Patent ID: 6423115
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: C21B,Y02P

Abstract:
A direct smelting process for producing metals from a 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 into the molten bath via a plurality of lances/tuyeres; (c) smelting metalliferous material to metal in the molten bath; (d) causing molten material to be projected as splashes, droplets, and streams into a top space above a nominal quiescent surface of the molten bath to form a transition zone; and (e) injecting an oxygen-containing gas into the vessel via one or more than one lance/tuyere to post-combust reaction gases released from the molten bath, whereby the ascending and thereafter descending splashes, droplets and streams of molten material in the transition zone facilitate heat transfer to the molten bath, and whereby the transition zone minimises heat loss from the vessel via the side walls in contact with the transition zone; and which process includes the step of controlling the process by maintaining a high slag inventory.