Title of Invention

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRACTICING CARBONACEOUS-BASED METALLURGY

Abstract An energy efficient, coal-based method and apparatus, a reactor (10) that are environmentally friendly which produce under pressure metallized/carbon product and molten metal directly from abundant coal or other carbonaceous material, and low cost fines (or ore concentrate) wherein the molten metal is devold of gangue material and possesses the inherent advantage of retaining the sensible heat for subsequent processing.
Full Text METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
PRACTICING CARBONACEOUS-BASED METALLURGY
Introduction
This invention relates to the production of metals from metallic oxides by
making use of a carbonaceous material in furtherance of the disclosure contained in
applicants" pending application bearing Serial No. 09/241,649 filed on February 1,
1999 and assigned to Art Unit 1742. Specifically this invention incorporates further
developments to the subject matter disclosed in the referenced application
particularly with respect to the feeding of raw materials, the heating of same, and
reacting these raw materials with one another. Also additional developments are
herein disclosed with respect to melting and slagging operations in order to provide
an efficient integrated process and apparatus to practice same that are
environmentally friendly and cost-competitive in the production of metals.
Background
It is well known that existing methods to process raw metallic materials into
ferrous and nonferrous products are inefficient, polluting and very costly to finance,
to operate and to maintain. Further, there are issues which relate to health hazards
that affect workers in these fields by virtue of exposure to extremely high
temperatures, and inhalation of injurious dusts and foul gases.
The method and apparatus disclosed herein have applicability to the
processing of various metallic ores such as ores of iron, aluminum, copper, etc.
including dusts, wastes and reverts of such metallic materials. Since iron ore is such
a dominant feedstock in the field of metallurgy, by way of example, the disclosure in
this application will focus on the processing of iron ore termed "carbotreating" with
a carbonaceous material such as coal to produce an iron/carbon product which is
melted with an oxidant termed "oxymelting" to make a molten iron.
Objectives of the Invention
The main object of this development is to provide a method and apparatus
which are energy efficient to reduce greenhouse gases.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a method and apparatus
that are environmentally closed which will allow ease of permitting and acceptance
by various entities including environmental protection agencies and the public.
Still another object of mis invention is to provide a functionally efficient
method and apparatus to practice same in order to produce a low cost product to
enable industry to survive in a competitive global market.
Further still another object of mis invention is to provide a method and
apparatus that require low capital investment to enable industry to finance facilities
and create jobs.
Further yet another object of this invention is to provide a method and
apparatus that are not injurious to employees both from the standpoint of hazardous
working conditions and long term deleterious effects regarding health.
Other objects of this invention will appear from the following description
and appended claims. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings which
describe certain apparatus structures to practice this method of making metallic
units, and as they relate to making iron in the form of directly reduced iron, hot
briquetted iron, iron/carbon product and molten iron. The molten iron may
subsequently be converted into steel directly while molten or cast into pigs which
are cooled and then transported as a solid to a processing plant. It is to be understood
that the method and apparatus disclosed herein are not solely limited to the
processing of iron bearing materials.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a representation of the equipment used to carry out the method to
make a metallized/carbon product which is then melted to make molten metal.
Figure 2 is a section taken at 2-2 of a reactor shown in Figure 1, within
which the carbotreating takes place.
Figure 3 is a variation of the reactor chamber shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an end view of Figure 1, showing a plurality of reactors
discharging into a single melter/homogenizer.
Figure 5 is a configuration to produce directly reduced iron units and
cooling such units before discharge into the atmosphere.
Figure 6 is still another configuration to produce iron units which are
briquetted prior to their discharge into the atmosphere.
Figure 7 represents discharging hot reduced metallic units into a container
which is insulated and sealed to conserve energy and prevent re-oxidation.
Figure 8 is a representation of the feed of materials into the system with
sequential steps 8-1 through 8-6 showing various positions of the equipment to
effect the feed wherein a core of fuel is created and such core is surrounded by the
ore to be reduced.
Figure 9 is a section taken at 9-9 of Figure 8.
