Abstract:
A method for heating a metal material in an industrial furnace includes a dark zone and at least one heating zone arranged downstream of the dark zone, the heating zone heated using at least one burner and the metal material is transported through the dark zone and thereafter through the heating zone, combustion gases circulate counter-currently through the furnace from the heating zone through the dark zone. A lambda value, ie a ratio of actual oxygen-to-fuel ratio and stoichiometric oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the combustion in at least one of the heating zones is below one, and an oxidant having at least 85 percent by weight of oxygen is supplied through at least one lance into the dark zone so that at least one stream of the oxidant is directed toward the metal material so that the oxidant in the dark zone combusts combustible gases originating from the heating zone.