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An apparatus and method for use in metal melting, refining and/or other processing, such as, for example, steel making in an electric arc furnace (EAF), and more particularly, to improved burner/injector panels and related methods for the introduction of various energy sources, such as, for example,

An apparatus and method for use in metal melting, refining and/or other processing, such as, for example, steel making in an electric arc furnace (EAF), and more particularly, to improved burner/injector panels and related methods for the introduction of various energy sources, such as, for example, chemical energy, oxygen and particulates into an EAF.

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1. A burner/injector panel apparatus to be mounted on the wall of a furnace that includes a furnace split line, a top shell and a bottom shell, said panel apparatus comprising: A) a burner/injector panel that has a first end and a discharge end and is formed in such a manner as to include (a) a moun

1. A burner/injector panel apparatus to be mounted on the wall of a furnace that includes a furnace split line, a top shell and a bottom shell, said panel apparatus comprising: A) a burner/injector panel that has a first end and a discharge end and is formed in such a manner as to include (a) a mounting end as the first end; (b) a first transition region; (c) a first cylindrical region; (d) a second transition region; (e) a second cylindrical region; and (f) a terminating region as the discharge end;B) one or more bores that traverse the mounting end, the first transition region, the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, the second cylindrical region, and the terminating region of the burner/injector panel; andC) at least one injection apparatus selected from one or more of a thermal energy source, a particulate injector, or an oxygen injector; wherein the terminating region is in the shape of a half spheroid; the mounting end, the first transition region, the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, the second cylindrical region, and the terminating region of the burner/injector panel are in fluid communication with one another through the one or more bores that traverse the burner/injector panel; the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, and the second cylindrical region each include an upper outer surface that runs parallel to the one or more bores; the outer profile of the second transition region increases eccentrically from the first cylindrical region to the second cylindrical region; the at least one injection apparatus is positioned within the one or more bores; and the burner/injector panel when mounted on the furnace wall extends outward and downward from the furnace wall such that the discharge end of the burner/injector panel extends to, or below, the furnace split line and towards a metal melt line in the furnace. 2. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 1, wherein the burner/injector panel is a solid, continuously formed piece. 3. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 2, wherein the burner/injector panel extends at an angle from about 42 to about 48 degrees from the horizontal. 4. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 3, wherein the discharge end of the burner/injector panel extends to a reach of approximately 50% of the distance from the point where the bottom of the burner/injector panel is in contact with the furnace wall to the metal line. 5. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discharge end of the burner/injector panel extends at an angle from 35 degrees to 65 degrees from the horizontal. 6. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 2, wherein the burner/injector panel is fluid cooled through the use of a fluid cooling circuit that is positioned along the periphery of the burner/injector panel. 7. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discharge end of the burner/injector panel extends to a reach of approximately 40% of the distance from the point where the bottom of the burner/injector panel is in contact with the furnace wall to the metal line. 8. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 1, wherein the width of the mounting end ranges from 6 inches to 10 inches and the height of the mounting end ranges from 11 inches 17 inches. 9. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 8, wherein the remaining dimensions are from 5 inches to 10 inches in width at the broadest region of the burner/injector panel apparatus and from 8 inches to 38 inches in length for the burner/injector panel apparatus. 10. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 1, wherein the burner/injector panel includes one bore that traverses the mounting end, the first transition region, the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, the second cylindrical region and the terminating region of the burner/injector panel. 11. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 10, wherein one injection apparatus is positioned in the one bore of the burner/injector panel. 12. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 1, wherein the burner/injector panel further comprises shaped grooves along the upper outer surface of the first transition region of the burner/injector panel. 13. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 12, wherein the burner/injector panel further comprises shaped grooves along the upper outer surface of the first cylindrical region, the second transition region and the second cylindrical region. 14. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 1, wherein the burner/injector panel includes one bore and has one injection apparatus positioned in the one bore of the burner/injector panel. 15. A burner/injector panel apparatus to be mounted on the wall of a furnace that includes a furnace split line, a top shell and a bottom shell, said apparatus comprising: A) a burner/injector panel that has a first end and a discharge end and is formed in such a manner as to include (a) a mounting end as the first end; (b) a first transition region; (c) a first cylindrical region; (d) a second transition region; (e) a second cylindrical region; and (f) a terminating region as the discharge end;B) one bore that traverses the mounting end, the first transition region, the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, the second cylindrical region, and the terminating region of the burner/injector panel;C) one injection apparatus selected from an auxiliary thermal energy source, a particulate injector, or an oxygen injector and positioned within the one bore; andD) a water cooling circuit that is disposed along the periphery of the burner/injector panel; wherein the terminating region is in the shape of a half spheroid; the mounting end, the first transition region, the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, the second cylindrical region, and the terminating region of the burner/injector panel are in fluid communication with one another through the one bore that traverses the burner/injector panel; the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, and the second cylindrical region each include an upper outer surface that runs parallel to the one bore; the first transition region further includes grooves on the upper outer surface of the first transition region, the first cylindrical region, the second transition region and the second cylindrical region; the outer profile of the second transition region increases eccentrically from the first cylindrical region to second cylindrical region; and the burner/injector panel when mounted on the furnace wall extends outward and downward from the furnace wall such that the discharge end of the burner/injector panel extends to a reach of approximately 50% of the distance from the point where the bottom of the burner/injector panel is in contact with the furnace wall to the metal melt line and towards the metal melt line of the furnace at an angle from 42 to 48 degrees from the horizontal. 