Before describing in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that
this invention is not limited to the details or the arrangement of the parts illustrated
in the attached drawings, as the invention can be made operative by using other
embodiments. Also it is to be understood that the terminology herein contained is for
the purpose of description and not (imitation.
Detailed Description of Drawings
Referring to Figure 1, numeral 10 denotes a reactor where the treating of
iron ore with coal takes place to make an iron/carbon product; this treatment of the
ore is hereinafter referred to as "carbotreating". Numeral 11 denotes a melter/
homogenizer where the iron/carbon product is melted with an oxidant to make
molten metal and slag, hereinafter referred to as "oxymelting". A standpipe denoted
by numaral 12 is connected to melter/homogenizer 11 .A metal reservoir is provided
for receiving the molten metal and the slag and is denoted by numeral 13. Referring
to Figure 4, a storage system to contain the raw materials is denoted by numeral 14;
it comprises hoppers 58, 59 and 60 to store feed materials such as ore, coal and flux
respectively. A raw material mixer denoted by numeral 61 serves to blend the feed
materials as they are conveyed to lockhopper 36 which is in turn equipped with
upper valve 84 and lower feed control 62.
Referring back to Figure 1 for a more detailed description of the structure
that enables the method to be practiced, reactor 10 consists of a pushing device
denoted by numeral 15 which is equipped with ram 16 at the charging end of reactor
10, that serves to push the blended charge dropped from hopper 36 into cavity 17.
Ram 16 actuated by pushing device 15, compresses the charge and advances it
within a process chamber which is marked by numeral 28 and which is tapered
along its length. Process chamber 28 is connected to cavity 17, and is made-up of a
pressure shell marked by numeral 26, insulation 27 and wall heating element 25.
Burner 19 in turn communicates with heating element 25 via inlet port 29. Heating
element 25 is equipped with passages shown by numeral 53 in Figure 2; they serve
as a conduit to direct hot gases from burner 19 through inlet 29 to flow through
passages (flues) 53 along the length of process chamber 28 and exit the chamber via
outlet 30. The discharging end of chamber 28 which is marked by numeral 20
attaches to elbow 21. Elbow 21 is designed in such a way as to have reflective wall
23 backed by insulation and contained within a pressure casing, in order to form a
radiant zone to reflect intense thermal energy against the material that is being
carbotreated at discharging end 20. A first lance (or a plurality-of same) denoted by
numeral 22 is mounted into elbow 21; lance 22 is adapted to be advanced towards or
retracted from the material being processed. Controller 24 serves to control
air/oxygen and coolant to make lance 22 operative. Lance 22 may also contain fuel
for start-up purposes.
Reactor 10 communicates with melter/homogenizer 11 by means of
transition 32 that directs the reduced material (the iron/carbon product) from
chamber 28 to melter/homogenizer 11 which comprises shell 85, lining 86, top 87
and bottom 88. A second lance denoted by numeral 34 serves to supply oxidant in
the form of air or oxygen (or a combination of the two) in order to react with the
carbon in the iron/carbon product and with gases produced within the process to
supply the heat needed to melt the reduced iron in the iron/carbon product to yield a
molten iron 42 and a molten slag 43 which floats on top of molten iron 42. Lance 34
which is kept cool, is raised and lowered by means of hoist 39 for adjusting its level
to the working height within melter/homogenizer 11. A drain/port denoted by 31 and
disposed at the bottom of melter/homogenizer 11, connects to standpipe 12. Through
drain/port 31, the gasses, the molten iron and the molten slag flow. An off-gas
discharge marked by numeral 47 is provided to standpipe 12 to divert a sidestream
of such gases for control purposes which are directed to cyclone 46 via collecting
main 37. Both the molten iron and the molten slag drop into reservoir 13 while the
bulk of the gases flows with the iron and slag. Cyclone 46 communicating with
discharge 47, removes paniculate matter from the off-gas. The bottom of cyclone 46
is furnished with surge hopper 40 which feeds into lockhopper 41; control valves 44
and 45 lock & unlock lockhopper 41 in order to discharge the particulate matter
collected into bin 33 which is recycled with the materials charged into reactor 10. A
pressure controller denoted by numeral SO which controls the back pressure of
melter/homogenizer 11 and reactor 10 and standpipe 12 is located downstream of
cyclone 46; the side stream leaves the system via duct 49 for further treatment in a
gas treatment facility which is not shown, but known in the art
Bottom 88 of melter/homogenizer 11 is configured as a cone with drain/port
31 making connection with standpipe 12 which in turn makes connection with metal
reservoir 13 in a submerged mode. Induction heating coil means denoted by numeral
35 is provided, to supply auxiliary heat to insure that molten metal and molten slag
do not freeze when leaving melter/homogenizer 11. In the event such freezing takes
place especially when melter/homogenizer 11 is shut down; induction heating means
35 is energized to melt the frozen iron and slag. The lining of standpipe 12 is made
of such material that would couple with induction heating means 35. Metal reservoir
13 consists of a lined chamber adapted to rotate about roller segment bed 93 to effect
the pouring of molten iron 42 via tap hole 55 into ladle 51, and slag 43 via spout 54
into pot 52.
