Process and apparatus for reducing the silicon content and increasing the temperature of molten pig iron

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR REDUCING THE SILICON CONTENT AND INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE OF MOLTEN PIG IRON, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING FORMING A PORTION OF THE PIG IRON INTO A POOL AND WHILE MAINTAINING SAID POOL FREE FROM TEMPERATURE REDUCING ADDITIONS CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING THE BALANCE OF THE PIG IRON TO AND FROM SAID POOL RESPECTIVELY AT INTESPACED LOCATIONS WHILE BLOWING AIR THROUGH THE POOL, AND TWEEN SAID LOCATIONS TO BURN THE SILICON AND RAISE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE PIG IRON FEEDING FROM THE POOL, AND WHILE CONTROLLING THE RATES OF SAID FEEDING AND BLOWING TO MAINTAIN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE PIG IRON FEEDING FROM SAID POOL AT ABOUT 1400*C., THE PRESSURE OF SAID AIR BEING SUFFICIENT TO THROW SOME OF THE PIG IRON FROM SAID POOL AND A SPACE ABOVE SAID POOL BEING CONFINED BY REFRACTORY MATERIAL SO AS TO FORCE THIS THROWN PIG IRON TO RETURN TO SAID POOL.