Direct reduction steelmaking process

Claim 2

A direct reduction process for making steel comprising the steps of: a. moving iron oxides into a first container at a flow rate per hour between 13,000 and 140,000 pounds; b. flowing hot gases into said container and into contact with said iron oxides; c. partially reducing said iron oxides in said first container; d. moving the partially reduced iron oxides into a second container; e. flowing carbon monoxide and hydrogen into said second container and into contact with said partially reduced iron oxides; f. flowing the partially reduced iron oxides and fine particulate carbon having a mesh size less than 10 at a flow rate between 4,000 and 50,000 pounds per hour and the carbon monoxide and hydrogen into a furnace wherein there is a pool of molten metal that is at a temperature between 2750° and 3100° F; g. bringing the materials entering said furnace into contact with the molten metal whereby the iron oxides are reduced directly to steel; h. flowing flux material at a rate per hour between 1,000 and 11,000 pounds into the furnace and into contact with the materials in said furnace; and i. providing heat within said furnace to enhance the reduction of said iron oxides.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 including the steps of: a. melting scrap metal in an electric arc furnace to form an initial pool of molten metal; and b. maintaining an electric arc in said furnace for supplying the heat necessary to reduce said iron oxides.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of flowing partially reduced iron oxides and carbon comprises: a. injecting said fine particulate carbon and partially reduced particulate iron oxides into said furnace.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 including the steps of: a. tapping slag from said furnace; and b. tapping molten steel from said furnace.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of flowing hot gases into said first container comprises: a. flowing hot gases from said furnace into said first container.

Claim 7

A direction reduction process for making steel comprising steps of: a. moving iron oxides into a first container at a flow rate per hour between 13,000 and 140,000 pounds; b. flowing hot gases from an electric arc furnace into said first container and into contact with said iron oxides; c. partially reducing said iron oxides in said first container; d. flowing the partially reduced iron oxides into a second container; e. generating carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases; f. flowing said carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases into said second container; g. flowing said partially reduced iron oxides and fine particulate carbon having a mesh size less than 10 at a flow rate per hour between 4,000 and 50,000 pounds under pressure into said electric arc furnace thereby bringing the materials entering the furnace into contact with a quantity of molten metal having a temperature in the range of 2750° and 3100° F therein and reducing the iron oxides to steel; h. introducing flux at a flow rate per hour between 1,000 and 11,000 pounds into said electric furnace and forming slag on the molten metal therein; i. tapping slag and molten steel from said furnace; and j. flowing hot gases from said furnace into said first container for partially reducing said iron oxides.

Claim 8

A direction reduction process for making steel comprising steps of: a. moving iron oxides into a first container at a flow rate per hour between 13,000 and 140,000 pounds; b. flowing hot gases from an electric arc furnace into said first container and into contact with said iron oxides; c. partially reducing said iron oxides in said first container; d. flowing the partially reduced iron oxides into a second container; e. generating carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases; f. flowing said carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases into said second container; g. flowing said partially reduced iron oxides and fine particulate carbon having a mesh size less than 10 at a flow rate per hour between 4,000 and 50,000 pounds under pressure into said electric arc furnace thereby bringing the materials entering the furnace into contact with a quantity of molten metal having a temperature in the range of 2750° and 3100° F therein and reducing the iron oxides to steel; h. introducing flux at a flow rate per hour between 1,000 and 11,000 pounds into said electric furnace and forming slag on the molten metal therein; i. tapping slag and molten steel from said furnace; and j. flowing hot gases from said furnace into said first container for partially reducing said iron oxides.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 6 wherein the step of generating carbon monoxide and hydrogen comprises: a. flowing natural gas and steam into a reformer and producing therein carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 6 including the step of: a. flowing gases from said first container into a cooler.

Claim 11

A direct reduction process for making steel using an electric arc furnace that includes the steps of partially reducing iron oxide particles and thereafter contacting the partially reduced iron oxide particles with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, wherein the improvement comprises: thereafter a. injecting said partially reduced iron oxide particles and fine carbon particles having a size that is less than 10 mesh into a said furnace containing molten iron at a flow rate per hour of between 4,000 and 50,000 pounds.

Claim 12

A direct reduction process for making steel using an electric arc furnace that includes the steps of partially reducing iron oxide particles and thereafter contacting the partially reduced iron oxide particles with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, wherein the improvement comprises: thereafter a. injecting said partially reduced iron oxide particles and fine carbon particles having a size that is less than 10 mesh into a said furnace containing molten iron at a flow rate per hour of between 4,000 and 50,000 pounds.