Referring to Figure 3, numeral 10 is a modified configuration wherein
heating element 25 along the length of chamber 28, is obviated. In this configuration
the heat input is via lance 22 which is adapted to bore into bed 28 by means of an
oxidant after ignition takes place. Lance 22 is equipped with an injection tip denoted
by numeral 48 which may have multi-directional nozzles to inject oxidant in several
directions. Auxiliary oxidant orifices shown by numeral 92 are provided to lance 22
to combust coal and coke in the mixture, as well as gases generated from the coal in
the charge. Heating chamber 28, may be made as a composite structure of which
part is metallic as noted by numeral 117 and part refractory as noted by numeral 27.
Referring again to Figure 4 which is a configuration wherein a plurality of
reactors such as reactor 10, are mounted side by side to form a battery denoted by
numeral 104, with reactors 10 discharging iron/carbon product into common
melter/homogenizer 11. Reactor 10 which is situated at ground level serves as a
spare. A crane denoted by numeral 63, may be added to service battery 104.
In Figure 5, the invention is configured to make directly reduced iron (DRI)
or iron/carbon product which can be melted off-site.Numeral 10 is the reactor with a
downstream surge hopper denoted by numeral 64 which is followed by cooler 65.
Cooler 65 may take one of several known approaches including a cooled screw
feeder shown by numeral 38. The cooler feeds the cooled DRI or iron/carbon
product into surge hopper 66. Below surge hopper 66, a lockhopper denoted by
numeral 67 makes possible the discharging of product DRI or iron/carbon product in
a sealed manner into the atmosphere and onto conveyor 70 by making use of valves
68 and 69. A cyclone similar to cyclone 95 shown in Figure 6 and described
hereunder, may be used for separation of entrained particulate matter.
Referring to Figure 6, numeral 10 is the reactor and numeral 21 is the elbow.
Beneath elbow 21 a transition denoted by numeral 94 is provided through which the
carbotreated material is discharged via downcomer 73 into hot-briquetter 71 which
is adapted to form briquettes from the carbotreated material. A screw feed denoted
by numeral 72 is disposed upstream of briquetter 71 to control the feed into the
briquetter. Beneath briquetter 7t, surge hopper 74 followed by lockhopper 75 are
provided to discharge the formed briquettes into the atmosphere and onto conveyor
70. Valves 76 and 77 serve to lock and unlock lockhopper 75.
Adjacent to transition 94, cyclone 95 is mounted by making use of pipe 78,
in such a way as to pass hot gasses through cyclone 95 in order to remove particulate
matter from the gasses. Transition 94 which is equipped with impact surfaces such
as cascading baffles 89 tend to breakup the hot carbotreated material to release
excess particulate matter; such matter which remains entrained in the off-gases, is
disengaged in a cyclone denoted by numeral 95. Cyclone 95 is equipped with
pressure control means 98, and surge hopper 96 is followed by lockhopper 97.
Collecting bin 79 is disposed below lockhopper 97 for receiving the particulate
matter removed from the gases, which is recycled (not shown).
