Use of residual iron within granulated metallic unit production facilities, and associated systems, devices, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026034581-A1
Application number	US-202519357570-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 14, 2025
Priority date	Sep 11, 2023
Publication date	Feb 5, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

Reduced-waste systems and methods for granulated metallic units (GMUs) production are disclosed herein. A representative method can include receiving a first supply of molten iron and producing GMUs by granulating the molten iron poured onto a target material of a reactor. The method can include removing residual fines of the GMUs via a classifier based on a threshold particle size and mixing the residual fines with a second supply of molten iron to produce additional GMUs.

First claim

I/We claim:

1 . A method for producing granulated metallic units (GMUs), the method comprising:
receiving a first supply of molten iron; producing GMUs by granulating the molten iron poured onto a target material of a reactor; removing residual fines of the GMUs via a classifier, based on a threshold particle size; and mixing the residual fines with a second supply of molten iron, different than the first supply of molten iron, to produce additional GMUs.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein mixing the residual fines with the second supply of molten iron comprises melting the residual fines via the second supply of molten iron.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein mixing the residual fines comprises adding the residual fines to a transfer vessel, and melting the residual fines in the transfer vessel by adding molten iron to the transfer vessel.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold particle size is no more than 6 millimeter (mm).

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the residual fines comprise less than 5% by weight of the GMUs having the particle size above the threshold particle size.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising producing slag as a by product of producing the GMUs, wherein the residual fines comprise no more than 60% by weight of the slag.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
producing slag as a byproduct of producing the GMUs; separating residual iron from the slag; mixing at least a portion of the residual iron with scrap metal to produce a blend; and providing the at least a portion of the blend to a blast furnace and/or a basic oxygen furnace to produce molten iron.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a temperature of the residual fines above a threshold temperature until mixing the residual fines with the second supply of molten iron.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the molten iron is received from a blast furnace.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the molten iron is received from a basic oxygen furnace.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving imported residual fines; mixing the imported residual fines with the second supply of molten iron in a transfer vessel to produce the GMUs.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein mixing the residual fines comprises adding the residual fines to a ladle, and melting the residual fines in the ladle by adding molten iron to the ladle.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving imported residual iron; mixing at least a portion of the residual iron with scrap metal to produce a blend; and providing at least a portion of the blend to a blast furnace and/or a basic oxygen furnace to produce the first supply of molten iron.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
producing residual iron as a byproduct of producing the GMUs, the residual iron comprising one or more of thin pig, steel, skulls, sinter, slag, scrap, or iron dust; mixing at least a portion of the residual iron with scrap metal to produce a blend; and providing the at least a portion of the blend to a blast furnace and/or a basic oxygen furnace to produce the first supply of molten iron.

15 . A method for producing granulated metallic units (GMUs), the method comprising:
receiving a first supply of molten iron; producing GMUs by granulating the molten iron poured onto a target material of a reactor; removing residual iron as a byproduct of producing the GMUs, the residual iron comprising one or more of thin pig, steel, skulls, sinter, slag, scrap, or iron dust; mixing at least a portion of the residual iron with scrap metal to produce a blend; and providing at least a portion of the blend to a blast furnace and/or a basic oxygen furnace to produce a second supply of molten iron, different than the first supply of molten iron, to produce additional GMUs.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein removing the residual iron comprises separating the residual iron from slag produced as a byproduct of producing the GMUs.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
removing residual fines of the GMUs via a classifier, based on a threshold particle size; and mixing the residual fines with a second supply of molten iron, different than the first supply of molten iron, to produce additional GMUs.

18 . A system for producing granulated metallic units (GMIUs), the system comprising:
a transfer vessel configured to receive molten iron; a granulation system configured to receive the molten iron from the transfer vessel, the granulation system including:
a tundish positioned to receive the molten iron,
a reactor downstream of the tundish and positioned to receive the molten iron the from tundish and produce GMUs;
a classifier positioned to receive the GMUs from the reactor and separate residual fines from the GMUs based on a threshold particle size; and
wherein the transfer vessel is further configured to receive the residual fines separated via the classifier.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the transfer vessel is a torpedo car.

20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the transfer vessel is a ladle.

Assignees

• Suncoke Tech & Development Llc

Inventors

• Quanci John Francis
• RICHARDSON John Michael
• Mullarkey Patrick James
• Schwake David James
• Butor Andrew Michael
• Perkins Jonathan Hale
• Choi Chun Wai

Classifications

• Y10T428/2982

  Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.] · CPC title

• C02F2301/02

  Fluid flow conditions · CPC title

• C02F2209/40

  Liquid flow rate · CPC title

• C02F2103/16

  from metallurgical processes, i.e. from the production, refining or treatment of metals, e.g. galvanic wastes · CPC title

• C02F2103/10

  from quarries or from mining activities · CPC title