PROCESS FOR CONTINUOUS IRON ORE FOUNDATION AND REDUCTION AND CONTINUOUS IRON ORE FOUNDATION AND REDUCTION UNIT

摘要

A process for continuously smelting iron ore by use of coal to yield molten iron or semi-steel is disclosed. It comprises establishing a melt (38) covered by slag (8); inducing the slag and the molten iron to flow countercurrently to one another, toward opposite ends of the smelter (2); maintaining iron oxide-reducing conditions in that zone (12) of the smelter towards which the slag flows; maintaining carbon-oxidizing conditions in that zone (10) of the smelter towards which the iron flows; tapping the slag from the reducing zone end (12) of the smelter; tapping the iron from the other end (10); and adding to both zones iron ore, coal, oxygen, and flux sufficient to maintain in the tapped slag (44) an FeO content of about 5 weight percent or less and maintain in the tapped iron (46) a carbon content of about 0.5 to 5 weight percent. IMAGE