DT Project REPORT

Sintering plant equipment selection for basic research

ABHIJIT DAS
MTT er1720
IRON AREA
RDCIS BHILAI
CENTRE
 RDCIS, Bhilai Centre

To whomsoever it may concern

This is to certify that Mr. ABHIJIT DAS (ER - 1720), an

MTT of Iron Area Department has prepared a report on
“SINTERING PLANT EQUIPMENT SELECTION
FOR BASIC RESEARCH”.

During the preparation of the report he has worked

diligently and sincerely and has shown keen interest in
understanding the metallurgical process along with
preparing a report.

S.K. Jain Kundan Prakash Dr. Usha

Rani
( Mgr) (DGM) (DGM &
I/c)
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am using this opportunity to express my gratitude to Dr. Usha Rani, DGM &
I/c RDCIS Bhilai centre and Mr. Kundan Prakash, DGM for providing me a
platform to acquire knowledge about the working of various departments of
Bhilai Steel Plant, Dr. S.K. Pan, DGM I/c IRON AREA, for inspiring me to gain
expertise in the plant processes & operations, Mr. S.K. Jain, Mgr and Mr. Sachin
Kumar, DM for guiding me in acquiring knowledge about the day to day
happenings in the projects of Iron Area and helping me in learning and
coordinating with different aspects of plant.

I am thankful for their aspiring guidance, constructive criticism and friendly

advice during training. I am sincerely grateful to them for sharing their
truthful and illuminating views on a number of issues related to the
presentation and report.

Abhijit Das
 INDEX

S.No. TOPIC PAGE

1. Introduction 5
2. History of Sinter Technology 5
3. Advantages of Super flux sinter 8
4. Sintering Process 9
5. Comparative Study 27
6. Advancement of Technology in Mixing & Balling Unit 30
7. References 33
 INTRODUCTION
Sintering is agglomeration technique of fine materials to produce clusters by incipient
fusion at high temperature. During baking of charge mix at high temperature, constituent
particles fuse together and agglomerate to a porous heterogeneous clinker called SINTER &
this process is called SINTERING. Alternatively it may be said :- Sintering is the art of
burning fuel mixed with iron ore fines under controlled conditions. Sinter now is the major
component in BF burden. Sintering process originally started as a process of agglomeration
of iron ore fines. Later on, it was advanced to utilize not only fine ore, but also other in-
plant metallurgical waste materials such as flue dust, mill scale, converter slag etc. It has
also become a source for introducing all the required flux into the BF.

Sintering achieved by the application of heat /results in the conversion of ore fines into
large hard porous lumps. Formation of such lumps caused by:

◦ An incipient fusion of ore particles at the contact surface which binds them
together

◦ Formation of diffusion bonds through recrystallization and crystal growth of

hematite and magnetite which keep the particles together without melting

History of Sinter Technology

Sintering process was developed mainly to utilize under size of lump ore (0-8 mm size)
called iron ore fines; which otherwise, could not be charged directly in blast furnace. The
first proto type (pot type) iron ore sintering machine with upward draught was installed in
1892 in Germany. The pot type upward draught sinter machines were having many
constraints, e.g. exhausting, charging and discharging were from the same side, there was
high iron ore loss and high dust emission, high operational and maintenance cost, and
ignition was very difficult. The weak points of pot type upward draught sintering process
was solved in early 20th century by developing Continuous process Sintering Machine by
Dwight & Lloyd of Mexico. The first sinter machine on design of M/S Dwight & Lloyd was
successfully tested at Canania consolidated company in 1908.

Since then this type of sinter machine is called Dwight-Lloyd type Sinter Machine. There are
two types of Dwight-Lloyd type Sinter Machines in use : one is Horizontal Tray Circular
Sinter Machine and the other one is Straight line Sinter Machine. In Horizontal Tray
Circular Sinter Machine, there is a circular rotary table, a fixed ignition furnace and
charging equipments. After sintering is completed sinter is scrapped from the table by a
scraper fixed over the machine. Such machines are of low capacity, so they are not very
popular for iron ore sintering.

