Process for the direct reduction of oxidic ores

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PREPARING A NONPYROPHORIC CHARGE FOR MELTING FURNACES FROM OXIDIC ORES COMPRISING: (A) PREHEATING A REDUCING ZONE TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT THE CHEMICAL REFORMATION OF A HYDROCARBON FUEL; (AA) ROTATING SAID REDUCING ZONE; (B) INTRODUCING PREHEATED OXIDIC ORE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE OXIDIC ORES OF IRON, TUNGSTEN, NICKEL, ZINC AND COPPER INTO SAID ROTATING PREHEATED REDUCING ZONE; (C) INTRODUCING SAID HYDROCARBON FUEL INTO SAID ROTATING PREHEATED REDUCING ZONE IN THE ABSENCE OF SUFFICIENT OXIDANT TO SUPPORT THE COMBUSTION THEREOF; (D) ADMIXING SAID ORE AND SAID FUEL TO REACT SAID ORE WITH SAID FUEL WHEREUPON SAID FUEL IS THERMALLY AND CATALYTICALLY REFORMED BY THE ACTION OF SAID ORE IN SAID HEAT AND SAID ORE IS DEOXIDIZED BY THE ACTION OF SAID REFORMED FUEL; (E) PASSING SAID FUEL FROM SAID ROTATING REDUCING ZONE DIRECTLY INTO A HEATING ZONE CIRCUMSCRIBING AND ROTATING WITH SAID REDUCING ZONE; (F) INTRODUCING SECONDARY AIR INTO SAID ROTATING HEATING ZONE TO IGNITE SAID FUEL AND SUPPORT THE COMBUSTION THEREOF IN SAID HEATING ZONE, SAID COMBUSTION PROVIDING SUFFICIENT HEAT TO MAINTAIN A PORTION OF SAID REDUCING ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE EQUILBRIUM TEMPERATURE OF SAID OXIDIC ORE; (G) PASSING BURNED GASES FROM SAID ROTATING HEATING ZONE THROUGH A SUPPLY OF OXIDIC ORE TO PREHEAT AND DRY SAID ORE FOR INTRODUCTION INTO SAID ROTATING REDUCING ZONE; (H) DISCHARGING REDUCED ORE FROM SAID ROTATING REDUCING ZONE; (I) QUENCHING SAID DISCHARGED ORE IN A QUENCHING AGENT; AND (J) REMOVING SAID QUENCHED ORE FROM SAID QUENCHING AGENT.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF PREPARING A NONPYROPHORIC CHARGE FOR MELTING FURNACES FROM OXIDIC ORES COMPRISING: (A) PREHEATING A REDUCING ZONE TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT THE CHEMICAL REFORMATION OF A HYDROCARBON FUEL; (AA) ROTATING SAID REDUCING ZONE; (B) INTRODUCING PREHEATED OXIDIC ORE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE OXIDIC ORES OF IRON, TUNGSTEN, NICKEL, ZINC AND COPPER INTO SAID ROTATING PREHEATED REDUCING ZONE; (C) INTRODUCING SAID HYDROCARBON FUEL INTO SAID ROTATING PREHEATED REDUCING ZONE IN THE ABSENCE OF SUFFICIENT OXIDANT TO SUPPORT THE COMBUSTION THEREOF; (D) ADMIXING SAID ORE AND SAID FUEL TO REACT SAID ORE WITH SAID FUEL WHEREUPON SAID FUEL IS THERMALLY AND CATALYTICALLY REFORMED BY THE ACTION OF SAID ORE IN SAID HEAT AND SAID ORE IS DEOXIDIZED BY THE ACTION OF SAID REFORMED FUEL; (E) PASSING SAID FUEL FROM SAID ROTATING REDUCING ZONE DIRECTLY INTO A HEATING ZONE CIRCUMSCRIBING AND ROTATING WITH SAID REDUCING ZONE; (F) INTRODUCING SECONDARY AIR INTO SAID ROTATING HEATING ZONE TO IGNITE SAID FUEL AND SUPPORT THE COMBUSTION THEREOF IN SAID HEATING ZONE, SAID COMBUSTION PROVIDING SUFFICIENT HEAT TO MAINTAIN A PORTION OF SAID REDUCING ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE EQUILBRIUM TEMPERATURE OF SAID OXIDIC ORE; (G) PASSING BURNED GASES FROM SAID ROTATING HEATING ZONE THROUGH A SUPPLY OF OXIDIC ORE TO PREHEAT AND DRY SAID ORE FOR INTRODUCTION INTO SAID ROTATING REDUCING ZONE; (H) DISCHARGING REDUCED ORE FROM SAID ROTATING REDUCING ZONE; (I) QUENCHING SAID DISCHARGED ORE IN A QUENCHING AGENT; AND (J) REMOVING SAID QUENCHED ORE FROM SAID QUENCHING AGENT.