The Boc Group, Inc.

Kenneth W Grieshaber

Neeraj Saxena

Rajesh Maruti Wajge

An improved rotary hearth furnace having a cylindrical enclosure containing a radially moving belt for transporting pellets containing metal oxide and carbon is disclosed. One or more oxy-fuel burners preferably having a flat flame shape are positioned so as to provide a mixture of fuel and oxidant to the pellets countercurrent to the direction of the pellets. The oxy-fuel burners are operated so as to provide a pre-determined quantity of oxygen in addition to that necessary for combustion so that the additional oxygen oxidizes the carbon monoxide and hydrogen present in the hot combustion gases. Oxygen injectors may also be used to introduce additional oxygen into the furnace. The additional oxygen is strategically injected into the furnace based on thermodynamic modeling of the furnace so that a substantial majority of the fuel is introduced in a reducing zone so that the reducing zone has a fuel-rich atmosphere while the oxidant is primarily introduced in the heating zone so that the heating zone has a fuel-lean atmosphere.

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Bethlehem, PA, United States of America

Kenneth W Grieshaber