Technological Resources Pty. Limited

Tata Steel Limited

Mark Hayton

Rodney James Dry

Jacques Pilote

Neil John Goodman

Philip James Ions

Mark Preston Davis

An apparatus for removing a blockage in a solids injection lance extending into a direct smelting vessel The solids injection lance has a single inlet coupled to a section of supply line that conveys gas and solids to the solids injection lance and that is upstream and co-axial with the solids injection lance. The apparatus has a tool that extends through the supply line section and the solids injection lance to remove a blockage of solid material and an assembly for advancing the tool through the solids injection lance and the supply line section to the blockage from an upstream side of the blockage.

Lance unblocking method and apparatus

A method of removing a blockage in a solids injection lance under normal operating conditions of a direct smelting vessel is disclosed. The direct smelting vessel contains a bath of molten metal and slag and the solids injection lance extends into the direct smelting vessel and has an outlet end that is submerged in the molten slag. The solids injection lance further has a single inlet coupled to a section of supply line that conveys gas and solid feed material to the solids injection lance. The method comprises (a) advancing a blockage-removing tool through the supply line section and through the solids injection lance to an upstream side of the blockage, (b) operating the tool under elevated gas pressure conditions to remove the blockage such that solid feed material and gas are able to flow through the solids injection lance. The method further comprises (c) retracting the tool from the solids injection lance and the supply line section. Also disclosed is an apparatus for removing a blockage in a solids injection lance extending into a direct smelting vessel.

A slag notch for a metallurgical vessel includes a steel member that defines a passageway for molten slag and a system for cooling the steel member.

Slag notch

A direct smelting plant for producing molten metal from a metalliferous feed material using a molten bath based direct smelting process is disclosed. The plant includes a gas delivery duct assembly extending from a gas supply location away from the vessel to deliver oxygen-containing gas to gas injection lances extending into a direct smelting vessel. The gas delivery duct assembly includes a single gas delivery main connected to the gas injection lances to supply oxygen-containing gas to the gas injection lances. The gas delivery main is located at a height above a lower half of the vessel.

Direct smelting plant

A direct smelting plant for producing molten metal from a metalliferous feed material using a molten bath based direct melting process is disclosed. The plant includes a plurality of gas injection lances to inject the oxygen-containing gas into the vessel that extend downwardly through openings in a side wall of a direct smelting vessel.

A direct smelting plant for producing molten metal from a metalliferous feed material using a molten bath based direct smelting process is disclosed. The plant includes an offgas duct assembly to facilitate flow of offgas from the vessel, the offgas duct assembly including two offgas ducts of matching diameter extending outwardly from the vessel.

A metallurgical vessel () has circumferentially spaced tubular mountings () through which to extend solids injection lances () into the vessel. Lance extraction apparatus () comprises an elongate track support structure () supporting a twin rail track () inclined upwardly and outwardly from the vessel above the direction of inclination of a respective lance (). Interconnected upper and lower carriages () are moveable along track () by operation of a hoist (). Extraction apparatus () is operable sequentially to remove solids delivery line sections () and () and the lance () by connection to the carriages () and upward movement of those carriages along track (). Upper carriage () carries a pivot arm () for connection to upper parts of components to be removed such that those components can be pivoted downwardly to positions in which they can be hung from an overhead crane for removal to a remote location.

Smelting apparatus

Method of constructing and installing a direct smelting unit comprising a smelting vessel (). The vessel is prefabricated off site in three modules (A,B,C) which are then transported to the installation site where they are hoisted by a crane and deposited sequentially on top of one another and joined together by welding to form a unitary vessel. The vessel modules are prefabricated so as to be internally lined with water cooling panels connected to water inlet and outlet connectors () on the exterior of the circumferential wall sections of those modules. A vessel access tower is formed in modules brought together to envelop the tower and carrying water supply and return piping which is connected to the water inlet and outlet connectors () of the cooling panels.

Growing community of inventors

Bateman, Australia

Mark Hayton