Patent ID: 8034157

Claim:
A method for charging feedstock, for processing in a metallurgical vessel, wherein the method is performed with apparatus comprising a charging mechanism, which includes a conveying device, and at least one feeding device for supplying feedstock to the charging mechanism, the conveying device having an outlet opening, the method comprising: (a) storing a charge of feedstock, including fines, into the at least one feeding device; (b) charging at least a portion of the charge of feedstock from one of the at least one feeding device into the vessel through the outlet opening; the outlet opening being guided along an inwardly directed spiral during the charging into the vessel, by controlling the conveying device to rotate steplessly about a first axis while the outlet opening is at the same time inclined about a further axis, wherein the inclination of the conveying device is set as a function of the rotational speed around the first axis, and the inclination of the conveying device further being set with allowance for a given weight in the feeding device of feedstock so as to produce a predefined distribution in the vessel, wherein the fines are first charged spirally and predominantly onto a marginal region of the vessel, and then the remainder of the feedstock in the one feeding device is charged spirally onto the vessel starting at an end point of the spiral region onto which the fines have been charged, a circumferential position of the end point of the spiral region onto which the fines have been charged from the one feeding device being a circumferential position of a starting point for a charging of fines in a subsequent spiral charging cycle of feedstock from another feeding device in order to distribute the fines uniformly over the marginal region; and (c) returning to step (b) if there is another feeding device with a charge of feedstock in it and to step (a) if there is more feedstock to be stored into the at least one feeding device.