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 vessel including a crucible. The furnace includes a lance for introducing fuel and oxygen into the crucible and instrumentation for determining density characteristics of molten material inside the crucible. In one embodiment, the blast furnace is able to adjust the input of fuel and/or oxygen into the crucible based on the measure density characteristics of the molten material. The blast furnace can also include structure for cooling and clinkering molten material discharged from the crucible.

1 . A blast furnace comprising: 
 a vessel including a crucible formed therein;    means for introducing fuel and oxygen into said crucible; and    means for determining density characteristics of molten material inside said crucible.    
   
   
       2 . The blast furnace of  claim 1  wherein said means for determining density characteristics of molten material includes a vertical array of laser spectrometry sensors mounted in said crucible.  
   
   
       3 . The blast furnace of  claim 1  wherein said means for determining density characteristics of molten material includes an oscillating ball sensor located in said crucible.  
   
   
       4 . The blast furnace of  claim 1  wherein said means for determining density characteristics of molten material includes an inclined nuclear level gage.  
   
   
       5 . The blast furnace of  claim 1  further comprising a cyclone positioned adjacent to said vessel for removing particulate matter from hot gas discharged from said vessel.  
   
   
       6 . The blast furnace of  claim 5  wherein said cyclone includes a leg having an end that is immersed in molten material in said crucible.  
   
   
       7 . The blast furnace of  claim 6  further comprising means for heating said cyclone and said leg.  
   
   
       8 . The blast furnace of  claim 7  wherein said means for heating comprises electric heaters.  
   
   
       9 . The blast furnace of  claim 1  further comprising means for measuring characteristics of hot gas in said vessel.  
   
   
       10 . The blast furnace of  claim 9  wherein said means for measuring characteristics of hot gas include a laser spectrometry emitter and receiver mounted on said vessel.  
   
   
       11 . The blast furnace of  claim 1  wherein said crucible includes a tap hole for discharging molten material therefrom.  
   
   
       12 . The blast furnace of  claim 11  further comprising means for heating said tap hole to insure said tap hole stays open.  
   
   
       13 . The blast furnace of  claim 12  wherein said means for heating comprises electric heaters.  
   
   
       14 . The blast furnace of  claim 11  further comprising means for cooling and clinkering molten material discharged from said tap hole.  
   
   
       15 . The blast furnace of  claim 1  further comprising means for heating said crucible.  
   
   
       16 . The blast furnace of  claim 15  wherein said means for heating comprises electric heaters.  
   
   
       17 . A process comprising: 
 providing a vessel including a crucible formed therein;    introducing fuel and oxygen into said crucible;    combusting said fuel in said crucible to produce molten material; and    determining density characteristics of molten material inside said crucible.    
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 17  further comprising adjusting the input of fuel and/or oxygen into said crucible based on the density characteristics of molten material inside said crucible.  
   
   
       19 . The process of  claim 18  further comprising using laser spectrometry to measure characteristics of hot gas inside or outside of said vessel.  
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 18  further comprising discharging molten material from said crucible and cooling and clinkering molten material discharged from said crucible.