Hylsa, S.a.

Fierro Esponja, S.a.

Gilberto Guerra-Garcia

Enrique R Martinez-Vera

Patrick W MacKay

Juan F Price-Falcon

Jose L Tovalin

A double valve assembly for regulating the feed of particulate material to or from a pressure vessel comprises a valve casing containing a flow-regulating valve and pressure sealing valve in series. Particulate material is fed to the valve assembly through a feed tube located at the top of the casing. The flow-regulating valve comprises a dish-shaped valve member swingable from a first position wherein it confronts the bottom of the feed tube and blocks flow of material therethrough to a second position at one side of the feed tube. The bottom of the feed tube is constructed and arranged to guide the particulate material away from the second valve position and thereby facilitate swinging movement of the swingable member from its first to its second position.

Double valve assembly

Apparatus for breaking apart agglomerations of particulate matter flowing in a vessel (particularly useful ina pressurized moving-bed vertical-shaft reduction reactor for the production of sponge iron) is exemplified by an externally mounted hydraulic cylinder having access to the interior of said vessel through a probe port, the piston of said hydraulic cylinder being provided with a conical probe positioned so as to be normally retracted out from the interior of said vessel but extendable by said hydraulic cylinder into and across the interior of said vessel, preferably at the narrowed discharge portion thereof, whereby said probe is angled to extend downwardly in the direction of flow of said particulate matter as well as across said flow to engage and break up any agglomerations of particulate matter in its path. When used with a pressurized vessel, the probe may be uniquely adapted to function without reactor pressure loss by a housing for the probe, or alternatively for the entire probe and hydraulic cylinder, with said housing having open communication with said vessel, so as to minimize sealing problems with respect to the moving probe. In a reduction reactor, the probe is preferably mounted near the bottom of the cooling zone adjacent the narrowed discharge outlet so as normally to be retracted to avoid any obstruction of the uniform flow through the reactor, and yet be angled along and across the direction of flow to assist in the discharge and also intercept and break up agglomerations obstructing the narrowed discharge.

Apparatus for separating agglomerated particulate matter

A method for inhibiting carburization of metal-bearing material in the reduction zone of a vertical shaft, moving bed reactor for the direct gaseous reduction of iron ore to sponge iron. Carburization within the reduction zone is decreased by regulating the water vapor content of the reducing gas in any of various ways, e.g., by adding water vapor in the form of steam to the reducing gas either before it enters the reduction zone, while it is within the reduction zone, or after it leaves the reduction zone or by recirculating a portion of the effluent gas from the reactor and cooling the recirculated gas to a predetermined extent.

Growing community of inventors

Monterrey, Mexico

Gilberto Guerra-Garcia