Minimization of energy consumption in the blast furnace process

A method of increasing air blow temperature in the shaft of a blast furnace is presented. This is obtained by mixing the blow heated in the blast furn ace Cowper stoves with the combustion gases from natural gas burning The pr oposed method allows reaching blow temperatures as high as 1050 degrees C a nd simultaneously allows reducing coke consumption in the process. Investme nt costs of the additional gas combustion system are lower than benefits re sulting from the method proposed. All calculations have been based on an ac tual blast furnace working at the Sendzimir steelworks in Poland.