Single vessel blast furnace and steel making/gasifying apparatus and process

Abstract

A blast furnace for use in an apparatus such as a steel making apparatus or a gasifier includes a crucible having a tap hole for discharging molten slag therefrom. The furnace includes a lance for introducing fuel and oxygen into the crucible and instrumentation for continuously measuring characteristics of molten slag discharged through the tap hole to control processing of fuel and oxygen in the crucible. In one application, a single vessel steel-making apparatus includes a crucible having a first tap hole for discharging molten slag therefrom and a second tap hole for discharging molten steel therefrom and includes an additional lance for introducing a carbon reducing oxygen blast into a mass of molten steel in the crucible.

1 . A blast furnace comprising: 
 a crucible having a tap hole for discharging molten slag therefrom;    means for introducing fuel and oxygen into said crucible; and    means for continuously measuring characteristics of molten slag discharged through said tap hole for controlling processing of fuel and oxygen in said crucible.    
   
   
       2 . The blast furnace of  claim 1  wherein said means for continuously measuring characteristics of molten slag discharged through said tap hole includes a trough for collecting molten slag discharged through said tap hole, said trough including a weir, and a level sensor for measuring molten slag level in said trough.  
   
   
       3 . The blast furnace of  claim 2  wherein said means for continuously measuring characteristics of molten slag discharged through said tap hole further includes a laser spectrometer for obtaining a chemical analysis of said molten slag in said trough.  
   
   
       4 . The blast furnace of  claim 1  further comprising means for detecting molten slag level inside of said crucible.  
   
   
       5 . The blast furnace of  claim 4  wherein said means for detecting molten slag level includes a scanning nuclear gage.  
   
   
       6 . The blast furnace of  claim 1  further comprising means for controlling molten slag flow rate through said tap hole.  
   
   
       7 . The blast furnace of  claim 6  wherein said means for controlling molten slag flow rate includes a refrigeration coil around said tap hole.  
   
   
       8 . The blast furnace of  claim 6  wherein said means for controlling molten slag flow rate includes a moveable tapered plug aligned with said tap hole and an actuator for controlling movement of said tapered plug.  
   
   
       9 . The blast furnace of  claim 6  wherein said means for controlling molten slag flow rate includes eddy current inducing means located adjacent to said tap hole.  
   
   
       10 . The blast furnace of  claim 1  further comprising means for discharging hot gas from said furnace.  
   
   
       11 . The blast furnace of  claim 10  further comprising a cyclone for removing particulate matter from said hot gas before said hot gas is discharged from said furnace.  
   
   
       12 . The blast furnace of  claim 11  wherein said cyclone is located inside said furnace.  
   
   
       13 . The blast furnace of  claim 11  wherein said cyclone includes a leg that is immersed in molten slag in said crucible.  
   
   
       14 . The blast furnace of  claim 10  further comprising means for sensing characteristics of hot gas that is inside or being discharged from said blast furnace.  
   
   
       15 . A single vessel steel-making apparatus comprising: 
 a crucible having a first tap hole for discharging molten slag therefrom and a second tap hole for discharging molten steel therefrom;    means for introducing fuel and oxygen into said crucible; and    means for introducing a carbon reducing oxygen blast into a mass of molten steel in said crucible.    
   
   
       16 . The steel-making apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising means for detecting molten steel and molten slag levels inside of said crucible.  
   
   
       17 . The steel-making apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said means for detecting molten steel and molten slag levels includes a scanning nuclear gage.  
   
   
       18 . A process comprising: 
 introducing fuel and oxygen into a crucible;    combusting said fuel in said crucible to produce molten slag;    discharging molten slag through a tap hole formed in said crucible; and    continuously measuring characteristics of molten slag discharged through said tap hole for controlling processing of fuel and oxygen in said crucible.    
   
   
       19 . The process of  claim 18  wherein said process is a gasification process.  
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 18  wherein said process is a gasification process.