, and / or by an electric heating element, and / or by a hydrogen burner, and / or by waste heat recovered from a cooling device.

[0052] Alternatively, the curing apparatus includes a conditioned preheat chamber (conditioned preheat zone).

[0053] Alternatively, the curing apparatus includes a preheat chamber (preheat zone).

[0054] Alternatively, the metal ore material is transported through the induration apparatus in the following order: first through a drying section, and / or through a tempered preheat section, and / or through a preheat section, and / or through an oxidation section, and / or through a sintering section.

[0055] Alternatively, the metal oxide material transferred from the hardener into the cooling device may have a temperature of about 1200-1300°C.

[0056] Alternatively, the hardening device is configured to transfer thermal energy content to / from the cooling device via piping configured to transport heated fluid, and is further configured to transfer metal ore material and / or metal oxide material in the hardening device to the cooling device while oxidation of the metal ore material occurs in the hardening device, and is further configured to transfer heated excess thermal energy including low-grade thermal energy to the cooling device.

[0057] Alternatively, the cooling device is configured to cool the metal oxide material to a temperature less than about 100-200°C.

[0058] Alternatively, the cooling device includes a support member configured to support the metal oxide material.

[0059] Alternatively, the support member may be configured to support a metal oxide material and / or to store thermal energy and / or to vent thermal energy.

[0060] Alternatively, the support member is configured to store thermal energy from the metal oxide material and configured to store a second thermal energy content and / or configured to exhaust a first thermal energy content to a curing device.

[0061] Alternatively, the support member is configured to cool a metal oxide material in which the first thermal energy content partially comprises the second thermal energy content.

[0062] Alternatively, the metal oxide material is uniformly distributed on the support member of the cooling device.

[0063] Alternatively, the cooling device includes a first cooling section, a second cooling section, a third cooling section, a fourth cooling section, and a fifth cooling section.

[0064] Alternatively, the metal oxide material is transported through the cooling device in the following order: first through the first cooling zone, and / or through the second cooling zone, and / or through the third cooling zone, and / or through the fourth cooling zone, and / or through the fifth cooling zone.

[0065] Alternatively, the metal oxide material is transferred from the sintering zone to the first cooling zone.

[0066] Alternatively, waste heat energy is recovered from the downward draft drying section and / or the upward draft drying section and / or the temperature-controlled preheating section and / or the preheating section of the curing device, and the waste heat energy is transferred directly or via a heat exchange device into the first air cooling chamber and / or the second air cooling chamber of the cooling device.

[0067] In this manner, energy efficient operation of the metal aggregate production configuration is achieved by utilizing waste heat energy (low-grade thermal energy) and simultaneously controllably slowing down the cooling rate of the metal oxide material in the cooling device and recovering the waste heat energy from the cooling device.

[0068] Alternatively, the sintering zone is formed in a kiln apparatus, such as a kiln apparatus or any suitable calcining apparatus configured to sinter the metal ore material, the kiln apparatus being configured to sinter the metal ore material whilst involving the metal ore material being subjected to heating and / or calcination such that metal particles of the metal ore material are partially melted.

[0069] Alternatively, heating and / or calcination of the metal ore material is provided by a gas burner arrangement and / or electric heating elements associated with the sintering zone.

[0070] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content is partially or completely added to the metal oxide material discharged from the cooling device.

[0071] Alternatively, low grade thermal energy, such as heated exhaust gas, is transferred from the hardener to the cooling device.

[0072] The first thermal energy content has been shown by applicant to reduce the thermal work in the curing device, in some cases by up to about 25-30%.

[0073] The slower cooling rate facilitates the heated metal oxide material being retained in the cooling device for longer periods of time while the heat is consistently available for reuse in the cooling device.

[0074] Alternatively, a compressor unit is coupled to the first piping and / or the second piping for compressing the process gas.

[0075] Alternatively, the cooling device includes a thermal storage element, the thermal storage element configured to store the first thermal energy content transferred from the metal oxide material.

[0076] Alternatively, the thermal storage element is configured to store a second thermal energy storage content of the second thermal energy content transferred from the curing device by the second heat transfer facility.

[0077] Alternatively, the thermal storage element is configured to fully or partially store the first thermal energy content and / or to fully or partially store the second thermal energy content and / or to fully or partially store the first thermal energy storage content and / or to fully or partially store the second thermal energy storage content.

[0078] In this manner, a closed loop of thermal energy including the waste heat discharged from the curing apparatus is achieved, whereby the waste heat (including the second thermal energy content) is used to slow down the cooling rate of the metal oxide material and is reused by the metal oxide material production thermal process carried out by the curing apparatus.

[0079] Alternatively, the cooling device includes a first cooling section, a second cooling section, a third cooling section, a fourth cooling section, and a fifth cooling section.

[0080] Alternatively, the cooling device includes a thermal storage element, the thermal storage element configured to store the first thermal energy content transferred from the metal oxide material.

[0081] Alternatively, the thermal storage element is configured to store a second thermal energy content transferred from a second thermal energy content transferred from the curing device.

[0082] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content is transferred to a metal oxide material discharged from the cooling device.

[0083] Alternatively, the first heat transfer arrangement and / or the second heat transfer arrangement of the cooling device constitute, completely or partly, a heat storage element.

[0084] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content is fully or partially added to the first thermal energy content and transferred again to the curing device.

[0085] Alternatively, the heat storage element is configured to transfer heat energy to the curing apparatus (e.g., to a drying zone, and / or a tempered preheat zone, and / or a preheat zone, and / or an oxidation zone, and / or a sintering zone).

[0086] Alternatively, the thermal storage element is configured to extract thermal energy from the support member by convection and / or radiation.

[0087] Alternatively, the heat storage element is configured as the support member configured to store thermal energy from the metal oxide material and configured to store a second thermal energy content and / or configured to discharge a first thermal energy content to a curing device.

[0088] Alternatively, the first thermal energy content is recovered (partially or completely) from the metal oxide material that retains thermal energy resulting from the metal oxide material producing thermal process provided by the curing apparatus.

[0089] Alternatively, the heat storage element is configured to absorb (partially or completely) a first heat energy content from the metal oxide material discharged from the hardening device to the cooling device, and is configured to absorb a second heat energy content of low-grade heat (waste heat) recovered from the hardening device (e.g. recovered from the drying zone, and / or the heating zone, and / or the oxidation zone, and / or the sintering zone).

