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Agglomeration of Iron Ore

The document discusses the pelletizing process which involves agglomerating iron ore fines into spherical pellets in order to improve their metallurgical properties for use in blast furnaces. The pelletizing process forms pellets through grinding iron ore, mixing it with binders like bentonite and firing the green balls in a straight grate or grate-kiln process to produce finished pellets with uniform size and strength. The pellets have enhanced properties like high porosity and reducibility compared to sinter ore that improve blast furnace productivity and efficiency.

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Devansh Mankar
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228 views13 pages

Agglomeration of Iron Ore

The document discusses the pelletizing process which involves agglomerating iron ore fines into spherical pellets in order to improve their metallurgical properties for use in blast furnaces. The pelletizing process forms pellets through grinding iron ore, mixing it with binders like bentonite and firing the green balls in a straight grate or grate-kiln process to produce finished pellets with uniform size and strength. The pellets have enhanced properties like high porosity and reducibility compared to sinter ore that improve blast furnace productivity and efficiency.

Uploaded by

Devansh Mankar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Agglomeration of

Iron Ore
Pelletizing

Scope

Large amount of fines (-0.05 mm) generated during mining and ore
dressing operations) are not suitable for sintering due to low
permeability of bed and subjected to pelletizing.
Pelletizing

Attributes

1. Uniform size distribution (9-15 mm)


2. High and uniform porosity (25-30%)
3. Higher Iron content more than 63% iron.
4. No loss in ignition or volatiles.
5. Uniform composition.
6. Enhanced and uniform mechanical strength
7. Low propensity to wear and easily transportable.
8. Adequate mechanical strength at thermal stress in
reducing atmosphere
Pelletizing

PROCESS FLOW

• Fines generation during beneficiation


1

• Green ball formation (rotation in drum)


2

• Green pellet induration


3

• Cooling of green pellet


4

• Pellet product stacking


5
Pelletizing
Requirements of pellet feed and additives

Iron Ore/ton of pellets


Quantity 1033 kgs
%Fe ≥ 63%
Gangue (SiO2+Al2O3) 3-5%
Loss on Ignition ≤ 3.5%

Limestone /ton of pellets


Quantity 15-20 kgs High MgO content reduces the compressive
CaO 50% ± 1% strength.
MgO 3%
SiO2 3% ± 0.5%
Al2O3 0.5%
Loss on Ignition ~ 42%
Pelletizing
Requirements of pellet feed and additives

Bentonite/ton of pellets
Quantity 6-10 kgs
SiO2 ≤ 60%

Coal or Coke /ton of pellets


Quantity 15 kgs
Calorific value ~ 6500 kcals/kg
Moisture ≤ 7%
Ash 15 % max
Sulphur 1% max
Volatile matter (coal) 10% max
Ash fusion point 1330 °C
Pelletizing process
1. Straight grate pelletizing process (Individual furnace, separate zones)

2. Grate-kiln pelletizing process (rotary-kiln process)


three different section.

Straight grate pelletizing


process

Mourão, J.M., 2012. Guidelines


for selecting pellet plant
technology. In: 6th International
Congress on the Science and
Technology of Ironmaking-ICSTI,
Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil,
October 14–18, 2012, pp. 2162–
2175.
Pelletizing process

Grate-kiln pelletizing process


Mourão, J.M., 2012. Guidelines for selecting pellet plant technology. In: 6th International Congress on
the Science and Technology of Ironmaking-ICSTI, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, October 14–18, 2012, pp.
2162–2175.
Pelletizing

Pellet specifications

Test Suggested Value


Size range Minimum 85%, +9 mm -16 mm
Compression strength 200 kg (minimum)
ASTM index Minimum 94%, +6.3 mm
Maximum 5%, -500 µm

Reducibility (dR/dt 0.65% O/min


60%)
Swelling 20% (maximum)

A.K. Biswas, Principles of Blast Furnace Ironmaking, SBA publication (1981).


Advantages of Pelletizing

1. Elevated microporosity (25-35%), enhanced reducibility.

2. Spherical shape, even size (10-20 mm), improved bed permeability,


uniform distribution of charge.

3. Enhanced gas-solid contact and heat transfer (enhanced surface)

4. Even chemical composition and increased Fe content. Low volume of slag.

5. Elevated softening temperature, short range of softening (1200-1350 °C)


Advantages of Pelletizing

6. Increased compressive strength (150-250 Kg).

7. Less consumption of heat as compared to sintering.

8. Easily transportable.
Disadvantages of Pelletizing

1. Production Cost is high (grinding and firing)

2. Swelling problem in blast furnace.

3. Sticking tendency during firing

4. Challenges during production of fluxed pellets


Suresh Kumar, T.M. Srinivasan, Sintering and Pelletisation Of Indian Iron Ores, IIM Delhi.

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