Hylsa, S.a. De C.v.

Hylsa, S.a.

Proler Environmental Services, Inc.

Gts Duratek, Inc.

Ricardo Viramontes-Brown

Raul Gerardo Quintero-Flores

Norman G Bishop

Juan A Villarreal-Trevino

Juan Celada-Gonzalez

Roberto Octaviano Flores-Serrano

Jorge O Becerra-Novoa

Marco Aurelio Flores-Verdugo

Juan F Price-Falcon

Jose J Garza-Ondarza

Patrick W MacKay

Jorge D Berrun-Castanon

Juan Celada

Cesar Elizondo-Gonzalez

Jorge B Castanon

Juan-Jorge Roesch-Dietlen

Jose Mar&iacute;a Eloy Aparicio-Arranz

Virgilio Juarez-Mata

Alejandro De-Gyves-De-la-Pe&ntilde;a

A method and apparatus for the production of prereduced iron ore, DRI, sponge iron or the like by the gaseous reduction of iron-oxide containing particles in a reduction system which comprises a preheating device for the iron ore particles. The preheating device preserves the strength of the iron ore particles through the reduction system by preheating the particles with non-reducing (or preferably oxidizing) gas, whereby the DRI or like material produced is stronger than if it were processed in a reduction reactor without said preheating device. The invention thereby avoids sticking and fines production problems which some iron ores cause in the reduction reactor. The preheating device also produces other advantages in the reduction system as, for example, that the reducing gas reaches a higher degree of oxidation in the reduction reactor whereby the productivity of the reduction system increases as a result of the decreased amount of reducing gas as well as the decreased residence time required. A further advantage produced by the invention is that the recycled reducing gas can be preheated by heat-exchange with the gas stream effluent from the reduction reactor at a higher temperature as a result of the preheating of the iron ore particles.

Method for the heat treatment of iron ore lumps in a reduction system

A method and apparatus for increasing the productivity of an existing direct reduction iron (DRI) plant without increasing its reformer capacity existing in the plant. This object is achieved by not only recycling some effluent gas of the reduction reactor to the gas reformer (with natural gas or the like added with an oxidant as make up gas), but also recycling an additional portion of the effluent gas with added natural gas and an oxygen containing stream directly to the reducing gas stream exiting the reformer prior to or as part of its introduction to the reduction reactor, thereby providing additional reducing agents and increasing the reducing capacity of the plant. The oxygen containing stream is preferably added to the recycled reducing gas without preheating. Any excess or purged effluent gas is as usual burned as fuel.

Method for increasing the capacity of a direct reduced iron plant without increasing its reformer capacity

Method and apparatus for the production of prereduced iron ore, Direct Reduced Iron (DRI), or the like, in an ironmaking plant wherein the reducing gas utilized in the chemical reduction of iron oxides is generated from natural gas within the reduction reactor system by reforming the hydrocarbons with such oxidants as water and oxygen inside the reduction reactor which under steady state conditions contains metallic iron which acts as a reformation catalyst. The amount of carbon in the DRI can be reliably controlled by modifying the relative amounts of water, carbon dioxide and oxygen in the composition of the reducing gas fed to the reduction reactor. The amount of carbon in the DRI is controlled by the amount of water in the reducing gas fed to the reduction reactor while the addition of oxygen provides the energy necessary for such DRI carburization.

Apparatus for producing direct reduced iron with a controlled amount of

A method and apparatus for producing direct reduced iron using a melter-gasifier and two reduction reactors. In the first reduction reactor, iron ore is prereduced using a reducing gas from a melter-gasifier. This prereduced iron ore is fed into the melter-gasifier to produce pig iron. A secondary reducing gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide is withdrawn from the first reduction reactor and is reacted with water to produce carbon dioxide which is subsequently removed to produce a tertiary reducing gas that is used in the second reduction reactor to produce direct reduced iron from iron ore.

Apparatus for producing direct reduced iron utilizing a reducing gas

Method and apparatus for the production of prereduced iron ore, Direct Reduced Iron (DRI), or the like, in an ironmaking plant wherein the reducing gas utilized in the chemical reduction of iron oxides is generated from natural gas within the reduction reactor system by reforming the hydrocarbons with such oxidants as water and oxygen inside the reduction reactor which under steady state conditions contains metallic iron which acts as a reformation catalyst. The amount of carbon in the DRI can be reliably controlled by modifyng the relative amounts of water, carbon dioxide and oxygen in the composition of the reducing gas fed to the reduction reactor. The amount of carbon in the DRI is controlled by the amount of water in the reducing gas fed to the reduction reactor while the addition of oxygen provides the energy necessary for such DRI carburization.

Method for producing direct reduced iron with a controlled amount of

A process and apparatus for gasification of organic materials (typically incorporated in domestic and industrial wastes, including auto shredder residues) to produce useful synthesis gas (primarily CO & H.sub.2) with effectively non-toxic ash residue by means of a preferably stoichiometric burner directed into a single stage reactor containing a tumbling charge thus heated to 650.degree. to 800.degree. C. (below the incipient fusion temperature of the charge) resulting in thermally cracking and gasifying the organic materials in the charge and reacting the complex hydrocarbons and gas evolved with the CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O generated by the burner by combustion of a fuel and oxygen-containing gas at a high flame temperature, typically 2500.degree. to 3000.degree. C.