[0090] Alternatively, the heat storage element includes a first heat storage element and a second heat storage element.

[0091] Alternatively, the first thermal storage element and the second thermal storage element are configured to store a first thermal energy storage content.

[0092] Alternatively, the first thermal storage element and the second thermal storage element are configured to store a second thermal energy storage content.

[0093] Alternatively, the first heat storage element is disposed within a first air cooling chamber of the first cooling zone.

[0094] Alternatively, the second heat storage element is disposed within a second air cooling chamber in the second cooling zone.

[0095] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content of the low-grade heat (waste heat) recovered from the curing device is delivered from a heat exchange device that transfers heat from the exhaust gas to a process gas carrying the second thermal energy content.

[0096] This object or at least one of the objects is achieved by a method for producing a metal aggregate as claimed in claim 7.

[0097] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content includes low-grade thermal energy recovered from a curing device.

[0098] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content is added completely or partially to the first thermal energy content.

[0099] Alternatively, the cooling step includes the following steps: storing the thermal energy and the second thermal energy content by a heat storage element of the cooling device; and discharging the first thermal energy content from the cooling device to the curing device.

[0100] Alternatively, the metal ore material and / or metal oxide material may be in the form of aggregates, such as pellets, or in any suitable form.

[0101] The metal ore material may be in the form of so-called green pellets.

[0102] In this manner, it is achieved to collect the metal ore material in an induration device (such as a rotary kiln unit, straight grate, or other oxidation and / or sintering device) whose open space provides an efficient oxidation process of the metal ore material in order to dry, preheat and / or oxidize the metal ore material.

[0103] Alternatively, the metal oxide material may include metal oxide aggregates.

[0104] Alternatively, the metal oxide material may include iron oxide aggregates.

[0105] Alternatively, the thermal energy extracted from the finished metal oxide material can be used to increase the temperature of process water or buildings.

[0106] The terms "metal ore material" and "metal oxide material" may be interchangeably used with the terms "iron ore material" and "iron oxide material".

[0107] The disclosure or disclosures are not limited to the above described examples, and it will be clear to a person skilled in the art that there are many possibilities to modify or combine the described examples of the disclosure without departing from the underlying concept as defined in the appended claims. For example, the curing device can be positioned adjacent to the cooling device.

[0108] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0109] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a metal aggregate production setup according to a first example; [Diagram 2] 1 illustrates a metal aggregate production setup according to a second example. [Diagram 3] 13 illustrates a metal aggregate production setup according to a third example. [Figure 4] 13 illustrates a metal aggregate production setup according to a fourth example. [Diagram 5] 13 illustrates a metal aggregate production setup according to a fifth example. [Figure 6] 13 illustrates a cooling device for a metal aggregate manufacturing configuration according to a sixth example. [Figure 7] 13 illustrates a cooling device for a metal aggregate manufacturing configuration according to a seventh example. [Figure 8]13 illustrates a metal aggregate manufacturing configuration according to an eighth example. [Figure 9] 13 illustrates a metal aggregate manufacturing configuration according to a ninth example. [Figure 10] 1 illustrates a flow chart showing an exemplary method for producing metal aggregates. [Figure 11] 1 illustrates a flow chart showing an exemplary method for producing metal aggregates. [Figure 12] 1 illustrates a control circuit for an exemplary metal aggregate manufacturing configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0110] Detailed Description Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some non-essential details may be omitted for clarity and ease of understanding of the present invention.

[0111] FIG. 1 illustrates a metal aggregate production arrangement 1 including a hardening device 3 configured to provide a metal oxide material production thermal process. The metal oxide material production thermal process comprises hardening a metal ore material 5 into a metal oxide material 7 by a heating device 31. The hardening device 3 is configured to discharge the metal oxide material 7 to a cooling device 9 of the arrangement 1, while the metal oxide material 7 transferred to the cooling device 9 retains thermal energy resulting from the metal oxide material production thermal process. A control circuit 50 of the metal aggregate production arrangement 1 is configured to control the metal oxide material production thermal process and is configured to control the cooling of the metal oxide material 7. The cooling device 9 is configured to cool the metal oxide material 7 discharged from the hardening device 3. The cooled metal oxide material is designated with reference numeral 10.

[0112] The cooling device 9 comprises a first heat transfer facility 11 configured to transfer a first thermal energy content HE′ to the curing device 3. The first thermal energy content HE′ is partly recovered from the metal oxide material 7 that retains thermal energy.

[0113] The metal aggregate production arrangement 1 includes a second heat transfer facility 13 configured to transfer a second thermal energy content HE″ from the hardening device 3 to the cooling device 9 to provide cooling of the metal oxide material 7.

[0114] The second thermal energy content HE″ is generated by the metal oxide material production thermal process in the hardening device 3. The second thermal energy content HE″ is thus recovered from the metal oxide material production thermal process.

[0115] The second thermal energy content HE″ may comprise low-grade heat, so-called waste heat, produced by and recovered from the hardener 3 (e.g. recovered from the drying zone, and / or the preheating zone, and / or the oxidation zone, and / or the sintering zone).

[0116] Alternatively, further excess heat of the metal oxide material 7 released from the cooling device 9 can be extracted by an additional cooling zone ACZ and transported again to the hardening device 3 and / or to an external private heat supplier 8, such as a heat distribution company.

[0117] Alternatively, the cooling device 9 includes a metal oxide material discharge device 10 for discharging the cooled metal oxide material 7 .

[0118] In this manner, a closed loop of thermal energy including the waste heat discharged from the curing apparatus is achieved, whereby the waste heat (containing a second thermal energy content) is used to slow down the cooling rate of the metal oxide material so that it can be reused by the metal oxide material production thermal process carried out by the curing apparatus.

[0119] In this manner, by utilizing waste heat energy (low-grade thermal energy), energy-efficient operation of the metal aggregate production configuration 1 is achieved, while at the same time the cooling rate of the metal oxide material in the cooling device 9 is slowed down in a controllable manner and waste heat energy from the cooling device is recovered.

[0120] 2 illustrates a metal aggregate production setup 1 according to a second example. A first thermal energy content HE' is transferred from the cooling device 9 to the hardening device 3, this first thermal energy content HE' being partially recovered from the metal oxide material 7 retaining the thermal energy TE provided by the hardening device 3. A second thermal energy content HE'' is transferred from the hardening device 3 to the cooling device 9 in order to cool the metal oxide material 7. The metal oxide material 7 retains the thermal energy TE resulting from the metal oxide material production thermal process MTE.

