Abstract:
A method and apparatus for upgrading coal and other carbonaceous fuels includes subjecting the carbonaceous fuel to a pyrolyzing process, thereby forming upgraded carbonaceous fuel and a flow of lean fuel gases. Auxiliary fuel is combusted in an auxiliary fuel combustor to produce auxiliary fuel combustion gases, and the lean fuel gases are heated with the auxiliary fuel combustion gases. The heated lean fuel gases are combusted in a lean fuel combustor, thereby producing a gas stream of products of combustion, and at least a portion of the gas stream of products of combustion are to directed to the pyrolyzer.
Abstract:
A method of treating untreated low calorific coal containing moisture and organic volatiles includes feeding untreated coal to a dryer, and drying the coal. The dried coal is subjected to a pyrolyzing step where oxygen-deficient gases are brought into contact with the coal, thereby lowering the volatile content of the coal and producing a stream of pyrolysis effluent gases. The pyrolysis effluent gases are subjected to a separation process to separate lean fuel gases from liquids and tars, wherein the separation process removes less than about 20 percent of the pyrolysis effluent gases as the liquids and tars, with the remainder being the lean fuel gases. The lean fuel gases are returned to the dryer combustor, the pyrolyzer combustor, or the pyrolyzer.
Abstract:
A method of processing flue dust that contains one or more compounds from a first group of zinc, lead and cadmium compounds, and contains iron compounds, involves heating the flue dust to cause a substantial portion of one or more of the compounds of the first group to become gas-borne. A carbonaceous material is introduced to the remaining flue dust, and the flue dust/carbonaceous material mixture is heated to cause a substantial portion of the remaining compounds from the first group to become gas-borne while retaining a substantial portion of the iron in a non-gas-borne condition. The gas-borne compounds are separated from the non-gas-borne compounds.
Abstract:
A process for treating iron-bearing material with a carbonaceous material to form a dry mixture, wherein the amount of carbonaceous material added exceeds the stoichiometric amount required to reduce the metal oxide to elemental metal. In one embodiment, the process also includes blending an organic binder with the dry mixture. The dry mixture is agglomerated to bond the dry mixture and form green compacts. The green compacts are loaded into a heated furnace and heated for about 5-12 minutes at a temperature of between about 2100.degree.-2500.degree. F. to reduce the iron oxide containing compacts to compacts containing elemental iron and an excess amount of carbonaceous material wherein the excess amount of carbonaceous material counteracts re-oxidation of the elemental iron. The reduced compacts are then discharged from the furnace.
Abstract:
A process for recovering iron from iron-bearing materials including steel mill waste and iron-bearing ores. The process includes the steps of providing a mixture of iron-bearing materials having iron oxides therein and carbonaceous material. Blending with the mixture an organic binder. The mixture is then agglomerated to form green compacts. The green compacts are then loaded into a preheated rotary hearth furnace void of compacts to form a layer of compacts no more than about two compacts high. The green compacts are heated for about 5-12 minutes at a temperature of between about 2200-2500° F. to reduce the compacts and evolve undesirable oxides from the compacts. The reduced compacts are then discharged from the rotary hearth furnace whereupon they are soaked to provide additional time for reaction to achieve 99% or more reduction of the iron oxides. The metallized iron compacts may then be cooled or transported hot to a steel making operation.
Abstract:
A discharge assembly for removing material from a hearth in a rotary hearth furnace including a discharge auger and a coolant spray. The discharge auger is positioned above the hearth of the rotary hearth furnace and includes a central shaft having at least one helical flight affixed to the exterior of the central shaft and the hood is disposed above the discharge auger. The coolant spray cools the discharge auger.
Abstract:
A continuous process for treating a noncaking coal to form stable char. The process includes the sequential steps of drying the coal to remove moisture therefrom and form a dry coal; pyrolyzing the dry coal by progressively heating substantially all of the coal to a temperature sufficient to vaporize and remove low end volatile materials from the coal to form char and sufficient to mobilize at least a portion of high end volatile materials within the char and at least partially collapse micropores within the char. The char is then cooled to a temperature sufficient to demobilize the volatile materials within the at least partially collapsed micropores of the char to pyrolytically passivate the char. The char is then conveyed to a reaction vessel wherein a process gas having about 3%-21% by volume oxygen flows through the reaction vessel to oxidatively passivate the coal by chemisorption of oxygen. The oxidatively passivated char is then substantially simultaneously rehydrated and cooled to form a char having about 5-10 wt % moisture and then conveyed to a final passivation vessel wherein a process gas having about 3%-21% by volume oxygen flows through the vessel to finally passivate the rehydrated char by chemisorption of oxygen.
Abstract:
A process for recovering iron from iron-bearing materials including steel mill waste and iron-bearing ores. The process includes the steps of providing a mixture of iron-bearing materials having iron oxides therein and carbonaceous material. The mixture is agglomerated to form green compacts. The green compacts are then loaded into a preheated rotary hearth furnace void of compacts to form a layer of compacts no more than about two compacts high. The green compacts are heated for about 5 to 12 minutes at a temperature of between about 2200.degree. F. to 2500.degree. F. to reduce the compacts and evolve undesirable oxides from the compacts. The reduced compacts are then discharged from the rotary hearth furnace whereupon they are soaked to provide additional time for reaction to achieve 99% or more reduction of the iron oxides. The metallized iron compacts may then be cooled or transported hot to a steel making operation.
Abstract:
A process for recovering iron from iron-bearing materials including steel mill waste and iron-bearing ores. The process includes the steps of combining the iron-bearing materials, having metal oxides including iron oxides therein, with carbonaceous material to form a dry mixture. The dry mixture is agglomerated under conditions sufficient to mobilize volatile matter from the carbonaceous material to function as a binder and bond the dry mixture and form green compacts. The green compacts are then loaded into a preheated rotary hearth furnace void of compacts to form a layer of compacts no more than about two compacts high. The green compacts are heated for about 5 to 12 minutes at a temperature of between about 2150.degree. F. to 2350.degree. F. to reduce the compacts and evolve undesirable oxides from the compacts. The reduced compacts are then discharged from the rotary hearth furnace whereupon they are soaked to provide additional time for reaction to achieve 99% or more reduction of the iron oxides. The metallized iron compacts may then be cooled or transported hot to a steel making operation.
Abstract:
An internal gas generator in combination with a standard heat treat furnace is provided for producing either an endothermic product gas or a purge gas. The generator includes a reaction tube containing alternating packed beds of a highly active catalyst and inert heat transfer particulates. The reaction tube is surrounded by an elongated tubular heating element which heats the reaction tube, the combination producing an acceptable product gas in a small arrangement suitable for retrofit applications to existing furnaces. A flanged mounting permits the reaction tube to be easily removed for standard replacement in the event of catalyst poisoning and the like.