Patent ID: 6368548
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: C21B,C21C,Y02P

Abstract:
A direct smelting process for producing metals from metalliferous feed material which includes the steps of:(a) forming a molten bath having a metal layer and a slag layer on the metal layer in a metallurgical vessel; (b) injecting metalliferous feed material and solid carbonaceous material with a carrier gas into the molten bath via a first plurality of lances/tuyeres and smelting metalliferous material to metal in the metal layer; (c) generating an upward gas flow from the metal layer which entrains molten material that is in the metal layer and carries the molten material into the slag layer and forms a region of turbulence at least at the interface of the slag layer and the metal layer; and (d) injecting a gas into the slag layer via a second plurality of lances/tuyeres and; (i) penetrating turbulence in an upper region of the slag layer; and (ii) projecting splashes, droplets and streams of molten material from the slag layer into a top space of the vessel that is above the slag layer; and (e) post combusting reaction gases in the top space and/or in the upper region of the slag layer.