Production of iron in a blast furnace

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING METALLIC IRON, FROM IRON ORE IN A BLAST FURNACE BY THE INTRODUCTION OF PULVERIZED SOLID FUEL AT TE HEARTH OF SAID BLAST FURNACE CONTAINING SAID ORE, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING: INTRODUCING THE FURNACE CHARGE OF IRON ORE AND FLUX ALONG WITH LUMP SOLID CARBONACEOUS FUEL FOR DIRECT REDUCTION, FOR REACTION WITH THE METALLIC IRON ITSELF, AND FOR GASEOUS PERMEABILITY OF THE CHARGE, INTO THE BLAST FURNACE THROUGH THE THROAT OF THE FURNACE; INTRODUCING THE SOLID FUEL FOR SUPPLYING THE HEAT FOR THE PROCESS BY PREFORMING OUTSIDE THE BLAST FURNACE HEARTH AND AT RELATIVELY LOW TEMPERATURE A FLUIDIZED MIXTURE OF GAS COMPRISING MORE THAN 60 PER CENT, FREE OXYGEN AND PULVERIZED SOLID FUEL WITH THE OXYGEN IN AMOUNT SUCH AS TO YIELD BY REACTION WITH THE SOLID FUEL SUBSTANTIALLY ONLY CARBON MONOXIDE BUT IN AMOUNT SUCH THAT THE PULVERIZED FUEL OF THE MIXTURE IS SUBSTANTIALLY ALL UTILIZED IN CONVERSION TO CARBON MONOXIDE, FLOWING SAID MIXTURE AXIALLY IN THE FORM OF A JET INTO TUYERES THAT COMMUNICATE WITH THE HEARTH OF SAID BLAST FURNACE AND INITIALLY IGNITING THE MIXTURE AT THE INLET OF THE TUYERES AND COMPLETING THE THERMAL REACTION TO CARBON MONOXIDE OF THE REACTANTS OF SAID MIXTURE IN THE TUYERES IN ADVANCE OF EMISSION FROM THE TUYERES INTO THE HEARTH PROTECTING THE WALLS OF THE TUYERES BY SURROUNDING THE AXIAL JET OF THE THERMAL REACTION MIXTURE, DURING ITS FLOW THROUGH THE TUYERES, WITH A SURROUNDING FLOW OF A GASEOUS REDUCING MEDIUM IN DIRECT CONTACT THEREWITH IN THE FORM OF A REDUCING MEDIUM WHILE THE THERMAL REACTION MIXTURE IS ISSUING INTO THE TUYERE PATH AND FLOWS THROUGH THE TUYERE PATH TO THE HEARTH; THEREAFTER BRINGING THE RESULTANT THERMAL REACTION MIXTURE INTO CONTACT WITH THE IRON ORE AT SAID BLAST FURNACE HEARTH, AND PASSING THE GASES THEREOF UPWARDLY THROUGH THE FURNACE SHAFT THROUGH THE FURNACE CHARGE OF IRON ORE, FLUX, AND CARBON INTRODUCED THEREWITH AS AFORESAID THROUGH THE THROAT OF THE FURNACE; AND WITHDRAWING THE SO PRODUCED BLAST GAS FROM THE UPPER PART OF THE FURNACE SHAFT.