Claim 13

In a direct reduction process for making steel, the improvement comprising: a. injecting fine carbon particles having a size less than 10 mesh and iron oxides into a furnace containing molten metal having a temperature between 2750° and 3100° F., b. introducing flux material into said furnace at a flow rate between 1,000 and 11,000 pounds per hour; and c. supplying heat within said furnace whereby said iron oxides are converted into molten steel.

Claim 14

In a direct reduction process for making steel, the improvement comprising: a. injecting fine carbon particles having a size less than 10 mesh and iron oxides into a furnace containing molten metal having a temperature between 2750° and 3100° F., b. introducing flux material into said furnace at a flow rate between 1,000 and 11,000 pounds per hour; and c. supplying heat within said furnace whereby said iron oxides are converted into molten steel.

Claim 15

The process of claim 10 including the steps of: a. separately controlling the rate of flow of carbon particles and the iron oxides into said furance; and c. controlling the temperature within said furnace.

Claim 16

The process of claim 10 including the steps of: a. flowing gases emanating from said furnace into a container through which pass said iron oxides and from which said iron oxides emerge in partially reduced form, and from which gases emerge; and b. flowing said gases into a cooler.

Claim 17

A process for producing between 100 and 1000 tons of molten steel per day continuously comprising: a. continuously moving iron oxides and flux and carbon in fine particulate form into a receptacle containing molten iron whereby said iron oxides and carbon react with said molten iron at the flow rates of: TABLE I ______________________________________ Steelmaking Capacity - Flow rate - pounds per hour Net tons per day Carbon Flux Iron oxide ______________________________________ 100 4,000-5,000 1,000-1,100 13,000-14,000 500 20,000-25,000 5,000-6,000 65,000-70,000 1000 40,000-50,000 10,000-11,000 130,000-140,000. ______________________________________ b. providing heat within said receptacle for enhancing said reaction whereby said iron oxides are continually reduced to molten steel.

Claim 18

A process for producing between 100 and 1000 tons of molten steel per day continuously comprising: a. continuously moving iron oxides and flux and carbon in fine particulate form into a receptacle containing molten iron whereby said iron oxides and carbon react with said molten iron at the flow rates of: TABLE I ______________________________________ Steelmaking Capacity - Flow rate - pounds per hour Net tons per day Carbon Flux Iron oxide ______________________________________ 100 4,000-5,000 1,000-1,100 13,000-14,000 500 20,000-25,000 5,000-6,000 65,000-70,000 1000 40,000-50,000 10,000-11,000 130,000-140,000. ______________________________________ b. providing heat within said receptacle for enhancing said reaction whereby said iron oxides are continually reduced to molten steel.

Claim 19

The process of claim 13 wherein: a. the step of continuously moving iron oxides and flux and carbon materials into a receptacle includes using air to accomplish such step.

Claim 20

The process of claim 13 including the steps of: a. removing gases generated in said receptacle; and b. bringing said gases into contact with said iron oxides whereby they are partially reduced.

Claim 21

The process of claim 15 including the step of: a. continuously teeming slag and steel from said receptacle.

Claim 22

A direct reduction process for making between 100 and 1000 tons of steel per day comprising the steps of: a. moving iron oxides from one location into a first receptacle; b. moving particulate carbon having a particle size of less than 10 mesh from a second location into said receptacle; c. maintaining molten iron at a temperature between 2750° and 3100° F in said receptacle; d. bringing said iron oxides and carbon into reaction with said molten iron whereby said iron oxides are reduced to molten steel; e. generating heat within said receptacle for enhancing said reaction; f. moving flux at a flow rate in the range of between 1,000 and 11,000 pounds per hour into reaction with said molten iron; g. flowing gases generated within said receptacle into a second receptacle; h. cooling said gases in said second receptacle; and i. teeming molten steel from said first receptacle.

Claim 23

A direct reduction process for making between 100 and 1000 tons of steel per day comprising the steps of: a. moving iron oxides from one location into a first receptacle; b. moving particulate carbon having a particle size of less than 10 mesh from a second location into said receptacle; c. maintaining molten iron at a temperature between 2750° and 3100° F in said receptacle; d. bringing said iron oxides and carbon into reaction with said molten iron whereby said iron oxides are reduced to molten steel; e. generating heat within said receptacle for enhancing said reaction; f. moving flux at a flow rate in the range of between 1,000 and 11,000 pounds per hour into reaction with said molten iron; g. flowing gases generated within said receptacle into a second receptacle; h. cooling said gases in said second receptacle; and i. teeming molten steel from said first receptacle.

Claim 24

The process of claim 17 including the steps of: a. forcibly moving said iron oxides into said first receptacle; b. forcibly moving said particulate carbon into said first receptacle; c. forcibly moving flux into said first receptacle; and d. teeming slag from said first receptacle.