Patent ID: 8158054
Filing Date: 2012-04-17
Classification: C21B,C22B,F27B

Abstract:
1. A system for use in production of metallic iron nuggets comprising: a hearth comprising refractory material for receiving a hearth material layer thereon, the hearth material layer comprising at least carbonaceous material; a charging apparatus providing a layer of a reducible mixture on at least a portion of the hearth material layer, at least a portion of the reducible mixture comprising at least reducing material and reducible iron bearing material; a channel definition device creating a plurality of channel openings in the reducible mixture that extend at least partially into the layer of the reducible mixture to define a plurality of nugget forming reducible material regions separated by the plurality channel openings; a channel fill apparatus at least partially filling the plurality of channel openings with nugget separation fill material comprising at least carbonaceous material; and a furnace thermally treating the layer of reducible mixture to form one or more metallic iron nuggets in one or more of the plurality of the nugget forming reducible material regions separated by the nugget separation fill material.