PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A FIXED BED

The invention relates to an apparatus and a process for producing a fixed be d in a metallurgical unit, preferably for producing pig iron or primary steel products from iron--containing charge materials, in particular in a melt gasifier, in which a lumpy bulk material, which contains ore-containing and carbon-containing constituents, in particular prereduced iron ore, preferably sponge iron, and, preferably lumpy, coal, is charged on to a surface, and thorough, preferably uniform mixing of the ore-containing constituent with t he carbon--containing constituent of the bulk material takes place. In this arrangement, the entir e ore-containing constituent is charged onto an active circumferential region (peripheral region) of the fixed bed, at which the thorough, preferably uniform mixing of the ore- containing constituent with the carbon-containing constituent of the bulk material take s place. The invention also comprises a suitable device for scattering the stream of bulk material.