Patent ID: 8535410

Claim:
A process for reducing molten iron to a target temperature prior to tapping to provide a molten iron charge into a basic oxygen furnace at said target temperature, said molten iron charge reducing basic oxygen furnace charging time and thereby increasing a number of basic oxygen furnace heats produced in a steelmaking operation, the steps of the process comprising: a) providing iron oxide particles recovered from a de-oiled steelmaking sludge, said iron oxide having a particle size suitable for use in a pulverized coal injection system associated with the blast furnace; b) injecting said iron oxide particles into the blast furnace through said pulverized coal injection system, said injected particles causing a heat transfer that reduces said molten iron to said target temperature prior to tapping; c) monitoring said molten iron temperature and adjusting an iron oxide injection rate to maintain said molten iron at said target temperature; d) tapping said molten iron at said target temperature; and e) charging said tapped molten iron at said target temperature into the basic oxygen furnace, said charged molten iron eliminating a need to charge a coolant into the basic oxygen furnace during charging and thereby reducing a total charging time and increasing said number of basic oxygen furnace heats whereby steel production is increased.