16. A burner/injector panel apparatus to be mounted on the wall of a furnace, said apparatus comprising: A) a burner/injector panel that has a first end and a discharge end and is formed in such a manner as to include (a) a mounting end as the first end; (b) a first transition region; (c) a first cylindrical region; and (d) a terminating region as the discharge end;B) one or more bores that traverse the mounting end, the first transition region, the first cylindrical region, and the terminating region of the burner/injector panel; andC) at least one injection apparatus selected from one or more of an auxiliary thermal energy source, a particulate injector, or an oxygen injector; wherein the terminating region is in the shape of a half spheroid, the mounting end, the first transition region, the first cylindrical region and the terminating region of the burner/injector panel are in fluid communication with one another through the one or more bores that traverse the burner/injector panel; the first transition region, and the first cylindrical region includes an upper outer surface that runs parallel to the one or more bores; and the burner/injector panel when mounted on the furnace wall extends outward and downward from the furnace wall such that the discharge end of the burner/injector panel extends towards the metal melt line of the furnace. 17. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 16, wherein the burner/injector panel is a solid, continuously formed piece. 18. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 17, wherein the discharge end of the burner/injector panel extends at an angle from 35 degrees to 65 degrees from the horizontal. 19. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 17, wherein the width of the mounting end ranges from 7 inches to 11 inches and the height of the mounting end ranges from 11 inches 18 inches. 20. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 19, wherein the remaining dimensions are from 5 inches to 10 inches in width at the broadest region of the burner/injector panel apparatus and from 8 inches to 38 inches in length for the burner/injector panel apparatus. 21. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 17, wherein the burner/injector panel is fluid cooled through the use of a fluid cooling circuit that is positioned along the periphery of the burner/injector panel. 22. The burner/injector panel apparatus of claim 17, wherein the burner/injector panel further comprises shaped grooves along the upper outer surface of the first transition region of the burner/injector panel. 23. An electric arc furnace comprising: A) a furnace body having side walls and an electric arc, the side walls comprising a top shell, a bottom shell and a furnace split line;B) a burner/injector panel apparatus to be mounted on the wall of a furnace that includes a furnace split line, a top shell and a bottom shell, said panel apparatus comprising: 1) a burner/injector panel that has a first end and a discharge end and is formed in such a manner as to include (a) a mounting end as the first end; (b) a first transition region; (c) a first cylindrical region; (d) a second transition region; (e) a second cylindrical region; and (f) a terminating region as the discharge end;2) one or more bores that traverse the mounting end, the first transition region, the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, the second cylindrical region, and the terminating region of the burner/injector panel; and3) at least one injection apparatus selected from one or more of a thermal energy source, a particulate injector, or an oxygen injector; wherein the terminating region is in the shape of a half spheroid; the mounting end, the first transition region, the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, the second cylindrical region, and the terminating region of the burner/injector panel are in fluid communication with one another through the one or more bores that traverse the burner/injector panel; the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, and the second cylindrical region each include an upper outer surface that runs parallel to the one or more bores; the outer profile of the second transition region increases eccentrically from the first cylindrical region to the second cylindrical region; the at least one injection apparatus is positioned within the one or more bores; and the burner/injector panel when mounted on the furnace wall extends outward and downward from the furnace wall such that the discharge end of the burner/injector panel extends to, or below, the furnace split line and towards a metal melt line in the furnace. 24. A method of injecting a product selected from an oxy-fuel, a particulate or an oxygen containing gas, or mixtures thereof into a furnace from a burner/injector panel apparatus, said method comprising the step of injecting at least one product from an oxy-fuel, a particulate or an oxygen containing gas, or mixtures thereof toward a metal melt of the furnace from the a burner/injector panel apparatus, the furnace having a furnace split line, a top shell and a bottom shell, the burner/injector panel apparatus being mounted on the wall of a furnace, where:said panel apparatus comprises: 1) a burner/injector panel that has a first end and a discharge end and is formed in such a manner as to include (a) a mounting end as the first end; (b) a first transition region; (c) a first cylindrical region; (d) a second transition region; (e) a second cylindrical region; and (f) a terminating region as the discharge end;2) one or more bores that traverse the mounting end, the first transition region, the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, the second cylindrical region, and the terminating region of the burner/injector panel; and3) at least one injection apparatus selected from one or more of a thermal energy source, a particulate injector, or an oxygen injector; the terminating region is in the shape of a half spheroid; the mounting end, the first transition region, the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, the second cylindrical region, and the terminating region of the burner/injector panel are in fluid communication with one another through the one or more bores that traverse the burner/injector panel; the first cylindrical region, the second transition region, and the second cylindrical region each include an upper outer surface that runs parallel to the one or more bores; the outer profile of the second transition region increases eccentrically from the first cylindrical region to the second cylindrical region; and the at least one injection apparatus is positioned within the one or more bores; and the burner/injector panel when mounted on the furnace wall extends outward and downward from the furnace wall such that the discharge end of the burner/injector panel extends to, or below, the furnace split line and towards a metal melt line in the furnace.