Referring to Figure 7, a box denoted by numeral 118 may be provided
beneath lockhopper 75 to contain the iron/carbon product and be transported by any
one of known means such as a lift-truck for further processing. Box 118 is designed
in such a way as to be insulated to accept hot product in order to conserve thermal
energy and prevent re-oxidation of the product.
Reference is now made to Figure 8 for the description of the structure to
feed the carbonaceous material as a core which is surrounded by the metallic ore. A
materials storage arrangement is provided and denoted by numeral 80 which
comprises hopper 81 to contain the carbonaceous material (fuel) and hopper 82 to
contain the ore. Feeders 101 and 102 control the flow of the fuel and ore from
hoppers 81 and 82 respectively. Valves 103 and 105 service lockhopper 81 and
valves 104 and 106 service lockhiopper 82. Charging tube 83 is provided at the
bottom of materials storage 80, which is flanked by charging device 90 on one side
and reactor 10 on the other side Charging device 90 is made up of a pushing ram
denoted by numeral 99 and pushing plunger 100 with ram 99 being advanced and
retracted by actuator means such as cylinders 107, and plunger 100 being advanced
and retracted by actuator means such as cylinder 108 thus providing independent
motion to either ram 99 or plunger 100, with plunger 100 being housed within ram
99 which is annular in configuration and which is in turn housed within charging
tube 83. Ram 99 passes a charging hole 109 to permit the fuel to be dropped into a
cavity when plunger 100 is in the retracted position. During the detailed description
of the operation for the formation of the core which follows, further clarification will
be disclosed with the aid of Figures 8-1 through 8-6.
Detailed Description of Operation
In explaining the operation of the method and apparatus disclosed herein,
the description will be as follows:
(i) Mode of feeding ore and coal, and of heating such materials for
carbotreating the ore to yield a metallized/carbon product; and
(ii) Melting the metallized/carbon product to yield molten metal via
oxymehing.
With respect to carbotreating wherein a core of fuel is formed in the charged
metallic oxide (ore), reference is made to Figure 8, its sequential Figures 8-1 through
8-6, and Figure 9. In Figure 8-1 both ram 99 and plunger 100 are shown in the
advanced position with the core of fuel being denoted by numeral 110 and the oxide
surrounding it being denoted by numeral 111. Plunger 100 is retracted to the
position shown in Figure 8-2 by means of cylinder 108 while retaining ram 99 in the
advanced position. A metered amount of fuel (coal) marked by numeral 112 is
dropped into cavity 113 via charging hole 109. Plunger 100 is then advanced part
way to push fuel 112 towards that core of fuel which had been charged and
compacted during the previous cycle as shown by Figure 8-3. Next, ram 99 is
retracted using the full stroke of cylinders 107 while plunger 100 is parked at the
part way advanced position. A metered amount of oxide marked by numeral 114, is
dropped into cavity 115 as shown by Figure 8-4 which cavity surrounds plunger
100. Following this step both ram 99 and plunger 100 are simultaneously advanced;
initially, the loose materials begin to be compacted as shown in Figure 8-5 by
numeral 116, and as the advancement of ram 99 and plunger 100 proceeds the fuel
and the oxide become fully compacted with the core being formed within the oxide
with the oxide fully surrounding the core of fuel; the stroke of both ram 99 and
plunger 100 keeps advancing after compaction and the entire contents of reactor 10
begin to move to result in hot metallized/carbon product being discharged from the
discharging end of reactor 10 as illustrated in Figure 8; the discharge of such product
stops when ram 99 and plunger 100 are fully stroked to the advanced position. At
the end of the stroke of ram 99 and plunger 100, the relationship of the ram and the
plunger is shown in Figure 8-6 which is the same as that shown in Figure 8-1. At
this point the cycle is completed. The formation of a fuel core 110 proceeds
cyclically to result in providing core 110 being surrounded by oxide 111 shown in
cross section in Figure 9. This repetitive cycle thus provides a core of fuel being
surrounded with oxide along the length of chamber 28 of reactor 10.