[0121] By transferring the second thermal energy content HE″ (low-grade thermal energy) recovered from the hardener 3 providing the metal oxide material production thermal process MTE to the cooler 9 and by utilizing this low-grade thermal energy for cooling, the cooling rate for cooling the metal oxide material 7 is slowed down compared to prior art coolers while at the same time the low-grade thermal energy from the hardener 3 is efficiently reused.

[0122] 3 illustrates a cooling device 9 of a metal aggregate production arrangement according to a third example. The cooling device 9 includes a first heat transfer facility 11 configured to transfer a first thermal energy content HE' to a hardening device (not shown). The first thermal energy content HE' is partially recovered from the metal oxide material 7 that retains thermal energy resulting from the metal oxide material production thermal process MTE provided by the hardening device. The metal aggregate production arrangement includes a second heat transfer facility 13 configured to transfer a second thermal energy content HE'' from the hardening device to the cooling device 9 to provide cooling of the metal oxide material 7.

[0123] The cooling device 9 includes a heat storage element 31 configured to store a first thermal energy storage content 33 transferred from the metal oxide material 7 that is discharged from the curing device into the cooling device 9.

[0124] Alternatively, the heat storage element 31 is configured to store a second thermal energy storage content 35 of the second thermal energy content HE″ transferred by the second heat transfer facility 13 from the curing device.

[0125] Alternatively, the thermal storage element 31 is configured to fully or partially store the first thermal energy content HE' and / or to fully or partially store the second thermal energy content HE'' and / or to fully or partially store the first thermal energy storage content 33 and / or to fully or partially store the second thermal energy storage content 35.

[0126] Alternatively, the heat storage element 31 is formed as a support member 32 configured to support the metal oxide material 7 .

[0127] Alternatively, the support member 32 is configured to support the metal oxide material 7 and / or to store thermal energy and / or to vent thermal energy.

[0128] Alternatively, the support member 32 is configured to store thermal energy from the metal oxide material 7 and is configured to store the second thermal energy content HE″ and / or to eject the first thermal energy content HE′ to the curing device.

[0129] Alternatively, the support member 32 is configured to cool the metal oxide material 7, where the first thermal energy content HE' partially comprises the second thermal energy content HE''.

[0130] Alternatively, the metal oxide material 7 is uniformly distributed on the support member 32 of the cooling device 9 .

[0131] In this manner, a closed loop of thermal energy including the waste heat discharged from the curing device is achieved, whereby the waste heat (containing a second thermal energy content) is used to slow down the cooling rate of the metal oxide material so that it can be reused by the metal oxide material production thermal process carried out by the curing device.

[0132] FIG. 4 illustrates a metal aggregate production setup 1 according to a fourth example.

[0133] The curing apparatus 3 includes a drying zone DZ configured to dry the metal ore material 5. Alternatively, the drying zone DZ includes an updraft drying zone UDD and / or a downdraft drying zone DDD.

[0134] The hardening device 3 further comprises a heating zone HZ configured to preheat the metal ore material 5. The heating zone HZ may comprise a temperature controlled preheating zone TPH and a preheating zone PHZ.

[0135] The curing apparatus 3 further includes an oxidation zone OZ configured to oxidize the metal ore material 5, and a sintering zone SZ configured to sinter the preheated and oxidized metal ore material 5 into a metal oxide material 7 that retains thermal energy resulting from the metal oxide material production thermal process provided by the curing apparatus 3.

[0136] The thermal energy retaining metal oxide material 7 is transferred from the curing device 3 to a cooling device 9 .

[0137] Alternatively, the cooling device 9 includes a first cooling section C1, a second cooling section C2, a third cooling section C3, a fourth cooling section C4 and a fifth cooling section C5.

[0138] Alternatively, the cooling device 9 includes a heat storage element 31 configured to store the first thermal energy storage content 33 transferred from the metal oxide material 7 .

[0139] Alternatively, the thermal storage element 31 is configured to store a second thermal energy storage content 35 transferred from a second thermal energy content HE'' transferred from the curing device.

[0140] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content HE″ is transferred to the metal oxide material 7 exiting the cooling device 9 .

[0141] Alternatively, the first heat transfer arrangement and / or the second heat transfer arrangement of the cooling device 9 constitute the heat storage element 31 completely or partly.

[0142] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content HE″ is fully or partially added to the first thermal energy content HE′ and transferred again to the curing device 3 .

[0143] Alternatively, the heat storage element 31 is configured to transfer thermal energy to the curing apparatus 3 (e.g., to the drying zone DZ, and / or the temperature-controlled preheating zone TPH, and / or the preheating zone PHZ, and / or the oxidation zone OZ, and / or the sintering zone SZ).

[0144] Alternatively, the thermal storage element 31 is configured to extract thermal energy to the support member by convection and / or radiation.

[0145] Alternatively, the heat storage element 31 is formed as a support member configured to store thermal energy from the metal oxide material 7 and configured to store a second thermal energy content HE″ and / or configured to discharge a first thermal energy content HE′ to the curing device 3.

[0146] Alternatively, the first thermal energy content HE′ is recovered (partially or completely) from the metal oxide material 7 which retains thermal energy resulting from the metal oxide material producing thermal process provided by the curing device 3 .

[0147] Alternatively, the heat storage element 31 is configured to absorb (partially or completely) a first thermal energy content HE' from the metal oxide material 7 discharged from the hardening device 3 to the cooling device 9, and is configured to absorb a second thermal energy content HE'' of low-grade heat (waste heat) recovered from the hardening device 3 (e.g. recovered from the drying zone DZ, and / or the heating zone HZ, and / or the oxidation zone OZ, and / or the sintering zone SZ).

[0148] Alternatively, the heat storage element 31 includes a first heat storage element 36 and a second heat storage element 38 .

[0149] Alternatively, the first thermal storage element 36 and the second thermal storage element 38 are configured to store the first thermal energy storage content 33 .

[0150] Alternatively, the first thermal storage element 36 and the second thermal storage element 38 are configured to store a second thermal energy storage content 35 .

[0151] Alternatively, the first heat storage element 36 is arranged in a first air cooling chamber 1AC of the first cooling section C1.

