Integration of DR plant and electric DRI melting furnace for producing high performance iron

1. A direct reduction process comprising:

providing a shaft furnace of a direct reduction plant to reduce iron oxide with reducing gas;

providing a direct reduced iron melting furnace;

coupling a discharge chute between a discharge exit of the direct reduced shaft furnace and an inlet of the direct reduced iron melting furnace; wherein direct reduced iron and the reducing gas from the shaft furnace flow through the discharge chute directly to the directed reduced iron melting furnace and the reducing gas controls the melting furnace atmosphere to reducing environment; and

providing an interconnecting duct between the direct reduced iron melting furnace and the shaft furnace to recycle all offgas from the melting furnace directly to at least one of the shaft furnace and a top scrubber of the direct reduction plant, wherein the melting furnace is an electric arc furnace or a submerged arc furnace.

2. The direct reduction process of claim 1 , wherein the discharge chute comprises a direct reduced iron discharge chute and a direct reduced iron feed chute.

3. The direct reduction process of claim 1 , further comprising providing a choke feed discharge chute to transfer the direct reduced iron to make a pile according to an angle of repose in the direct reduced iron melting furnace.

4. The direct reduction process of claim 1 , wherein offgas from the direct reduced iron melting furnace is recycled in at least one of the following offgas recycle lines: a recycle line from the direct reduced iron melting furnace to the shaft furnace between a shaft furnace bustle and top of burden, a recycle line from the direct reduced iron melting furnace to a top of the shaft furnace, and a recycle line from the direct reduced iron melting furnace to a top gas scrubber.

5. The direct reduction process of claim 4 , comprising providing a rotary feeder or a feed screw at the chute to control feed rate of the direct reduced iron from the shaft furnace to the direct reduced iron melting furnace.

6. The direct reduction process of claim 4 , comprising providing a pressure control damper in at least one of the offgas recycle lines to control internal pressure of the direct reduced iron melting furnace and connection of cold dilution gas at offgas offtake of the direct reduced melting furnace, wherein the cold dilution gas is removed from at least one of the following cold gas sources at the direct reduction plant: an outlet of a reformed gas cooler; an outlet of a direct recycle cooler; and an outlet of a process gas compressor; and wherein offgas from the direct reduced iron melting furnace is diluted by the cold dilution gas to lower the offgas temperature at the furnace offgas offtake to prevent dust from building up in the off gas recycle lines.

7. The direct reduction process of claim 6 , wherein coal or other carbonaceous material is injected into the direct reduced iron melting furnace and a portion of the cold gas is used to pneumatically convey the coal or other carbonaceous material into the direct reduced iron melting furnace.

8. The direct reduction process of claim 6 , wherein a portion of the cold gas is used as seal gas for dynamic sealing around the direct reduced iron melting furnace, such as a pressure equalizing gas at a lock hopper to charge the flux and/or carbonaceous material to the direct reduced iron melting furnace.

9. The direct reduction process of claim 4 , comprising providing a hot reducing gas line from a reformer outlet to the direct reduced iron melting furnace to control internal pressure of the direct reduced melting furnace.

10. The direct reduction process of claim 4 , comprising providing a wet scrubber to clean and cool the offgas from the direct reduced iron melting furnace, and a pressure control damper and/or a compressor to control internal pressure of the direct reduced iron melting furnace, and located in the offgas recycle line from the direct reduced iron melting furnace to the shaft furnace.

11. The direct reduction process of claim 4 , wherein flux is added in oxide pellets before being charged into the shaft furnace.

12. The direct reduction process of claim 1 , wherein the direct reduced iron melting furnace operates at positive pressure, at least 0.3 barg.

13. The direct reduction process of claim 1 , wherein the direct reduced iron melting furnace operates at positive pressure, greater than 1.3 barg.

14. The direct reduction process of claim 1 , wherein slag and hot metal are tapped from the direct reduced iron melting furnace using separate tapping holes or the slag and hot metal are tapped from the same tap hole.

15. A direct reduction system comprising:

a shaft furnace of a direct reduction plant configured to reduce iron oxide with reducing gas;

a direct reduced iron melting furnace;

a discharge chute coupled between a discharge exit of the direct reduced iron shaft furnace and an inlet of the direct reduced iron melting furnace; wherein the direct reduced iron and the reducing gas from the shaft furnace is configured to flow through the discharge chute directly to the direct reduced iron melting furnace and the reducing gas controls the direct reduced iron melting furnace atmosphere to reducing environment; and

an interconnecting duct between the direct reduced iron melting furnace and the shaft furnace configured to recycle all offgas from the melting furnace directly to at least one of the shaft furnace and a top scrubber of the direct reduction plant, wherein the melting furnace is an electric arc furnace or a submerged arc furnace.

16. The direct reduction system of claim 15 , wherein offgas from the direct reduced iron melting furnace is configured to be recycled in at least one of the following off gas recycle lines: a recycle line from the direct reduced iron melting furnace to the shaft furnace between a shaft furnace bustle and top of burden, a recycle line from the direct reduced iron melting furnace to a top of the shaft furnace, and a recycle line from the direct reduced iron melting furnace to a top gas scrubber.

17. The direct reduction system of claim 16 , comprising a rotary feeder or a feed screw installed at the discharge chute and configured to control feed rate of the direct reduced iron from the shaft furnace to the direct reduced iron melting furnace.

18. The direct reduction system of claim 16 , comprising a choke feed discharge chute configured to transfer the direct reduced iron to make a pile according to an angle of repose in the direct reduced iron melting furnace.

19. The direct reduction system of claim 16 , comprising a pressure control damper in at least one of the offgas recycle lines configured to control internal pressure of the direct reduced iron melting furnace and connection of cold dilution gas at offgas offtake of the direct reduced melting furnace, wherein the cold dilution gas is configured to be removed from at least one of the following cold gas sources at the direct reduction plant: an outlet of a reformed gas cooler; an outlet of a direct recycle cooler; and an outlet of a process gas compressor.

20. The direct reduction system of claim 16 , comprising a hot reducing gas line from a reformer outlet to the direct reduced iron melting furnace configured to control internal pressure of the direct reduced iron melting furnace.

21. The direct reduction system of claim 16 , comprising a wet scrubber configured to clean and cool the offgas from the direct reduced iron melting furnace, and a pressure control damper and/or a compressor configured to control internal pressure of the direct reduced iron melting furnace, and located in the offgas recycle line from the direct reduced iron melting furnace to the shaft furnace.

22. The direct reduction system of claim 15 , wherein the discharge chute comprises a direct reduced iron discharge chute and a direct reduced iron feed chute.

23. A process to produce high performance iron including cast iron or hot metal with a direct reduction plant integrated with a direct reduced iron melting furnace comprising:

charging direct reduced iron directly from the shaft furnace to the direct reduced iron melting furnace through an interconnecting chute;

controlling the melting furnace atmosphere to reducing environment by introducing reducing gas from the shaft furnace to the direct reduced iron melting furnace through the interconnecting chute directly to the direct reduced iron melting furnace; and

recycling all offgas from the direct reduced iron melting furnace directly to at least one of the shaft furnace and a top scrubber of the direct reduction plant through the interconnecting duct between the direct reduced iron melting furnace and the shaft furnace.