O2 lancing
The use of oxygen lancing is a technology widely employed to optimise the combustion process.
In the production of steel, oxygen lancing is used to convert molten pig iron rich in carbon into steel, so as to reduce the content of alloyed carbon by converting it into steel with a low carbon content.
This operation is carried out using water-cooled lances that can inject oxygen at high speed into the converters.
In the production of cast-iron in cupola furnaces, the oxygen is injected at high speed by lances inside the wind nozzles. The high speed of the oxygen flow and the length and proper inclination of the lance with respect to the nozzle, ensure that the oxygen reaches the heart of the crucible, making it possible to obtain a further increase in the melting temperature compared with traditional enrichment technology, thus resulting in a better quality product and a saving of coke.
Having the highest temperatures in the centre of the crucible also significantly reduces wear on the refractory material, making longer production runs possible.
In secondary aluminium production, SOL offers lancing to recover the heat producing power of and consumed fuel in the fumes and exploit it directly in different kinds of furnace for the melting process.
This makes it possible to use low-quality scrap (containing, for example, plastic, oils, paint etc.), improve emission control and reduce fuel consumption, thanks to increased combustion efficiency.