[0152] Alternatively, the second heat storage element 38 is arranged in a second air cooling chamber 2AC of the second cooling section C2.

[0153] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content HE″ of the low-grade heat (exhaust heat) recovered from the hardener 3 is provided by a heat exchanger 44 which transfers heat from the exhaust gas to the process gas carrying the second thermal energy content HE″.

[0154] Alternatively, the exhaust gas from the downward draft drying section DDD may be referred to as the first cooling air 1AA, which is fed directly or via a heat exchanger 44 into the first air cooling chamber 1AC and / or the second air cooling chamber 2AC.

[0155] Alternatively, the first air cooling chamber 1AC and the second air cooling chamber 2AC are configured to cool the metal oxide material 7 transferred from the curing device 3.

[0156] Alternatively, the first cooling air 1AA comprises thermal energy originating from the drying section DZ of the curing device 3 .

[0157] Alternatively, the first cooling air 1AA comprises thermal energy originating from an upward draft drying section UDD and / or from a downward draft drying section DDD of the hardening device 3 .

[0158] Alternatively, the first cooling air 1AA comprises low-grade thermal energy originating from a drying chamber DC which includes a drying zone DZ (preferably a downward draft drying zone DDD).

[0159] Alternatively, the drying chamber DC is configured to dry the metal ore material.

[0160] Alternatively, the exhaust gas from the temperature-controlled preheating section TPH may be referred to as the second cooling air 2AA, which is fed directly or via a heat exchanger 44 into the first air cooling chamber 1AC and / or the second air cooling chamber 2AC.

[0161] Alternatively, the second cooling air 2AA comprises thermal energy originating from the heating zone HZ of the hardening device 3 .

[0162] Alternatively, the second cooling air 2AA includes thermal energy originating from the thermostatic preheating section TPH.

[0163] Alternatively, the second cooling air 2AA comprises low-grade thermal energy originating from a thermostatic preheat chamber TC that includes a thermostatic preheat zone TPH.

[0164] Alternatively, the temperature controlled preheat chamber TC is configured to preheat the metal ore material.

[0165] Alternatively, the exhaust gas from the preheating zone PHZ may be referred to as the third cooling air 3AA, which is fed directly or via a heat exchanger 44 into the first air cooling chamber 1AC and / or the second air cooling chamber 2AC.

[0166] Alternatively, the third cooling air 3AA comprises thermal energy originating from a preheating zone PHZ of the curing device 3 .

[0167] Alternatively, the third cooling air 3AA contains low-grade thermal energy originating from a preheat chamber PC including a preheat zone PHZ.

[0168] Alternatively, the pre-heating chamber PC is configured to pre-heat the metal ore material.

[0169] Alternatively, the pre-heat chamber PC is configured to oxidize a metallic ore material, such as a magnetite material, which releases additional thermal energy to the pre-heat chamber PC (oxidizing the magnetite material to a hematite material).

[0170] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content of the first cooling air 1AA and / or the second cooling air 2AA and / or the third cooling air 3AA comprises low-grade thermal energy resulting from a metal oxide material production thermal process.

[0171] Alternatively, the first cooling air 1AA is fed into the first air cooling chamber 1AC and / or the second air cooling chamber 2AC to cool the metal oxide material 7 transferred from the curing device 3.

[0172] Alternatively, a second cooling air 2AA is fed into the first air cooling chamber 1AC and / or the second air cooling chamber 2AC to cool the metal oxide material 7 transferred from the curing device 3.

[0173] Alternatively, a third cooling air 3AA is fed into the first air cooling chamber 1AC and / or the second air cooling chamber 2AC to cool the metal oxide material 7 transferred from the curing device 3.

[0174] Alternatively, the first cooling air 1AA comprises low-grade thermal energy originating from the drying chamber DC of the curing device 3 .

[0175] Alternatively, the second cooling air 2AA comprises low-grade thermal energy originating from a thermostatic preheat chamber TC of the curing device 3 .

[0176] Alternatively, the third cooling air 3AA comprises low-grade thermal energy originating from the preheat chamber PC of the curing device 3 .

[0177] Thus, the metal oxide material 7 transferred from the curing device 3 into the cooling device 9 is cooled by the cooling device 9, while the first cooling air 1AA, and / or the second cooling air 2AA, and / or the third cooling air 3AA are heated by the metal oxide material 7 (transferred from the curing device 3 into the cooling device 9) and / or by the heat storage element 31 (preferably by the first heat storage element 36 and / or the second heat storage element 38).

[0178] Thus, the metal oxide material (e.g. metal agglomerates in the form of pellets) is cooled in the cooling device 9, with the first cooling air 1AA and / or the second cooling air 2AA and / or the third cooling air 3AA constituting the second thermal energy content HE″ of low-grade heat.

[0179] Alternatively, the heat exchange device 44 is configured to convert thermal energy from the exhaust gas (the first cooled air 1AA, and / or the second cooled air 2AA, and / or the third cooled air 3AA) into a process gas carrying a second thermal energy content HE″ which is fed to the first air cooling chamber 1AC and / or the second air cooling chamber 2AC.

[0180] Alternatively, the control circuitry of the metal aggregate manufacturing arrangement 1 is configured to control the use of combustion fuel for heating the metal ore material in the hardening apparatus, and / or to control the temperature of the metal ore material, and / or to control an oxidation process of the metal ore material (e.g., oxidation of magnetite ore), and the control circuitry is configured to take into account the first thermal energy content HE' to manage said control.

[0181] Alternatively, the support members include a first cooling zone support member for the first cooling zone, a second cooling zone support member for the second cooling zone, a third cooling zone support member for the third cooling zone, a fourth cooling zone support member for the fourth cooling zone, and / or a fifth cooling zone support member for the fifth cooling zone.

[0182] By introducing a second thermal energy into the support member, the first thermal energy content HE' absorbed by the support member will be reduced relative to the prior art, which in turn means that the metal oxide material will cool slower (the cooling rate will be reduced).

[0183] Alternatively, the heat energy content HE' includes thermal energy.

[0184] Alternatively, the cooling device 9 is configured to cool the metal oxide material discharged from the curing device continuously or in a stepwise cooling procedure within the cooling device 9, and the cooling device 9 includes a metal oxide material discharge device 10 configured to discharge the cooled metal oxide material 7 from the cooling device.

[0185] Alternatively, the cooling device is configured to provide further oxidation of the metal oxide material discharged from the curing device.

