Process for the reduction of ores in a reaction furnace

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR REDUCING IRON ORE, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF CONVERTING IN A FIRST OPERATING CYCLE A GASEOUS MIXTURE OF A HYDROCARBON AND AIR INTO A REDUCING GAS COMPOSED PRIMARILY OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN AT A TEMPERATURE OF SUBSTANTIALLY 1000*C. TO 1300*C. IN A FIRST CHAMBER, CONTACTING A CHARGE OF SAID ORE WITH SAID REDUCING GAS, THEREBY REDUCING SAID ORE WHILE PARTIALLY OXIDIZING SAID REDUCING GAS; INTRODUCING THE RESULTING PARTIALLY OXIDIZED GAS INTO A SECOND CHAMBER; BURING SAID PARTIALLY OXIDIZED GAS IN SAID SECOND CHAMBER, THEREBY HEATING IT TO A TEMPERATURE OF SUBSTANTIALLY 1000*C. TO 1300*C.; INTRODUCING IN A SECOND OPERATING CYCLE A FURTHER GASEOUS MIXTURE OF A HYDROCARBON AND AIR INTO SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND CONVERTING SAID FURTHER MIXTURE THEREIN INTO A FURTHER REDUCING GAS COMPOSED PRIMARILY OF HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN AT A TEMPERATURE OF SUBSTANTIALLY 1000*C. TO 1300* C.; CONTACTING SAID CHARGE WITH SAID FURTHER REDUCING GAS, THEREBY REDUCING SAID ORE WHILE PARTRIALLY OXIDIZING SAID FURTHER REDUCING GAS; INTRODUCING THE RESULTING PARTIALLY OXIDIZED FURTHER GAS INTO SAID FIRST CHAMBER AND BURNING IT THEREIN, THEREBY HEATING SAID FIRST CHAMBER TO A TEMPERATURE OF SUBSTANTIALLY 1000*C., AND ALTERNATING IN THE STATED MANNER BETWEEN SAID CHAMBERS UNTIL A DESIRED DEGREE OF REDUCTION OF SAID CHARGE IS ACHIEVED.