Patent ID: 7666249

Claim:
A method for use in processing raw material, where the method comprises: providing a linear furnace apparatus extending along a longitudinal axis between a charging end and a discharging end, where the linear furnace apparatus comprises at least one furnace zone positioned along the longitudinal axis; providing a plurality of separate or separable containers, each container comprising refractory material; providing raw material comprising a mixture of iron oxide and carbonaceous material into one or more of the plurality of separate or separable containers at the charging end of the linear furnace apparatus; moving the one or more separate or separable containers through the at least one furnace zone and to the discharging end of the linear furnace apparatus and, within the linear furnace apparatus, i) preheating the raw material, ii) reducing the iron oxide resulting in processed material in the one or more separate or separable containers, and iii) fusing and melting processed material to form metallic iron and slag; discharging the processed material from the one or more separate or separable containers resulting in one or more empty containers; and returning the one or more empty containers to the charging end of the linear furnace apparatus to receive further raw material.