PLASMA FURNACE USED FOR THE DIRECT REDUCTION OF THE METALS Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC C21B13/12 

FIELD: cokingless metallurgy; other industries; methods of production of the blanks by reduction of the metals oxides out of the metal-containing oxide raw in the plasma-chemical reactors.

SUBSTANCE: the invention is pertaining to the field of the coke metallurgy, in particular, to production of the blanks by reduction of the metals oxides out of the metal-containing oxide raw in the plasma-chemical reactors. In the plasma furnace the electrodes are the hollow cathode mounted on the central axis with the capability of movement, and the anode associated with the device of collection, and the magnetic field in the volume of the process chamber is formed by the magnetic system. The furnace is supplied with the means of feeding of the SHF-energy in the process chamber. The fusion mixture input device is made in the form of the being cooled internal electroconductive pipe located in the cathode cavity with a spacing and isolated from it electrically. The device of feeding of the SHF energy is made in the form of the coaxially- waveguide adaptor consisting of the rectangular waveguide, which axis and the wide wall are perpendicular to the axis of the device, and the cathode with the external tube forming the coaxial line. The external tube is located on the cover of the process chamber outside the cathode with the spacing and isolated from it electrically. At that in this spacing there is the swirler of the gas stream and in one of the walls of the waveguide there is the mounted fitting pipe for inlet of the reducing gas, and the magnet system is mounted round the external tube. The internal pipe is the second anode. In the conditions of maintaining the SHF discharge under the butt of the cathode and in the spacing between it and the internal tube in the strong axial magnetic field the electric arc excited in this spacing exits from the spacing, moves along the butt of the cathode and heats up it uniformly along the whole surface. It easies the start of the main arc, allows to maintain the diffuse nature of the arc and to ensure the decrease of erosion of the cathode and the increase of the device productivity due to the increased operational periods between the periods of the cathode replacement or the procedures of its building up.

EFFECT: the invention ensures the easy start of the main arc, maintaining the diffuse nature of the arc, the decreased erosion of the cathode, the increased productivity of the device.

9 cl, 2 dwg