A method and an apparatus for advantageously introducing a
flame, a
high velocity oxidizing gas, and a
high velocity particulate flow into a furnace for
metal melting, refining and
processing, for example, steel making in an
electric arc furnace. The steel making process of an
electric arc furnace is made more efficient by shortening the time of the
scrap melting phase, introducing a more effective
high velocity oxidizing gas
stream into the process sooner to decarburize the melted
metal and introducing a more effective particulate injection to reduce FeO, form or foam
slag and / or recarburize. Improved efficiency is obtained by mounting a fixed burner / lance and carbon
injector lower and closer to the hot face of the furnace
refractory at an effective injection angle. This mounting technique shortens the distance that the
flame of the burner has to melt through
scrap to clear a path to the
molten metal, and shortens the distance the high velocity
oxygen and high velocity
particulates travel to the
slag-
metal interface. One method includes supplying a plurality of oxidizing reaction zones with the high velocity oxidizing gas to decarburize the melted metal and a plurality of particulate reaction zones with high velocity flows of particulate carbon for reducing FeO and / or forming foamy
slag. The particulate reaction zones are located on the downstream side of the oxidizing gas reaction zones so as to minimize any effect of the reduction reaction on the
decarburization reaction and to recover a part of the hot FeO produced in the oxidizing gas reaction zones.