TP 2428

Transactions of The Indian Institute of Metals

Vol. 63, Issue 6, December 2010, pp. 859-862

Sintering by recirculation of ferrogenous waste

Ratna Dasgupta and P.S.R. Reddy
Institute of Minerals & Materials Technology (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research), Bhubaneswar-751 013 Email: rdasgupta@immt.res.in
Received 29 December 2009 Revised 30 September 2010 Accepted 8 October 2010 Online at www.springerlink.com 2010 TIIM, India

Keywords: sintering; ferrugenous waste; recirculation; productivity; strength; micro granules; pot grate furnace

Abstract
Utilization of more plant wastes for production of quality sinters improves the productivity of the furnace at the same time plant wastes materials are recycled. The ferrogenous waste like dust catcher dust and gas cleaning plant sludge can be utilized in sintering for production of hot metal. Recycling of these iron bearing materials and flux materials have great economic importance in sintering as it is not only utilizing all iron generated byproducts but also the associated fuel rate reduction benefit for sintering process. Experiments were conducted as per recent trends in international arena and sinters thus produced were characterized for international standard procedure.

1. Introduction
In an integrated steel plant, several ferruginous waste materials are generated. Blast furnace prefers only narrowly sized ore as burden materials which also generate undersized materials. The reduction of Iron oxide in blast furnace results in generation of number of solid wastes. They are blast furnace slag, flue dust and gas cleaning plant (GCP) sludge. Crystalline slags are usually used in road making while granulated slag in construction. However dust catcher dust and GCP sludges are dumped and hence require process of utilization. To utilize the undersized materials and ferruginous waste materials sintering method have been applied. Recycling of iron bearing materials have great economical importance in the sintering, as it is not only utilizing all iron generated by product but also the associated fuel rate reduction benefits for sintering process. Sintering is an established route for preparation of agglomerates. It is essentially a process of heating fine particles to the stage of incipient fusion for the purpose of agglomerating them into lumps. IMMT has made significant contribution in the area of agglomeration of ore fines [1-4]. This institute has not only given know-how to produce quality data to several Indian companies but also given design know-how to set up pilot plant of different capacities [5-8]. Experiments were conducted as per recent trends in international arena, i.e., higher bed height about 680mm and higher suction below the grate bar about 1400 mm WG. The paper describes recirculation of ferruginous waste materials along with the iron ore fines to produce quality sinters.

of sieving. GCP sludge and the flue dust arise out of the gas cleaning plant and dust catcher respectively. The sieve and chemical analysis of each raw material are reported in Table 1a, 1b and 2a, 2b respectively. Some harmful components like Pb and Zn as reported from many parts of the world restricts its reuse in Blast furnace. Even some works have established processes to recover Pb and Zn values from the dust [11,12]. However this flue dust sample is almost free from these elements as very little amount of scrap is added as one of the input materials in Blast furnace. The alkali elements

Table 1a : Sieve analysis of raw materials

Sieve size, mm +9.5 -9.5+6.3 -6.3+3.35 -3.35+1.0 -1.0+0.5 -0.5 0.1 Iron ore, % 5.0 40.0 20.0 20.0 5.0 10.0 100.0 Coke, % 5.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 10.0 25.0 100.0 Limestone, % 10.0 45.0 10.0 35.0 100.0 Dolomite, % 10.0 60.0 10.0 20.0 100.0

Table 1b : Sieve analysis of wastes

Sieve size, 1000 500 Flue dust,% 20 10 20 30 10 10 GCP,% 300 250 250 200

2. Experimental
The raw materials used for sintering experiments are iron ore fines, lime stone, dolomite, flue dust, GCP sludge and coke breeze. Iron ore fines and coke breeze are generated out

300 150 75 45

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Table 2a : Chemical analysis of raw materials

Fe(t) Iron ore Lime Lime stone Dolomite Coke breeze 63.5 CaO 70.00 50.24 28.08 SiO2 3.04 6.23 3.89 MgO 1.12 20.49 Al2O3 2.65 1.28 1.56 LOI 2.68 39.06 Ash 23.11 V.M. 5.51 F.C. 70.00

Table 2b : Chemical analysis of waste

Fe(t) Flue dust GCP 43.01 27.37 CaO 6.31 8.97 SiO2 7.05 12.0 MgO 2.22 4.03 Al2O3 3.1 3.9 Na2O 0.22 0.07 K2O 0.57 0.31

