Direct Smelting Process and Apparatus

摘要

A process and apparatus for direct smelting metalliferous material is disclosed. The invention concentrates injection of solid feed materials comprising metalliferous material and carbonaceous material into a direct smelting vessel during the course of the process into a relatively small region within a metal layer in a molten bath in the vessel in order to generate a substantial upward movement of molten material and gas from the metal layer into a region in the vessel that is above the molten bath. In particular, the invention injects the solid food materials with sufficient momentum and/or velocity via an opposed pair of lances that are oriented within the vessel and arranged to form overlapping plumes of injected material in the molten bath.

主权项

1. A direct smelting apparatus for direct smelting metalliferous material and producing molten metal that comprises:
(a) a direct smelting vessel having a hearth, including a floor and a side wall, defining a volume for containing a molten bath of metal and slag, the vessel further having (i) at least one pair of opposed lances extending downwardly and inwardly into the vessel through the side wall to inject solid material into the vessel during a direct smelting process, the opposed lances each having an inlet end outside the vessel for receiving the solid materials and an outlet end inside the vessel and having longitudinal axes that intersect within a top three quarters of the metal layer of a molten bath as measured from the vessel floor and (ii) at least one additional lance extending downwardly and inwardly into the vessel through the side wall to inject a solid carbonaceous material into the vessel during start-up of the process, each additional lance having an inlet end outside the vessel for receiving the solid carbonaceous material and an outlet end inside the vessel, and (b) a material supply apparatus in communication with a source of solid metalliferous material and in communication with a source of solid carbonaceous material and in communication with the opposed pair of lances, wherein the material supply apparatus delivers the solids metalliferous material and the solid carbonaceous material to the inlet ends of the opposed lances and delivers solid carbonaceous material to each additional lance.