Technological Resources Pty. Limited

John Alexander Innes

Robin John Batterham

Rod James Dry

Rodney James Dry

Gregory John Hardie

A direct smelting process for producing metals from metalliferous feed material is disclosed. The process includes forming a molten bath having a metal layer and a slag layer on the metal layer and smelting injected metalliferous feed material in the metal layer. The process also includes generating an upward gas flow from the metal layer which entrains molten material that is in the metal layer and carries the molten material into the slay layer and forms a region of turbulence at least at the interface of the slag layer and the metal layer. The process also includes injecting a gas into the slag layer via a plurality of lances/tuyeres and generating turbulence in an upper region of the slag layer and projecting splashes, droplets and streams of molten material from the slag layer into a top space of the vessel that is above the slag layer.

Direct smelting process and apparatus

A method of producing metals and metal alloys from metal oxides is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: (a) passing a gas at an elevated temperature through a bed of composite agglomerates that are formed from metal oxides and solid carbonaceous material and thereby reducing metal oxides in the agglomerates to metal and melting the metal; and (b) collecting the molten metal from the agglomerates.

Direct reduction of metal oxide agglomerates

A method and an apparatus for producing metals and metal alloys from metal oxides in a metallurgical vessel containing a molten bath having a metal layer and a slag layer is disclosed. The method is characterized by injecting a carrier gas and a solid carbonaceous material and/or metal oxides into the molten bath from a side of the vessel that is in contact with the molten bath or from above the molten bath so that the solids penetrate the molten bath and cause molten metal to be projected into the gas space above the molten bath to form a transition zone. The method is also characterized by injecting an oxygen-containing gas into the gas space to post-combust reaction gases released from the molten bath into the transition zone.

Method of producing metals and metal alloys

The production of highly metallized feed, an intermediate product produced solely by gaseous reductants in two stage reduction processes of that kind, encounters sticking problems, which interfere with continuous processing and productivity. This problem has been overcome by exploiting a high volatile carbonaceous material, such as coal, as the reducing agent for the (partially reduced) oxide ore starting material in the solid state prereduction stage of a duplex process, in which the final stage consists of smelting, to produce the final metal (alloy). Intermediate products of the first stage are char from the coal, which avoids the sticking problem, partially reduced ore and CO and H,, which participate in the prereduction. The process has particular application to iron ores, such as haematite and magnetite and similar derivatives, namely, chromite and oxidic nickel ores. The process may be extended to a triplex, which includes drying, preheating and partial reduction in the first stage, followed by further partial reduction and finally the smelting step. The final stage of solid state reduction takes place at a temperature of at least 550&deg; C., preferably 750-900&deg; C. At least 50% of metallization is essential for satisfactory processing, preferably at least 80%.

Duplex procedure for the production of metals and metal alloys from oxidic metal ores

Reducing iron oxides in rotary hearth furnace

The invention relates to a method for increasing the effectiveness of the smelting reduction of oxidic metal carriers, particularly iron ore, and improving the heat efficiency of the charged fuels in the smelting reduction process which takes place in a reaction vessel containing a molten bath with a layer of slag and wherein the reaction gases escaping from the molten bath are afterburned with oxidizing gases, the resulting heat is transferred to the molten bath and the reacting agents, ore and carbon, are fed to the smelt at least partly from the top through the gas space of the reaction vessel, wherein these reacting agents, ore and carbon, are added in a compact form to the molten bath as a composite material with or without further escort substances.

Growing community of inventors

Kew, Australia

John Alexander Innes