The operation of carbotreating with reference to Figures 1, 3 and 4 is as
follows:-
Assuming that the method is already at steady state and at pressure, and the
ore (preferably in fine, concentrated form), the coal and the flux contained in
materials delivery system 14, are proportionately mixed and fed as a mixture via
hopper 36, into cavity 17 of process chamber 28. Ram 16 is then actuated via
pushing device 15 to compact the mixture to such an extent as to make it
substantially impervious as shown by the densified representation (numeral 18) at
the charging end of reactor 10. As the mixture is advanced in chamber 28 of reactor
10, it is heated by any of the following manners of heating; namely, radiation,
conduction, convection or any combination of these systems to cause the evolution
of gases from the coal with the imperviousness of the mixture forcing the gases to
flow within chamber 28 towards discharging end 20. A portion of these gases is
combusted at the discharging end to provide a highly radiant zone to reflect
intensive thermal energy to the mixture to heat the mixture to such a temperature as
to cause the oxygen in the ore to react with the highly reducing gases liberated from
the coal and/or with residual carbon from the coal to reduce the ore to metallized
iron. To enhance the heat transfer to the mixture, lances such as lance 22 are
provided, which lances are adapted to inject an oxidant in the form of air, oxygen or
a combination of both into the mixture of materials within chamber 28, as this
, mixture advances in chamber 28. Further these lances which are kept cool by means
of a coolant are also adapted to be advanced and retracted for optimal heat transfer.
Variations of oxidant lance injection may also take the form of penetration into the
mixture itself as shown by Figures 1 and 3, with supplementary jets of oxidant (see
number 92) for post-combustion to further enhance heat transfer into the mixture. In
the event that no conductive heat through the wall of chamber 28 is furnished, lance
22 may take the form of an oxygen-fuel (coal, gas or oil) burner to initiate the
combustion and with the provision that once ignition of the coal gases and the
carbon in the coal becomes stable the fuel input from the lance is shut-off, and the
coal"and its gases supplying the thermal energy needed for sustaining the reactions
thus producing the iron/carbon product which is discharged into melter/homogenizer
11. An alternate arrangement may be the supply of the fuel through lance 22 such as
the injection of pulverized coal onto the ore or a combination of the arrangements
described herein and others which are known in the art.
The iron/carbon product made by this method is relatively light as compared
to the bulk density of iron ore and especially as compared to molten metal; further,
the size of the iron/carbon product as it is discharged from reactor 10 is diverse in
size and non-uniform. When such product is discharged into a melter containing
molten metal and slag, the iron/carbon product tends to float on top of the slag and
the molten metal causing delays in productivity and loss of energy by the inability to
readily get the iron/carbon product into solution. It is for this purpose that a melter
which also acts as a homogenizer devoid of a bath of molten metal and molten slag
is provided which takes the form of melter/homogenizer 11 which is capable of
draining the molten iron and molten slag as they are formed.
The oxymelting of the metallized/carbon product will now be described by
making reference to Figure 1. Within melter/homogenizer 11, lance 34 provides the
oxidant to melt the hot iron/carbon product being fed from reactor 10 via
downcomer 32. The oxidant reacts with gases and with carbon from the
carbotreating step to cause an intensive energy release which melts the iron in the
iron/carbon product, the gangue which was part of the iron oxide, the ash of the coal
as well as the flux/desulfurizer material used as additive, to result in making a
molten iron and a molten slag, this combination continuously leaves melter/
homogenizer 11 via drain/port 31 together with the various hot, pressurized gases
produced. Such gases flowing though drain/port 31 keep the molten iron and the slag
flowing out of melter/homogenizer 11 and into reservoir 13 by making use of
standpipe 12 whose tip is submerged in the molten metal within reservoir 13; this
submergence provides a liquid seal which maintains the pressure in the system.
