Method of carrying out melting processes

Claim 1

METHOD OF REFINING MOLTEN IMPURE IRON IN THE PRESENCE OF A SLAG IN A VESSEL HAVING A REFRACTORY LINING BY BLOWING WITH OXYGEN, WHICH COMPRISES DISCHARGING A STREAM OF OXYGEN VERTICALLY DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE SLAG LAYER ON TO THE BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE BATH AT THE CENTRAL PORTION THEREOF, TO AN EXTENT TO AVOID MATERIAL AGITATION OF THE BATH BY THE OXYGEN STREAM, THE CONTACT OF THE OXYGEN WITH THE BATH RESULTING IN REACTION OF THE OXYGEN WITH A PORTION OF THE IRON AND WITH THE OXIDIZABLE IMPURITIES OF THE BATH IN A LOCALIZED REACTION ZONE SPACED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM THE REFRACTORY LINING, THE REACTIONS IN SAID ZONE RESULTING IN REFINING OF THE IRON AND GAS EVOLUTION AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF HIGH TEMPERATURE IN THE REACTION ZONE AWAY FROM THE REFRACTORY LINING, SAID REACTION PRODUCING A CIRCULATORY MOVEMENT IN THE MOLTEN METAL, WHICH CIRCULATORY MOVEMENT BRINGS THOSE PORTIONS OF THE MOLTEN METAL BATH WHICH ARE REMOTE FROM THE REACTION ZONE INTO THE REACTION ZONE WHEREBY THOSE PORTIONS ARE SUBJECTED TO SAID REACTION WITH MINIMUM INJURY TO THE REFRACTORY LINING.