[0186] Alternatively, the metal oxide material includes an iron oxide material, for example magnetite, which is subjected to oxidation and releases further heat energy in addition to the first heat energy content depending on the oxygen content in the magnetite.

[0187] Alternatively, the metal ore material is heated to achieve a pre-heated state of the metal ore material by oxidizing said metal ore material (oxidizing magnetite to hematite).

[0188] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content originates from the metal oxide material production thermal process and includes waste heat energy, i.e. unused heat energy of the first thermal energy content for heating the metal ore material, and / or drying gas, and / or downward draught drying gas, and / or temperature-regulating preheating medium, and / or unused heat energy of the oxidation of the metal ore material.

[0189] Alternatively, the metal ore material is heated by heated updraft drying gas and / or by heated downdraft drying gas.

[0190] Alternatively, the metal ore material is heated by a temperature-controlled preheating medium (a solid or a fluid as a gas) to achieve a preheated state of the metal ore material.

[0191] Alternatively, the heated upward draft drying gas and / or the heated downward draft drying gas and / or the temperature-regulating preheating medium are heated by a heating device (such as a gas burner) of the curing device 3 .

[0192] Alternatively, the heating device includes a downdraft drying gas heating unit configured to heat the downdraft drying gas.

[0193] Alternatively, the heating apparatus includes a pre-heating medium heating unit configured to heat the metal ore material.

[0194] Alternatively, the heating device includes an oxidation unit configured to oxidize the metal ore material to generate heat.

[0195] Alternatively, the heating apparatus includes a furnace apparatus, such as a kiln apparatus, or any suitable calcining apparatus configured to sinter the metal ore material.

[0196] Alternatively, the low-grade thermal energy of the second thermal energy content HE'' comprises thermal energy resulting from the oxidation of the metallic ore material.

[0197] Alternatively, excess thermal energy from the kiln equipment (sintering process) is delivered to the preheating zone PHZ.

[0198] Alternatively, a portion of the second thermal energy content is transferred to the first thermal energy content.

[0199] In this way, it is realized that the heat storage element 31 of the cooling device 9 generates additional heat to the drying zone DZ and / or the temperature controlled preheating zone TPH and / or the preheating zone PHZ for drying / heating the metal ore material and at the same time slows down the cooling rate for cooling the metal oxide material in the cooling device 9.

[0200] Alternatively, the first fluid, such as a cooled process gas, is heated by exhaust gas discharged from the drying zone DZ, and / or the temperature controlled preheating zone TPH, and / or the preheating zone PHZ.

[0201] Alternatively, a second fluid, such as a heated process gas, is delivered from the cooling device to the curing device 3 to add heat to the metal oxide material production thermal process.

[0202] In this way, the cooling air fed to the cooling device 9 will be heated, which implies that the heat storage element 31 will be cooled slowly and thus the temperature of the second fluid will increase.

[0203] In this manner, the metal oxide material in the cooling device 9 will be cooled slowly as it is conveyed through the cooling device, thereby facilitating the application of additional cooling zones (external or internal) to extract additional thermal energy to be added to the second fluid.

[0204] In this manner, thermal energy from the further cooling section can be reused.

[0205] In this way, the cooling device 9 can be used primarily as a heat storage unit used to deliver additional thermal energy to the metal oxide material production thermal process of the hardening device 3 in an optimal manner.

[0206] This is realized by means of thermal energy of a second thermal energy content HE″, which comprises low-grade heat recovered from the thermal processes for producing metal oxide materials, the so-called waste heat.

[0207] In this manner, the thermal energy of the metal oxide material is stored within the cooling device 9 for an extended period of time, which suggests that further thermal energy can be added to the second fluid.

[0208] The additional thermal energy produced by the thermal storage element 31 may be used to increase the temperature of the second fluid and / or to increase the mass flow rate of the second fluid.

[0209] This allows for an increase in the temperature of the metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process.

[0210] The temperatures of the metal oxide material production thermal processes can reach temperatures of about 1000-1100° C. in this manner, suggesting a cost-effective production of metal oxide materials.

[0211] Assuming that a temperature of about 1250°C is required for heating and / or calcining the metal ore material in the sintering zone, the thermal work of the fuel used in the metal aggregate production configuration can be reduced by about 25-30% compared to the prior art.

[0212] In this manner, a slowdown in the cooling rate of the metal oxide material is achieved, which in turn suggests that an additional cooling section can be added to the cooling device, which can be used to recover additional heat extracted from the cooling device.

[0213] In this manner, a closed loop of thermal energy including the waste heat discharged from the curing device is achieved, whereby the waste heat (containing a second thermal energy content) is used to slow down the cooling rate of the metal oxide material so that it can be reused by the metal oxide material production thermal process carried out by the curing device.

[0214] 5 illustrates a metal aggregate production arrangement 1 according to a fifth example. The metal aggregate production arrangement 1 includes a hardening device 3 configured to provide a metal oxide material production thermal process including hardening a metal ore material 5 into a metal oxide material 7, and configured to discharge the metal oxide material 7, which retains thermal energy resulting from the metal oxide material production thermal process, to a cooling device 9 of the arrangement 1.

[0215] The metal aggregate production arrangement 1 includes a control circuit 50 configured to control the metal oxide material production thermal process and to control the cooling device 9 to an optimal cooling rate and to recycle excess thermal energy recovered from the hardening device 3. The control circuit is electrically coupled to a first central processing unit CPU' and electrically coupled to a second central processing unit CPU'', which are configured to monitor and control the operation of the metal aggregate production arrangement 1.

[0216] The cooling device 9 is configured to cool the metal oxide material 7 discharged from the hardening device 3. The cooling device 9 comprises a first heat transfer arrangement 11 configured to transfer a first thermal energy content HE′ to the hardening device 3.

[0217] A first thermal energy content HE′ of the first fluid is recovered from said thermal energy retaining metal oxide material 7. The metal aggregate production arrangement 1 comprises a second heat transfer facility 13 configured to transfer a second thermal energy content HE″ from the hardening device 3 to the cooling device 9.

