Patent ID: 8562902
Filing Date: 2013-10-22
Classification: C21B,C21C,F27B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A direct smelting plant for producing molten metal from a metalliferous feed material using a molten bath based direct smelting process that includes: (a) a fixed direct smelting vessel to hold a molten bath of metal and slag and a gas space above the bath, the vessel including a hearth and a side wall; (b) a solids feed assembly to supply solid feed material, including metalliferous feed material and carbonaceous material, from a solid feed material supply location away from the vessel into the vessel, the solids feed assembly including a plurality of solids injection lances extending through openings in the side wall of the vessel; (c) an oxygen-containing gas feed assembly to supply an oxygen-containing gas from an oxygen-containing gas supply location away from the vessel into the vessel, the oxygen-containing gas feed assembly including a gas delivery main and a plurality of gas injection lances extending through openings in the side wall of the vessel to inject the oxygen-containing gas supplied via the gas delivery main into the gas space, the gas delivery main extending around at least a majority of a perimeter of the vessel and spaced away from the vessel; (d) an offgas duct assembly to facilitate flow of offgas from he vessel; (e) a metal tapping assembly to tap molten metal from the bath during a smelting operation; (f) a slag tapping assembly to tap slag from the bath during a smelting operation; and (g) a superstructure surrounding the vessel and supporting the gas delivery main and wherein the superstructure is configured with crane access zones inboard of the gas delivery main to enable the gas injection lances to be removed from and replacement lances to be positioned in the openings in the side wall of the vessel and configured with crane access zones outboard of the gas delivery main and inboard of an outer perimeter of the superstructure to enable the solids injection lances to be removed from and replacement lances to be positioned in the openings in the side wall of the vessel.