Iron production method of operation in a rotary hearth furnace and improved furnace apparatus

a technology production method, which is applied in the direction of furnace types, blast furnace components, blast furnaces, etc., can solve the problems of difficult removal or discharge of purified solid iron and low carbon product from the furnace, and achieve the effect of improving the utilization of rotary hearth furnaces and high purity
US20010052273A1Inactive Publication Date: 2001-12-20MIDREX INT B V ROTTERDAM
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
MIDREX INT B V ROTTERDAM
Publication Date
2001-12-20
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus and method for the direct reduction of iron oxide utilizing a rotary hearth furnace to form a high purity carbon-containing iron metal button. The hearth layer may be a refractory or a vitreous hearth layer of iron oxide, carbon, and silica compounds. Additionally, coating materials may be introduced onto the refractory or vitreous hearth layer before iron oxide ore and carbon materials are added, with the coating materials preventing attack of the molten iron on the hearth layer. The coating materials may include compounds of carbon, iron oxide, silicon oxide, magnesium oxide, and / or aluminum oxide. The coating materials may be placed as a solid or a slurry on the hearth layer and heated, which provides a protective layer onto which the iron oxide ores and carbon materials are placed. The iron oxide is reduced and forms molten globules of high purity iron and residual carbon, which remain separate from the hearth layer. An improved apparatus includes a cooling plate that is placed in close proximity with the refractory or vitreous hearth layer, cooling the molten globules to form iron metal buttons that are removed from the hearth layer. The improvements due to the present apparatus and method of operation provide high purity iron and carbon solid buttons, which are separate from slag particulates, and discharged without significant loss of iron product to the interior surfaces of the furnace.
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Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 108,045, filed on Nov. 12, 1998.

[0002] This invention relates to an apparatus and method for operation of an ore processing furnace for improved processing of iron oxide reduction. More particularly, this invention relates to the method of operation of a furnace for production of high purity iron and an improved furnace apparatus for iron reduction.

[0003] In 1987, Midrex received U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,214, that taught reduction in a rotary hearth furnace and a method of operation which required less energy and a smaller smelting furnace by introducing reductant gases and fuel into the rotary hearth furnace.

[0004] All major steelmaking processes require the input of iron bearing materials as process feedstocks. For a steelmaking method utilizing a basic oxygen furnace, the iron bearing materials are usually blast furnace hot metal and steel scrap. A broadly used iron source is a product known as Direct Re...

Claims

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