(Na+ K oxides) are mostly attributed to lime stone and coke added as input to blast furnace. Alkali elements accumulated in the BF and corrode the refractory lining. Reuse of BF dust/ GCP sludge is still unsolved problem in many countries. The alkali level of this dust/ sludge used in this study little above permissible limit. In view of this they can be blended with iron ore fines as sinter feed.Burnt lime was used along with the waste material as binder and to partly as replacement of lime stone. The raw materials used for sintering are iron ore (-8mm), coke breeze (-3mm), lime stone, dolomite (-3mm), lime and gas cleaning plant (GCP) sludge, dust catcher plant dust. Initially all the materials were mixed together to form micro granules but the permeability of those green mix was poor and the sintering speed was low. So, eventually all the experiments were carried out by mixing the raw materials with GCP and DC granules which were prepared separately. The other raw materials in required portion were then mixed with moisture in a mixing drum and the granules made from GCP and DC were added. The charge mix is then loaded into the sintering pot. Atypical experimental condition is shown in Table 3. Sintering experiments were conducted in a 400mm x 400mm

cross section and 730mm high pot grate furnace (Fig. 1). The hearth layer of 30mm with -25+10 mm fraction sinter was maintained. The bed height was fixed at 650 mm. The suction below the grate bar was kept at 500 mm during ignition for 2 minutes and raised to 1400 mm WG immediately for sintering

Fig. 2 : Suction pressure vs. time for a typical sintering experiment

Table 3: Typical charge composition for producing 1.6 basicity sinters

Raw material Iron ore Return sinter GCP sludge flue dust Lime Lime stone Dolomite Coke Moisture Fig. 1 : Schematic diagram of the sinter pot. Total Weight, kg 110.0 34.4 16.5 16.5 2.8 14.0 11.5 0.75 8.3 214.75

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operation. The suction was regulated by means of a valve whose control was at the control panel. The suction below the grate bar was measured by a water manometer and temperature of exhaust gas was measured by a thermocouple put inside the wind box. After reaching the maximum temperature, the hot sinter was allowed to cool at 200 mm WG suction pressure for another one minute. The time to reach maximum temperature is taken as sintering time. A typical time- temperature plot is presented in Fig. 2.

3.2 Effect of addition of DC and GCP wastes Experiments were conducted by re-circulating dust catcher dust (DC) and gas cleaning plant sludge (GCP), (10%, 12.5% and 15% each) at different basicities. The chemical analysis of raw materials and typical charge compositions are shown in Table 2 and Table 3 respectively. Figures 2 and 3 shows the effect of addition of wasted and GCP on sinter strength and productivity respectively. As reported in the literature (9) the decrease in the strength of basic sinter occurs at basicity between and 1.2 and above that the strength increases. We have reported strength at basicity 1.6, 1.9 and 2.2(Fig, 2) and is highest at basicity 2.2 for a particular of addition of waste. This may be attributed to the fact that the greater amounts of bonding phases are available at higher basicity. Presides with the increase in waste addition, wore fluxes are available from the waste for formation of higher amount of bonding phases in the sinter. 3.3 Effect of waste on productivity Figure 5 shows the effect of waste addition of sinter on productivity. Productivity increased with increase in basicity as well as waste addition with 20% waste addition at 1.6 basicity productivity is 1.2 t/hr.m2 whereas at basicity 2.2 and 30% waste addition the productivity can be raised to 1.41 t/hr.m2.

3. Results and discussion

3.1 Effect of waste on coke rate (kg/t) of sinter Figure 3 shows the effect of waste addition on coke rate (kg/t of sinter). It is seen that coke rate decreases with increase in waste. The waste contains some carbon (FC contained in flue dust is 8.21% and in GCP 11.06%) which reduces the coke requirement during actual sintering. With the increase in waste percentage more carbon is available during sintering which in turn decreases the coke rate. The coke rate is (8-10 kg/t of sinter) calculated on the basis of amount of coke breeze added in sintering charge. If we consider the FC content of the waste is considered the coke rate will be around 60 kg/t of sinter.

Fig. 3 : Effect of waste on coke rate (kg/t) of sinter. Fig, 5 : Effect of waste on productivity.

