Tuyere For Oxygen Blast Furnace Converter System

Abstract

A tuyere for an oxygen blast furnace has a body and a first conduit extending through the body. The first conduit is adapted to receive a medium at one end of the conduit and discharge the medium at a second end of the conduit through at least one discharge nozzle. A second conduit can be arranged concentrically around the first conduit and is adapted to receive a medium and discharge the medium through at least one discharge nozzle. In another aspect, a portable oxygen blast furnace system includes oxygen blast furnace secured to a railcar. The portable furnace system can be transported by rail for processing material at remote locations.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A tuyere for use in an oxygen blast furnace system comprising a body; a first conduit extending through a longitudinal center portion of the body, wherein the first conduit has an outboard end external to the furnace and an inboard end extending into the furnace, wherein the first conduit is adapted to receive a first medium at the outboard end and discharge the first medium at the inboard end through a first discharge nozzle inside the furnace; a second conduit arranged concentrically around the first conduit, wherein the second conduit is adapted to receive a second medium at a first end of the second conduit and discharge the second medium at a second end of the second conduit through a second discharge nozzle.  
     
     
         2 . The tuyere of  claim 1  wherein the first discharge nozzle is a convergent/divergent nozzle or a convergent nozzle.  
     
     
         3 . The tuyere of  claim 1  wherein the second discharge nozzle is a convergent/ divergent nozzle or a convergent nozzle, at a diverting angle of some degree from the direction of the flow from a central shaft.  
     
     
         4 . A tuyere for use in an oxygen blast furnace system comprising a body; a first conduit extending through a longitudinal center portion of the body, wherein the first conduit has an outboard end external to the furnace and an inboard end extending into the furnace, wherein the first conduit is adapted to receive a first medium at the outboard end and discharge the first medium at the inboard end through a first discharge nozzle inside the furnace; a plurality of secondary conduits extending through the tuyere body, wherein the plurality of second conduits are adapted to receive a second medium at a first end of the second conduits and discharge the second medium at a second end of the second conduits through a plurality of radially distributed discharge nozzles.  
     
     
         5 . The tuyere of  claim 4  wherein the first discharge nozzle is a convergent/divergent nozzle or a convergent nozzle.  
     
     
         6 . The tuyere of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of radially distributed nozzles are convergent/divergent nozzles or convergent nozzles, at a diverting angle of some degree from the axial direction of the flow from a central shaft.  
     
     
         7 . The tuyere of  claim 4  further comprising at least one third conduit extending through the tuyere body, wherein the third conduit is adapted to receive a third medium at a first end of the third conduit and discharge the third medium at a second end of the third conduit through at least one third discharge nozzle.  
     
     
         8 . The tuyere of  claim 7  wherein the at least one third conduit is arranged concentrically around the first conduit.  
     
     
         9 . The tuyere of  claim 7  wherein the third conduit comprises a plurality of channels radially distributed around the first conduit.  
     
     
         10 . A tuyere for use in an oxygen blast furnace system comprising a body and an inner shaft defining a steam opening at an outboard end, wherein the inner shaft is displaceable inwardly or outwardly of the body to adjust the size of the steam opening.  
     
     
         11 . The tuyere of  claim 1  which is retrofitted to an existing tuyere by inserting a metal plug inside the existing tuyere without requiring modification to the existing tuyere.  
     
     
         12 . The tuyere of  claim 11  wherein at least one of existing blowpipe shell geometry, attachment mechanisms, and mating mechanisms are retained from the existing tuyere.  
     
     
         13 . The tuyere of  claim 4  which is retrofitted to an existing tuyere by inserting a metal plug inside the existing tuyere without requiring modification to the existing tuyere.  
     
     
         14 . The tuyere of  claim 13  wherein at least one of existing blowpipe shell geometry, attachment mechanisms, and mating mechanisms are retained from the existing tuyere.  
     
     
         15 . A portable oxygen blast furnace system comprising an oxygen blast furnace secured to a railcar.  
     
     
         16 . The portable oxygen blast furnace system of  claim 15  wherein the furnace system comprises a tuyere having a body; a first conduit extending through a longitudinal center portion of the body, wherein the first conduit has an outboard end external to the furnace and an inboard end extending into the furnace, wherein the first conduit is adapted to receive a first medium at the outboard end and discharge the first medium at the inboard end through a first discharge nozzle inside the furnace; a second conduit arranged concentrically around the first conduit, wherein the second conduit is adapted to receive a second medium at a first end of the second conduit and discharge the second medium at a second end of the second conduit through a second discharge nozzle.  
     
     
         17 . The portable oxygen blast furnace system of  claim 15  wherein the furnace system comprises a tuyere comprising a body; a first conduit extending through a longitudinal center portion of the body, wherein the first conduit has an outboard end external to the furnace and an inboard end extending into the furnace, wherein the first conduit is adapted to receive a first medium at the outboard end and discharge the first medium at the inboard end through a first discharge nozzle inside the furnace; wherein the first conduit is adapted to receive a first medium at a first end of the first conduit and discharge the first medium at a second end of the first conduit through a first discharge nozzle; a plurality of secondary conduits extending through the tuyere body, wherein the plurality of second conduits are adapted to receive a second medium at a first end of the second conduits and discharge the second medium at a second end of the second conduits through a plurality of radially distributed discharge nozzles.  
     
     
         18 . The portable oxygen blast furnace system of  claim 17  further comprising at least one third conduit extending through the tuyere body, wherein the third conduit is adapted to receive a third medium at a first end of the third conduit and discharge the third medium at a second end of the third conduit through at least one third discharge nozzle.  
     
     
         19 . A method of processing waste or other raw material comprising transporting a portable oxygen blast furnace system on a railcar to the vicinity of the waste or other raw material, and processing the waste or other raw material in the portable oxygen blast furnace system.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the portable oxygen blast furnace system is partially dissembled in transit, the method further comprising reassembling the furnace system and preparing a foundation for the furnace system while on the railcar.