Importance

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Abstract

The invention relates to a method of making a mineral melt, the method comprising providing a circulating combustion chamber which comprises an upper zone, a lower zone and a base zone, injecting primary particulate fuel and particulate mineral material and primary combustion gas into the upper zone of the circulating combustion chamber, thereby at least partially combusting the primary particulate fuel and thereby melting the particulate mineral material to form a mineral melt and generating exhaust gases, injecting into the lower zone of the circulating combustion chamber, through at least one first burner, secondary combustion gas and gaseous fuel and secondary particulate fuel, wherein the secondary combustion gas and gaseous fuel and secondary particulate fuel are injected via a single first burner, wherein the amount of secondary combustion gas injected via each first burner is insufficient for stoichiometric combustion of the total amount of gaseous fuel and secondary particulate fuel injected via that first burner, and injecting tertiary combustion gas into the lower zone of the circulating combustion chamber, through at least one tertiary combustion gas injector, whereby the tertiary combustion gas enables completion of the combustion of the gaseous fuel and the secondary particulate fuel, separating the mineral melt from the hot exhaust gases so that the hot exhaust gases pass through an outlet in the circulating combustion chamber and the mineral melt collects in the base zone. The invention also relates to apparatus suitable for use in the method.

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First Claim