By means of control valve 50 the back pressure in reactor 10, melter/
homogenizer 11 and standpipe 12 is balanced while the gases generated during
carbotreating in reactor 10 and the gases generated during oxymelting in melter/
homogenizer 11 are guided together with the molten metal and molten slag to
reservoir 13 where such gases bubble out of the bath and are combusted for
additional energy release by injecting an oxidant though nozzle 119. The off-gas is
collected in hood 120 for treatment not shown but known in the art. The metallic
dust, carbon and ash entrained in such gases remain in the bath by virtue of the bath
serving as a wet scrubber which increases the yield of the molten metal. A side
stream of such gases flowing through main 37, is used for pressure control by means
of valve 50 and are directed to cyclone 46 via discharge 47 for treatment. The
particulate matter separated in cyclone 46 is recycled with the feedstocks and
auxiliary heat if needed, is maintained in standpipe 12 by means of induction heating
35. The operation in reactor 10 and in the melter/homogenizer 11 is intentionally
maintained reducing to prevent re-oxidation of the iron and minimizing the
formation of NOX and CO2 while providing efficient desulfurizing conditions to
remove the sulfur which originates from the coal.
With respect to the application of this invention to the non-ferrous metals,
variations to that which is disclosed may take place; however, the intention is not to
depart from the spirit of this disclosure. All in all, it is submitted herein that the
instant invention provides major improvement over conventional
practice/metallurgy, which can use low cost raw materials, and which is energy
efficient, environmentally friendly and requiring low capital investment.
we claim
1. A method for thermally processing a metallic oxide with a
carbonaceous material in one or more chambers, wherein each of the one or more
chambers has a charging end and a discharging end, to produce a hot metallized/
carbon product which is subsequently melted in a melter to make a molten metal and
a molten slag, comprising:
feeding the metallic oxide and the carbonaceous material to the charging end
of said one or more chambers and forcing the metallic oxide and the carbonaceous
material toward the discharging end of said one or more chambers;
injecting an oxidant in such a way as to utilize at least a portion of the energy
contained in said carbonaceous material to release thermal energy and produce
pressurized reducing gases to reduce the metallic oxide to form a hot metallized/
carbon product;
discharging said hot metallized/carbon product from said one or more
chambers into the melter;
heating the metallized/carbon product in the melter to produce a hot
pressurized off-gas, a molten metal and a molten slag; and
segregating the off-gas, the molten slag and the molten metal.
2. A method for thermally processing a metallic oxide with a
carbonaceous material in one or more chambers, wherein each of the one or more
chambers has a charging end and a discharging end, to produce a hot metallized/
carbon product which is subsequently melted in a melter to make a molten metal and
a molten slag, comprising:
feeding the metallic oxide and the carbonaceous material to the charging end
of said one or more chambers in such a way as to form a core within annulus
surrounding the core for the efficient reaction of the metallic oxide with the
carbonaceous material, and forcing the metallic oxide and the carbonaceous material
toward the discharging end of said one or more chambers;
injecting an oxidant in such a way as to utilize at least a portion of the energy
contained in said carbonaceous material to release thermal energy and produce
pressurized reducing gases to reduce the metallic oxide to form a hot metallized/
carbon product;
discharging said hot metallized/carbon product from said one or more
chambers into the melter;
heating the metallized/carbon product in the melter to produce a hot
pressurized off-gas, a molten metal and a molten slag; and
segregating the off-gas, the molten slag and the molten metal.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the step of injecting an oxidant
includes the injection of the oxidant into the discharging end of said one or more
chambers.
4. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein a group of chambers are
assembled together in battery form, with each chamber being a separate module for
ease of scale-up and maintenance.
5. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the heating of the metallized/
carbon product in said melter comprises the step of consuming at least a portion of
the carbon in said melter.
6. The memod as claimed in claim 2 further comprising controlling
pressures to maintain the steps of the method in balance.
7. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising providing induction
heating as supplemental heating to the melter.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7 comprising adding an oxidant to
supplement said induction heatmg.
9. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the oxidant is substantially
pure oxygen.
10. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the oxidant comprises air.
11. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the oxidant is air enriched with
oxygen.
12. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising providing a radiant
heating zone downstream from the discharging end of said one or more chambers to
reflect thermal energy towards the materials being processed in order to efficiently
transfer heat by radiation to accelerate the conversion of said metallic oxide into a
metallized/carbon product.
13. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising heating said
chamber by passing hot gases through flues provided in the wall of said chamber to
additionally heat the materials in the chamber by conduction.
14. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein additional energy is introduced
in said radiant zone by combusting gases therein to further accelerate the reduction
of said metallic oxide.
15. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the materials in said chamber
are advanced and discharged from said chamber in such a way as to repeatedly
provide a new face of the materials being processed at the discharging end of said
chamber.
16. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising guiding the molten
metal and molten slag into a reservoir.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16 further comprising guiding the molten
metal and molten slag into a reservoir in a submerged mode to provide a liquid seal.
18. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the method is environmentally
closed to prevent polluting emissions.
19. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said chamber includes a
tapered portion that diverges towards the discharge end of said chamber.
20. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the metallic oxide is
comprised of an iron oxide.
21. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the carbonaceous material is
comprised of coal.
22. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising guiding the molten
metal and molten slag to a reservoir together with a flow of gases that are combusted
to release thermal energy.
23. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising homogenizing the
molten metal in said melter.
24. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising homogenizing the
molten metal into iron.
25. The metthod as claimed in claim 2 further comprising homogenizing the
molten metal into steel.
26. The method as claimed in claim 2 including the injecting of the oxidant
by means of a lance.
27. The method as claimed in claim 2 including the injecting of the oxidant
by means of a plurality of lances.
28. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising the addition of a
flux material to the metallic oxide and carbonaceous material.
29. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising the addition of a
desulfurizing material to the metallic oxide and carbonaceous material.
30. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising including at least a
portion of said carbonaceous material in the metallic oxide to form a mix.
31. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising charging said
carbonaceous material into said chamber in such a way as to form a core of fuel.
32. The method as claimed in claim 31 further comprising directing an
oxidant towards said core of fuel from the discharging end of said chamber.
33. The method as claimed in claim 32 wherein said oxidant penetrates said
core of fuel.
34A method for thermally processing a metallic oxide with a
carbonaceous material in one or more chambers, wherein each of the one or more
chambers has a charging end and a discharging end, to produce a hot metallized/
carbon product which is subsequently melted in a melter to make a molten metal and
a molten slag, comprising:
feeding the metallic oxide and the carbonaceous material to the charging end
of said one or more chambers and forcing the metallic oxide and the carbonaceous
material toward the discharging end of said one or more chambers;
injecting an oxidant in such a way as to utilize at least a portion of the energy
contained in said carbonaceous material to release thermal energy and produce
pressurized reducing gases to reduce the metallic oxide to form a hot metallized/
carbon product;
discharging said hot metallized/carbon product from said one or more
chambers into a container;
dischargig the metallized/carbon product from said container into a malter, and
heating the metallized/carbon product in the melter to produce a hot pressruized
off-gas, a molten metal and a molten slag; and
segregating the off-gas, the molten stag and the molten metal.
35. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein Mid container helps to maintain the
heat and prevent the re-oxidation of the metallized/carbon product.
36. The method as claimed in claim 35, further comprising cooling the
metallized/carbon product In said container prior to exposing the product to the
atmoaphere.
37. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the rnetallized/carbon product is
briquetted prior to its discharge into said container.
38. The method as claimed in claim 37, wherein the briquetied metallized/carbon
product is cooled prior to exposing the product to the atmosphere.
39. Apparatus for thermally processing a metallic oxide and carbonaceous material
in one or more chambers comprising :
a reactor (10) including a heathg chamber (28) having a charging end (15)
and a discharging end (20);
a feeding device (15,16) for feeding the metallic oxide and the carbonaceous
material into the charging end of said chamber and forcing the metallic oxide
and the charbonaceous material toward the discharging end (20) of said
chamber (28);
evident injection means (34) adapted to Inject an oxidant to cause the
carbonaceous material to rise in temperature and react with the metallic oxide
to form a meteHzed|/carban product;
a meter (11) in communicatian with the discharging end (20) of said chamber (28)
adapted to receive the metallized/carbon product from said chamber, said meter
being adapted to heat the metallized/carbon product to produce a hot pressurized
off-gas, molten metal and moten slag; and
means (41) for segregation of off-gas, moten slag and moten metal.