3.2 Effect of waste on strength (tumbler index) of sinter Figure 4 shows the effect of waste on sinter strength. Though the tumbler indices for all the sinters are more than 60 the maximum strength 66 can be achieved with 30% waste at 2.2 basicity. The recirculation of waste can be effectively utilized without deteriorating the strength of sinter. Productivity is directly linked with sintering rate (max/min). Addition of CaO (10) above 6% bad to the formation of micro pellets with slightly higher permeability before sintering smaller addition has loss effect on the permeability before sintering. Sintering rate rises rapidly on addition of limestone because it undergoes endothermic dissociation. Microscopic studies of sinter showed that the bulk of original material was liquid during sintering pores the accordance with the observation, the properties of the melt will have a predominant effect on the sintering rate. These properties include high surface tension and low viscosity of the melt, combined with short solidification time and high temperature co-efficient of viscosity, which have been found to lead to rapid sintering. 3.4 Effect of waste on FeO content of sinter Figure 6 shows the effect of waste on FeO in sinter. The FeO being slag former has to be restricted to a minimum amount for good sinter. For all the basicities FeO in sinter are

Fig. 4 : Effect of waste on tumbler index of sinter.

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Ratna Dasgupta and P.S.R. Reddy : Trans. IIM Vol. 63, Issue 6, December 2010

coke rate can be reduced to 8-12 kg/t sinter whereas the international standard is 40 kg/t sinter. The amount of waste recirculated was fixed depending on the proportion of generation of waste to ore fines. Total utilization of the ferrogenous waste generated was possible thereby aiming at zero waste technology. The total iron content in the sinter is marginally low (54.5%) which can be improved by blending with high grade ore.

Acknowledgement
Fig, 6 : Effect of waste on FeO content of sinter.

The authors are grateful to Prof. B.K.Mishra, Director, IMMT, Bhubaneswar for kind permission to publish the paper.

Reference
1. Dey D N, Jouhari A K,Tripathy A K, Banerjee G N, Dutta P, Mohanty J N and Dasgupta R, Agglomeration studies on some Indian ores. Proc. Int. Sym. On Beneficiation, Agglomeration and Environment, (1999) 259. Jouhari A K, Dutta P and Ray HS, Use of iron and steel industry wastes in sinter making, Proc. Environmental Management in Metallurgical Industries, (2000) 169. Dutta P, Dasgupta R, Jouhari A K and Misra V N, Proceedings of National Seminar CORPAS, Ranchi, (2001) 125. Dasgupta R and Banerjee G N Studies on sintering of chromite fines and preparation of fluxed chromite sinters for ferrochrome making, Metals Materials and Process, 20(4) (2008) 315. Report on Sintering of Iron ore fines of Daitari Mines, 1994, for M/s. Mideast Integrated Steels Ltd.,New Delhi. Report on Sintering of Iron ore fines in pot grate furnaces 1999 for M/s. Ispat Metallics India Ltd., Maharastra. Report on Setting up of a 50 TPD pan sintering unit for M/s. Kalinga Iron works Ltd., Barbil. Report on Setting up of a 35 TPD capacity pan sintering plant for effective disposal of bag house dust from Pollution Control System and manganese ore fines for SMIORI, karnataka. Knepper W A, Snow R B and Jhonson R T, U.S. Steel Corporation, Applied Research laboratory, Monroville, Pennsylvania. Study of the properties of self-fluxing sinters Agglomeration by W.A.Knepper. ORVAR NYQUIST Effect of lime on the sintering of pure hematite and magnetite concentrates Agglomeration, Knepper W A, (809-858). Doremieuk J L and Cwache P, Recovery of Zn and Pb from iron blast furnace dusts by selective reduction under reduced pressure, Trans.Inst. of Min 7 met, Sec- C, 238, 1979. Imris I, zinc 7 lead extraction from steel making flue dust, Mining and min. Process Inst. of Japan, (1995) 472.

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3. Fig, 7 : Effect of waste on total iron in sinter. 4.

less than 10%. However with 30% of waste addition the FeO could be minimized to 6.5. By addition of waste the quality of sinter produced is well accepted on the basis of FeO content of sinter. 3.5 Effect of waste on total iron in sinter Figure 7 shows the effect of waste addition on total iron in sinter. With 30% waste addition for 1.6 basicity sinter total iron is around 56.5% and for 2.2 basicity sinter is 54.5%. The total iron content in the sinter is marginally low which can be improved by blending with high grade ore.

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4. Conclusion
From the above study, it can be concluded that Recirculation of waste generated at plant site can be effectively utilized without deteriorating the quality of sinters. The coke rate, the vital aspect of sintering can be reduced by utilizing the waste. Using DC and GCP, the

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