[0218] The second thermal energy content HE″ is carried by the process gas (second fluid) and is introduced into the cooling device 9 for cooling the metal oxide material 7. The heat exchange device 44 is configured to convert thermal energy from the exhaust gases discharged from the drying zone DZ, the preheating zone PHZ and the oxidation zone OZ of the hardening device 3 into the second thermal energy content HE″ of the second fluid. The second thermal energy content HE″ is thus recovered from the metal oxide material production thermal process. By means of the second thermal energy content HE″, the cooling rate of the cooling of the metal oxide material 7 can be slowed down compared to the prior art. The second thermal energy content HE″ comprises low-grade thermal energy recovered from the hardening device 3. The second thermal energy content HE″ is partially added to the first thermal energy content HE′. The second heat transfer equipment 13 includes a first air cooling chamber 1AC configured to cool the metal oxide material 7 in the first step, and includes a second air cooling chamber 2AC configured to cool the metal oxide material 7 in the second step.

[0219] The control circuit 50 of the metal aggregate production arrangement 1 is configured to control the metal oxide material production thermal process by taking into account the temperature and / or mass flow rate of the first thermal energy content HE' and / or the temperature and / or mass flow rate of the second thermal energy content HE'' in an optimal manner for an energy-efficient production of cooled metal oxide material. The control circuit 50 can be fed with data from a metal aggregate production cooling model determined by an operator of the metal oxide material production or by a production operating data program configured from given parameters from an optimal cooling rate for realizing an energy-efficient and optimal reuse of the surplus low-grade thermal energy from the hardening device 3.

[0220] 6 illustrates a cooling device 9 of a metal aggregate production configuration according to a sixth example. The cooling device 9 includes a single cooling section C of an air cooling chamber AC. A second thermal energy content HE″ is recovered from the exhaust heat of a metal oxide material production thermal process and introduced into the single cooling section C to slow down the cooling rate of the metal oxide material.

[0221] The cooling device 9 may include a second cooling zone C2, a third cooling zone C3 and a fourth cooling zone C4, and the second thermal energy content HE'' may be introduced into all the cooling zones to heat the respective heater elements 66.

[0222] 7 illustrates a cooling device 9 of a metal aggregate production configuration according to a seventh example. The cooling device 9 includes a first cooling zone C1, a second cooling zone C2, a third cooling zone C3, a fourth cooling zone C4, and a fifth cooling zone C5. A second thermal energy content HE″ is recovered from the exhaust heat of the metal oxide material production thermal process and is introduced into the cooling zones to slow down the cooling rate of the metal oxide material.

[0223] The cooling device 9 may comprise a sixth cooling section C6, into which the second thermal energy content HE'' may likewise be introduced.

[0224] In this manner, a closed loop of thermal energy including the waste heat discharged from the curing device is achieved, whereby the waste heat (containing a second thermal energy content) is used to slow down the cooling rate of the metal oxide material and is reused by the metal oxide material production thermal process carried out by the curing device.

[0225] FIG. 8 illustrates a metal aggregate production configuration 1 according to an eighth example. Metal ore material 5 is transported through a straight grate device 81. Metal oxide material production thermal processes carried out by the straight grate device 81 include drying, preheating, hardening, and cooling. Thermal energy from the later process steps is circulated back to the previous steps by hot air using a duct and fan system, referenced 83. The cooling process is referenced 84. Waste heat energy 86 from the drying, preheating, and hardening processes SG is fed to a heat exchanger 44 to heat a process gas PG fed to the cooling process 84, which is used to cool the produced metal oxide material 7 at a slower cooling rate, making it possible to establish a further cooling zone 88.

[0226] In this manner, a closed loop of thermal energy is realized, including the waste thermal energy discharged from the drying device, the preheating device and the curing device, which allows the waste thermal energy to be used to cool the metal oxide material and the thermal energy to slow down the cooling rate of the metal oxide material, which is thus reused by the metal oxide material production thermal process carried out by the curing device.

[0227] 9 illustrates a metal aggregate production arrangement 1 according to a ninth example. The metal aggregate production arrangement 1 includes a hardener 3 configured to provide a metal oxide material production thermal process including hardening a metal ore material 5 into a metal oxide material 7, and configured to discharge the metal oxide material 7, which retains thermal energy resulting from the metal oxide material production thermal process, to a cooling arrangement 9.

[0228] The cooling device 9 is configured to cool the metal oxide material 7 discharged from the hardening device 3. The cooling device 9 comprises a first heat transfer arrangement 11 configured to transfer a first thermal energy content HE′ to the hardening device 3.

[0229] A first thermal energy content HE' of the first fluid is recovered from the metal oxide material 7 that retains said thermal energy. The metal aggregate production arrangement 1 comprises a second heat transfer facility 13 configured to transfer a second thermal energy content HE'' from the hardening device 3 to a cooling device 9. The cooling device 9 comprises a first cooling zone C1, a second cooling zone C2, a third cooling zone C3, a fourth cooling zone C4 and a fifth cooling zone C5.

[0230] Preferably, a second thermal energy content HE″ is introduced into the first cooling zone C1 and into the second cooling zone C2 in order to efficiently reuse the thermal energy transferred from the cooling device 9 back to the hardening device 3.

[0231] The fifth cooling section C5 can be used to recover excess thermal energy from the cooled metal oxide material and transfer it to a first heat exchange device Z configured to recover the excess thermal energy.

[0232] In this way, reuse of the thermal energy extracted from the generated metal oxide material 7 by the curing device 3 is achieved.

[0233] In this manner, reuse of the thermal energy extracted from the produced metal oxide material 7 by external private heat suppliers such as heat distribution companies 98 is achieved.

[0234] The metal aggregate production arrangement 1 may include a control circuit (not shown) configured to control a metal oxide material production thermal process. The control circuit of the metal aggregate production arrangement 1 is configured to control said metal oxide material production thermal process by taking into account the first thermal energy content HE′ and / or the second thermal energy content HE″.

[0235] The curing device 3 includes a drying section DZ including an upward draft drying section UDD and a downward draft drying section DDD.

[0236] The upward draft drying section UDD can be used to recover and transfer excess thermal energy from a drying process configured to dry the metal ore material 5 to a second heat exchanger Y configured to recover excess thermal energy to be reused in any suitable facility 99 of the hardening device 3.

[0237] The hardening apparatus 3 further includes a heating zone HZ configured to preheat the metal ore material 5. The heating zone HZ includes a temperature controlled preheating zone TPH and a preheating zone PH. The hardening apparatus 3 further includes a kiln unit K configured to oxidize and sinter the metal ore material. The kiln unit K includes a heating burner element 92.