40. The apparatus as claimed in claim 39 further comprising a reservoir (13) for
accepting moten metal and moten stag from said mtter
41. The apparatus as claimed in claim 40, further comprising a reservoir for
accepting moten metal and moten slag from said meter in a submerged mode.
42. The apoaratus as claimed in claim 40, wherein said reservoir is adapted to tap the
moten metal separately from the moten slag.
43. Tht apparatus as claimed in claim 39, wherein said chamber includes a radiant
zone adaptsd to radlate tharmal energy towards the dischargng and of said
chamber.
44. The apparatus as claimed in claim 39 further comprising pressure balancing means
adaptad to balance system pressure.
45. The apparatus as claimed in clame 39; wherein said oxidant injection means is adapted to
be selectively advanced or retracted.
46. The apparatus as claimed in claim 39, further comprising oxidant injection means
operatively connected with said melter.
47. The apparatus as claimed in claim 39 further comprising Induction heating means
operatively connected with said meter.
48. The apparatus as claimed in claim 39, further comprising means for supplying
supplemental heat to said melter.
49. The apparatus as claimed in claim 48 wherein said means for supplying
supplemental heat to said melter comprises an induction heating means.
50. The apparatusas claimed in claim 48 wherein said means for supplying
supplemental heat to said melter comprises an oxidant injection means.
51. The apparatus as claimed in claim 39 further comprising a combination
oxidant injection means adapted to inject oxidant as well as fuel.
52. The apparatus as claimed in claim 51 wherein said fuel is gas.
53. The apparatus as claimed in claim 51 wherein said fuel is pulverized coal.
54 Apparatus for thermally processing a metallic oxide and carbonaceous
material in one or more chambers comprising:
a reactor including a heating chamber having a charging end and a
discharging end;
a feeding device for feeding the metallic oxide and the carbonaceous material
into the charging end of said chamber as a core with asurrounding annulus, and
forcing the metallic oxide and the carbonaceous material toward the discharging end
of said chamber;
oxidant injection means adapted to inject an oxidant to cause the
carbonaceous material to rise in temperature and react with the metallic oxide to
form a metallized/carbon product;
a melter in communication with the discharging end of said chamber adapted
to receive the metallized/carbon product from said chamber, said melter being
adapted to heat the metallized/carbon product to produce a hot pressurized off-gas,
molten metal and molten slag; and
means for segregating the off-gas, molten slag and molten metal.
55. The apparatus as claimed in claim 54 further comprising means for the
formation of said core from the carbonaceous material with the metallic oxide
surrounding said core.
56. The apparatus as claimed in claim 54 further comprising oxidant injection
means adapted to direct the oxidant into said core.
An energy efficient, coal-based method and apparatus, a reactor (10)
that are environmentally friendly which produce under pressure
metallized/carbon product and molten metal directly from abundant
coal or other carbonaceous material, and low cost fines (or ore
concentrate) wherein the molten metal Is devoid of gangue material
and possesses the inherent advantage of retaining the sensible heat
for subsequent processing.

Documents:

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-abstract.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-claims.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-correspondence.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-description (complete).pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-drawings.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-examination report.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-form 1.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-form 18.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-form 2.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-form 3.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-form 5.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-letter patent.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-pa.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

1187-kolnp-2003-granted-specification.pdf


Patent Number 213950
Indian Patent Application Number 01187/KOLNP/2003
PG Journal Number 04/2008
Publication Date 25-Jan-2008
Grant Date 23-Jan-2008
Date of Filing 16-Sep-2003
Name of Patentee CALDERON ENERGY COMPANY OF BOWLING GREEN, INC.
Applicant Address 500 LEHMAN AVENUE, BOWLING GREEN, OH 43402
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 CALDERON, ALBERT 1065 MELROSE, BOWLING GREEN OH 43402
2 LAUBIS, TERRY, JAMES 14377 POWELL ROAD, PORTAGE, OH 43451
PCT International Classification Number C 21 B 13/14
PCT International Application Number PCT/US02/06109
PCT International Filing date 2002-02-28
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 09/808,963 2001-03-16 U.S.A.