Apparatus for gasifying organic materials

Method for producing direct reduced iron utilizing a reducing gas with a

A process and apparatus for gasification of organic materials (typically incorporated in domestic and industrial wastes, including auto shredder residues) to produce useful synthesis gas (with a major content CO and H.sub.2) with effectively non-toxic ash residue by means of at least one continuously operated burner, preferably stoichiometrically balanced (1:2 for natural gas/oxygen) at least at startup and shut down (optionally with some excess of oxygen, usually under steady-state conditions, such as at a ratio of 1:4 or higher, especially if the charge has well over 18% water content), directed into a primary single stage reaction zone (through an opening in common with the effluent product gas discharged therefrom such as to assure intimate contact therebetween), which zone contains a tumbling charge in a rotating barrel-shaped horizontal reactor thus heated to from about 650.degree. to about 800.degree. C. (below the incipient fusion temperature of the charge) and controlled to remain in such temperature range (by adjustment of the burner volume and fuel-to-oxygen ratio for any given charge) resulting in thermally cracking and gasifying the organic materials in the charge and reacting the complex hydrocarbons and gas evolved (1) normally with the CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O derived from burner combustion of a fuel and oxygen-containing gas at a high flame temperature, typically 2500.degree. to 3000.degree. C., (2) with excess oxygen, and/or (3) partially with H.sub.2 O or CO.sub.2 otherwise added to or, present in, the charge.

Method and apparatus for gasification of organic materials

In method and apparatus for producing iron and steel from iron cores largely composed of iron oxides, wherein a direct reduction process is used to produce a solid particulate intermediate product, generally known as sponge Iron or Direct Reduced Iron (DRI); pneumatically conveying large iron-bearing particles, such as pelletized iron ore or particularly DRI, in a closed transport pipe, eg. from the reduction reactor of the direct reduction process to the metallurgical furnaces where liquid iron or steel are produced, for example electric arc furnaces, induction furnaces, basic oxygen furnaces, etc. or to a briquetting press to form DRI briquettes, or simply to a silo or storage bin, or in general to a subsequent processing step for said DRI. When the carrier gas is recirculated for reuse, surprisingly air can be a preferred source of such gas, especially for reactive hot DRI. This method has a superior efficiency and productivity and reduces the overall energy consumption relative to currently used DRI steelmaking plants. By using pneumatic conveyors, elements of the plant may be arranged side by side rather than one on top of the other, whereby the overall height of the plant may be reduced.

Apparatus for the pneumatic transport of large iron-bearing particles

Method for gasifying organic materials

In a method of producing iron and steel, from iron ores largely composed of iron oxides, wherein a direct reduction process is used to produce a solid particulate intermediate product, generally known as sponge iron or Direct Reduced Iron (DRI); pneumatically conveying the DRI in a closed pipe from the reduction reactor of the direct reduction process to the metallurgical furnaces where liquid iron or steel are produced, for example electric arc furnaces, induction furnaces, basic oxygen furnaces, etc. or to a briquetting press to form DRI briquettes, or simply to a silo or storage bin, or in general to a subsequent processing step for said DRI. When the carrier gas is recirculated for reuse, surprisingly air is preferred as the source of such gas, especially for reactive hot DRI. This method has a superior efficiency and productivity and reduces the overall energy consumption relative to currently used DRI steelmaking plants. This is also applicable to pneumatic delivery of cold (or hot) ore to the reduction reactor.

Method for the pneumatic transport of large iron-bearing particles

Magnetic valve and methods related thereto for regulating the physically unobstructed flow of ferromagnetic particulate solid materials through a conduit by means of an electromagnetic and/or permanent magnetic device for establishing and controlling a magnetic field, which is caused to selectively pass along a magnetic circuit which comprises said particulate materials in said conduit to be regulated and wherein said magnetic field is deviated from said conduit or deactivated to allow the flow of said material. The valve comprises a pipe made of a non-magnetic material with at least two elements of magnetic material such as iron or carbon steel, vertically spaced apart along said pipe (which advantageously separately ring said pipe and contact the interior thereof) and a plurality of means to selectively create or eliminate or decrease the intensity of a magnetic circuit which passes through said elements and through said ferromagnetic material in such a way that said material is stopped or its flow is diminished when the magnetic field flows therethrough and the flow is allowed when said magnetic field is diminished, deleted, or deviated.

Method and apparatus for regulating the flow of particulate

Improved process and apparatus for the reduction of iron oxides employing a solid reducing agent. Particulate iron oxides are mixed with particles of the reducing agent and are subjected to high temperatures within a vessel made of refractory material which is externally heated in a furnace. The problem and drawbacks that have been found in the past, such as the fracture and high costs of the refractory vessels, are solved by means of the present invention which comprises laying a sheet made of tinplate or of other suitable material, between the vessel and solids to prevent them from sticking to the vessel because of the high temperature, thus providing an economic and advantageous process. In one of its embodiments, this process is particularly suitable for the production of high purity iron, that is with a low content of gangue and carbon. This high purity iron, once converted to powder with adequate particle size, has a number of diverse applications in industry.

Process and apparatus for producing high purity iron

Particulate iron ore is reduced to sponge iron in a vertical shaft reduction reactor by forcing the ore upwardly in a moving bed counter-current to a descending stream of hot reducing gas produced by the gasification of coal in a gasifier, for example, a melter-gasifier, containing a molten iron bath and producing a hot dust-laden gas. The product sponge iron may be used as a feed material for the molten bath in the gasifier. The reactor is equipped with a gas outlet plenum containing a renewable body of ore to minimize clogging at the gas outlet.

Method of reducing iron oxides

Improved operation of the broadly known combination of a moving bed, gaseous reduction reactor for reducing iron ore and a melter-gasifier for converting to molten metal the sponge iron pellets produced in such a reactor is achieved by preparing a mixture of finely ground sponge iron and coal, either by mixing the sponge iron and coal and then grinding or by separately grinding the sponge iron and coal and then mixing, and feeding the mixture of finely ground coal and sponge iron, along with elemental oxygen, to a point below the surface of a molten metal bath within the melter-gasifier.

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Garza Garcia, Mexico

Ricardo Viramontes-Brown