[0238] The second thermal energy content HE″ recovered from the downward draft drying section DDD, the temperature-controlled preheating section TPH and the preheating section PH is thus transferred to the cooling device 9 to slow down the cooling rate of the metal oxide material 7. Waste heat energy 96 from the downward draft drying, temperature-controlled preheating and preheating processes is fed to the heat exchanger 94 to heat the process gas PG transferred to the cooling device 9, which is used to slow down the cooling rate and cool the produced metal oxide material 7. The second thermal energy content HE″ comprises low-grade thermal energy recovered from the hardening device 3.

[0239] The cooling device 9 comprises a heat storage element 91 configured to store a first thermal energy storage content transferred to the heat storage element 91 from the metal oxide material 7, which is discharged from the curing device into the cooling device 9. The heat storage element 91 is further configured to store a second thermal energy storage content of a second thermal energy content HE″ transferred from the curing device 3 via the second heat transfer facility 13.

[0240] Alternatively, the second thermal energy content HE″ is partially added to the first thermal energy content HE′ via the thermal storage element 91 .

[0241] Alternatively, the heat storage element 91 is configured to fully or partially store the first thermal energy content HE' and / or to fully or partially store the second thermal energy content HE" and / or to fully or partially store the first thermal energy storage content and / or to fully or partially store the second thermal energy storage content. The heat storage element 91 is formed as a support member configured to support the metal oxide material 7 transported through the cooling device 9. The heat storage element 91 is configured to store thermal energy from the metal oxide material 7 and is configured to store the second thermal energy content HE".

[0242] Alternatively, the first heat energy content HE' constitutes a portion of the thermal energy of the metal oxide material resulting from said metal oxide material producing thermal process.

[0243] The heat storage element 91 is configured to discharge a first thermal energy content HE' to a curing device.

[0244] The second heat transfer equipment 13 includes a first air cooling chamber (first cooling section C1) configured to cool the metal oxide material 7 in the first step, and includes a second air cooling chamber (second cooling section C2) configured to cool the metal oxide material 7 in the second step.

[0245] The heat exchange unit 94 of the second heat transfer facility 13 is coupled between the curing device 3 and the cooling device 9 via the first piping P1.

[0246] The cooling device 9 is coupled to the curing unit 3 via a second pipe P2.

[0247] 10 illustrates a flow chart showing an exemplary method of producing metal aggregates by a metal aggregate production arrangement, the metal aggregate production arrangement being configured to provide a metal oxide material production thermal process including hardening a metal ore material into a metal oxide material, and including a hardening device configured to discharge a metal oxide material retaining thermal energy resulting from the metal oxide material production thermal process to a cooling device of the arrangement, and a control circuit configured to control the metal oxide material production thermal process, the cooling device being configured to cool the metal oxide material discharged from the hardening device, the cooling device including a first heat transfer facility configured to transfer a first heat energy content to the hardening device, the first heat energy content being recovered from the metal oxide material retaining thermal energy. A second heat transfer facility is configured to transfer a second heat energy content from the hardening device to the cooling device to cool the metal oxide material, the second heat energy content being recovered from the metal oxide material production thermal process. In step 101, the method is started. In step 102, the method is executed. In step 103, the method is stopped.

[0248] Step 102 may include hardening the metal ore material into a metal oxide material, transferring a second thermal energy content from the hardening device to a cooling device, cooling the metal oxide material discharged from the hardening device, transferring a first thermal energy content to the hardening device for the metal oxide material producing thermal process, and discharging the metal oxide material from the cooling device.

[0249] FIG. 11 illustrates a flow chart showing an exemplary method for producing metal aggregates according to the metal aggregate production configuration mentioned in FIG. 10. In step 111, the method is started. Step 112 includes hardening the metal ore material into a metal oxide material. Step 113 includes transferring a second thermal energy content from the hardening device to a cooling device. Step 114 includes cooling the metal oxide material discharged from the hardening device. Step 115 includes transferring a first thermal energy content to the hardening device for the metal oxide material production thermal process. Step 116 includes discharging the metal oxide material from the cooling device. In step 117, the method is stopped.

[0250] The method may include storing thermal energy and a second thermal energy content with a thermal storage element of a cooling device, and discharging the first thermal energy content from the cooling device to a curing device.

[0251] Figure 12 illustrates a control circuit 50 of the metal aggregate manufacturing configuration 1 shown, for example, in Figure 5. The control circuit 50 can include a central processing unit electrically coupled to a plurality of sensors and control circuits of the metal aggregate manufacturing configuration 1 for operating the metal aggregate manufacturing configuration 1.

[0252] For example, each cooling zone may include a respective temperature sensor electrically coupled to the control circuitry 50 .

[0253] The control circuitry 50 may include a computer that includes a non-volatile memory NVM 1220 constituting a computer memory capable of retaining stored information even when the computer is not powered. The NVM 1220 includes a first memory unit 1230. The control circuitry 50 further includes a processing unit 1210 and a read / write memory 1250.

[0254] A computer program (which may be of any type suitable for any operating database) is stored in the first memory unit 1230 for controlling the functionality of the control circuit 50. Furthermore, the control circuit 50 includes a bus controller (not shown) and a serial communication port (not shown) that provides a physical interface through which information travels separately in two directions. The control circuit 50 also includes any suitable type of I / O module (not shown) that provides the transfer of input / output signals, an A / D converter (not shown) for converting continuously changing signals from sensors (not shown) of the metal aggregate manufacturing configuration 1 into a binary code suitable for a computer.

[0255] The control circuit 50 also includes an input / output unit (not shown) for adapting the time and date. The control circuit 50 further includes an event counter (not shown) for counting the number of event multiples resulting from independent cooling sequences of the metal oxide material cooled by the cooling device.

[0256] Additionally, the control circuit 50 includes an interrupt unit (not shown) associated with the computer to provide multitasking capabilities and real-time computer processing. The NVM 1220 also includes a second memory unit 1240 for externally controlled operation.

[0257] A data medium storing a program P including a driver routine is adapted to control gas flow valves (not shown) of the first and second heat transfer facilities, and a fan system is configured to deliver the first and second thermal energy contents and provide curing temperature control. A driver routine is provided for operating the control circuit 50 to perform steps of any of the exemplary methods described herein. The driver routine can be adapted to provide automated or semi-automated production of cooled metal oxide materials.

