US 12,378,617 B2
Device and method for continuous desulphurisation of liquid hot metal
Ali Emami, Haarlem (NL); Frank Nicolaas Hermanus Schrama, Leiden (NL); and Johan Willem Koenraad Van Boggelen, Alkmaar (NL)
Assigned to TATA STEEL NEDERLAND TECHNOLOGY B.V., Velsen-Noord (NL)
Appl. No. 17/600,599
Filed by TATA STEEL NEDERLAND TECHNOLOGY B.V., Velsen-Noord (NL)
PCT Filed May 19, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/064008
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 30, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/239554, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 3, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19176486 (EP), filed on May 24, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0170122 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
Int. Cl. C21C 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC C21C 1/025 (2013.01) 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of continuous desulphurisation of liquid iron in a device comprising one desulphurisation reactor or a plurality of consecutive desulphurisation reactors,
wherein liquid iron produced by liquid iron production means enters an entry section of a desulphurisation reactor and subsequently flows to a reaction section of the desulphurisation reactor through a passage between the entry section and the reaction section,
wherein the entry section and the reaction section act as communicating vessels, and wherein reagents are introduced into the liquid iron in the reaction vessel by means for introducing reagents into the liquid iron wherein the means for introducing reagents into the liquid iron comprise a submerged lance,
vaporising, dissociating or reacting at least part of the reagents to form bubbles after introduction into the liquid iron, wherein the bubbles reduce the specific weight of the liquid iron in the reaction section, while simultaneously desulphurising the liquid iron by reacting with the sulphur in the liquid iron, and
wherein, because of the difference in specific weight of the liquid iron entering the entry section and the specific weight of the liquid iron in the reaction section, the liquid iron causes an overall flow of the liquid iron from the entry section to the reaction section and subsequently to and through an outlet of the reaction section, and wherein
(i) a return passage is provided between the reaction section of a desulphurisation reactor and the entry section of that desulphurisation reactor, and/or
(ii) wherein the device comprises the plurality of consecutive desulphurisation reactors and the plurality of consecutive desulphurisation reactors comprises a first desulphurisation reactor and a second desulphurisation reactor, wherein a return passage is provided between the first desulphurisation reactor and the second desulphurisation reactor, wherein the return passage connects the entry section of the second desulphurisation reactor to the reaction section of the first desulphurisation reactor,
to increase the residence time of the liquid iron in the device.