Material supply apparatus and process

Abstract

A material supply apparatus and process for co-injecting heated solid metalliferous material and solid carbonaceous material via a solids injection lance into a direct smelting vessel are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A direct smelting plant comprising:
 (a) a direct smelting vessel;   (b) one or more than one solids injection lance extending into the direct smelting vessel, the or each solids injection lance having an inlet end;   (c) an ore dispensing/metering unit that is adapted to dispense hot ore and a first solids supply line adapted to transport hot ore from the ore dispensing/metering unit to the inlet end of the at least one lance;   (d) an assembly for supplying coal to the first solids supply line, the assembly including a coal dispensing/metering unit, and wherein the coal supply assembly is adapted to supply coal directly to the first supply line at a location on the first solids supply line as a conveying time (based on average gas transit time) to an inlet end of the at least one lance for conveying speeds in the first supply line less than 50 meters per second so that there can be co-injection of heated metalliferous material and coal from the lance into the vessel; and   (e) an ore pre-treatment unit adapted to heat the ore.