[0258] The data medium storing the program P includes computer readable program code stored on the medium for causing a computer to perform a method including the following: hardening a metal ore material into a metal oxide material; transferring a second thermal energy content from the hardening device to a cooling device; cooling the metal oxide material discharged from the hardening device; transferring a first thermal energy content to the hardening device for the metal oxide material production thermal process; and discharging the metal oxide material from the cooling device.

[0259] The data medium storing the program P may further be stored in a separate memory 1260 and / or in the read / write memory 1250. The data medium storing the program P is stored in this example in executable format or in compressed data format.

[0260] It will be appreciated that the processing unit 1210 may perform certain functions that involve the processing unit 1210 executing certain portions of a program stored in a separate memory 1260 or certain portions of a program stored in the read / write memory 1250.

[0261] The processing unit 1210 is associated with a data port 1299 for communicating via a first data bus 1215. The non-volatile memory NVM 1220 is adapted to communicate with the processing unit 1210 via a second data bus 1212. The separate memory 1260 is adapted to communicate with the processing unit 1210 via a third data bus 1211. The read / write memory 1250 is adapted to communicate with the processing unit 1210 via a fourth data bus 1214. The data port 1299 may be connectable to, for example, a data link of the metal aggregate manufacturing configuration 1 shown in FIG.

[0262] When data is received by the data port 1299, the data will be temporarily stored in the second memory unit 1240. Once the received data has been temporarily stored, the processing unit 1210 will be ready to execute the program code according to the steps described above.

[0263] Preferably, the signal (received by data port 1299) includes information regarding the operating status of the metal aggregate production configuration 1, for example operating status regarding temperatures in different cooling zones, cooling rates, gas flow rates, metal oxide material discharge, actual thermal energy recovery status, etc.

[0264] The signals can be used by the control circuitry 50 to control and monitor the semi-automatic or automatic metal aggregate manufacturing setup 1 in a cost-effective manner.

[0265] The information may be measured by sensors and / or may be manually sent to the control circuit 50 via a suitable communication device, such as a personal computer display.

[0266] Each part of the method can also be performed by the control circuit 50, the computer executing a data medium storing the program P stored in a separate memory 1260 or in the read / write memory 1250. When the computer executes the program P, the steps of the appropriate method disclosed herein are performed. A data medium for storing the program P can be provided, which data medium is readable on the computer.

[0267] The present disclosure is, of course, in no way limited to the above-described illustrative examples, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that there are many possibilities to modify or combine the illustrative examples of the present disclosure without departing from the fundamental concept of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A metal aggregate manufacturing configuration (1), comprising: - a hardening device (3) configured to provide a metal oxide material production thermal process (MTE) comprising hardening a metal ore material (5) into a metal oxide material (7) and configured to discharge said metal oxide material (7) retaining thermal energy (TE) resulting from said metal oxide material production thermal process (MTE) into a cooling device (9) of said arrangement (1); - a control circuit (50) configured to control said metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process; Including, - said cooling device (9) is configured to cool said metal oxide material (7) discharged from said curing device (3); said cooling device (9) comprises a first heat transfer facility (11) adapted to transfer a first thermal energy content (HE′) recovered from said metal oxide material (7) retaining said thermal energy (TE) to said hardening device (3), said arrangement comprising: a second heat transfer facility (13) configured to transfer a second thermal energy content (HE″) recovered from the metal oxide material production thermal process (MTE) from the hardening device (3) to the cooling device (9) in order to cool the metal oxide material (7).

2. 2. The metal aggregate manufacturing setup (1) of claim 1, wherein the second thermal energy content (HE'') comprises low-grade thermal energy recovered from the hardener (3).

3. 2. The metal aggregate production setup (1) according to claim 1, wherein said second thermal energy content (HE'') is fully or partially added to said first thermal energy content (HE').

4. 2. The metal aggregate production arrangement (1) of claim 1, wherein the second heat transfer facility (13) comprises a first air cooling chamber (1AC) configured to cool the metal oxide material (7) in a first step and a second air cooling chamber (2AC) configured to cool the metal oxide material (7) in a second step.

5. 2. The metal aggregate production arrangement (1) according to claim 1, wherein a heat exchange unit (44) of the second heat transfer facility (13) is coupled between the hardening device (3) and the cooling device (9).

6. 2. The metal aggregate production configuration (1) of claim 1, wherein the control circuit of the metal aggregate production configuration (1) is configured to control the metal oxide material production thermal process by taking into account the first thermal energy content (HE') and / or the second thermal energy content (HE'').

7. A method for producing a metal aggregate by the metal aggregate production configuration (1) according to claim 1, comprising: - hardening said metal ore material (5) into said metal oxide material (7); - transferring said second thermal energy content (HE'') from said hardening device (3) to said cooling device (9); - cooling said metal oxide material (7) discharged from said curing device (3); - transferring said first thermal energy content (HE') to said hardening device (3) for said metal oxide material production thermal process (MTE); - discharging said metal oxide material (7) from said cooling device (9); The method includes:

8. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said second thermal energy content (HE'') comprises low-grade thermal energy recovered from said curing device (3).

9. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said second thermal energy content (HE'') is fully or partially added to said first thermal energy content (HE').

10. The cooling step further comprises: - storing said thermal energy (TE) and said second thermal energy content (HE'') by means of a heat storage element of said cooling device (9); - discharging said first thermal energy content (HE') from said cooling device (9) to said hardening device (3); The method of claim 7, comprising:

11. A data medium storing a data program (P) for programming a metal aggregate production arrangement (1) according to claims 1 to 6 to carry out an automatic or semi-automatic production of metal oxide materials, said data program (P) comprising a program code and adapted to cause said control circuit (50) to perform the steps of said method. - hardening said metal ore material (5) into said metal oxide material (7); - transferring said second thermal energy content (HE'') from said hardening device (3) to said cooling device (9); - cooling said metal oxide material (7) discharged from said curing device (3); - transferring said first thermal energy content (HE') to said hardening device (3) for said metal oxide material production thermal process (MTE); - discharging said metal oxide material (7) from said cooling device (9); A data medium readable on a computer of the control circuit (50) to execute the above steps.

12. A data medium product having a data program (P) and a program code stored on a data medium, the data medium being readable on the computer of the control circuit (50) for carrying out the steps of the method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, when the data program (P) of the data medium according to claim 1 is executed on a computer.

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