In the Straight Line Sinter Machines also ignition furnace and charging equipments are
fixed. After sintering is completed, it is dropped from returning pallets at discharge end.
These type of sinter machines are coming in various sizes varying from 25 sq.m sintering
area to 600 sq.m sintering area. Majority of the steel plants have Dwight-Lloyd type
Straight line Sinter Machines in sizes matching to sinter requirement of respective plant.

When sinter was first made, it was without flux. This type of sinter is called Acidic sinter.
This type of sinter, when used in BF, just replaced lump ore only, coke rate and flux
additions in BF remained as usual and only advantage was that, iron ore fines was utilized.
Later on flux was also added in charge mix for sinter making. This type of sinter is called
Basic Sinter. Use of basic sinter brought very big effect in BF operation. After using basic
sinter in BF, raw flux addition was reduced, coke rate had gone down and BF productivity
increased. Basic Sinter is of two types (i) self flux sinter and (ii) super flux sinter. When flux
addition in sinter is just enough to take care of flux required for sinter share in BF burden,
it is called self flux sinter. When flux addition in sinter is extra enough to take care of total
flux required for sinter share in BF burden, it is called super flux sinter. In India, first sinter
machine of 75 sq.m sintering area was commissioned in TISCO in 1958. Second sinter plant
came in Bhilai Steel Plant in 1959. In India we are making super flux sinter by downward
draught Dwight-Lloyd type Straight line Sinter Machines.
 Circular Sinter Machine

Straight Line Sinter Machine

 Advantages of Super Flux Sinter

1. Gainful utilization of high quantity of iron ore fines generated at mining stage.

2. Iron ore fines is easily available at much cheaper rate than lump ore.

3. Other solid metallurgical wastes generated in integrated steel plants are gainfully
utilized in sinter making, solving a major problem of solid wastes disposal. (Problem of
pollution by solid wastes)

4. Use of super flux sinter in BF burden eliminates charging of raw flux in blast furnace,
making more scope for iron bearing materials. It also helps in substantial reduction in coke
rate.

5. As sinter is pre fluxed, reducibility of sinter is better than lump ore.

6. As sinter is stronger and harder than lump ore, so crumbling of sinter inside BF is less,
also, granular zone inside BF is maintained upto bottom of furnace hence permeability
inside BF is better.

7. Sinter size range is narrower so heat distribution inside furnace is better and stable.

8. Softening melting temperature of sinter is high and softening to melting temperature

range is very narrow (180oC). Therefore, cohesive zone is very thin hence pressure drop
across cohesive zone is less and wind acceptability in BF is better. Iron Ore Ts=1175 oC and
Tm=1490 oC, whereas for sinter Ts=1380 oC and Tm=1580 oC. Ts and Tm of sinter depends
on FeO in sinter, more FeO more Ts and more Tm.

9. As sinter is porous than lump, so ingress of reducing gas (CO) is better than lump ore
therefore, reduction process is faster and so the productivity.

10. As sinter is made by agglomerating iron ore fines at high temperature, many
constituent harmful elements like sulphur present in raw materials is burnt on sinter bed,
so less sulphur input to BF. Hot metal is much cleaner from SMS point of view.
11. Material handling in BF stock house is easy and least logistics are needed. With sinter,
Blast furnace operation is smoother and stable.

SINTERING PROCESS

 Mixing moist iron-ore fines and other fine material with solid fuel, normally coke
breeze and loading the mix on to a permeable grate

 Upper surface is raised to a high temperature by oil or gas burners and air is drawn
downwards through the grate

 After a short ignition period, heating of bed top is discontinued and the narrow
combustion zone moves downward each layer in turn being heated to 1200-1500 0 C

 In advance of the combustion zone, water is evaporated and volatile compounds are
driven off. In the combustion zone, bonding takes place between the grains and a
strong agglomerate is formed

 Heat of the gases/drying, calcining and preheating the lower layers

 Combustion zone reaches the base of sinter mix, process complete/ sinter cake
tipped from the grate and roughly broken up. After screening, undersize recycled,
oversize cooled, sent to blast furnaces.

If there was no sintering plant, then the fines and waste materials arising in iron ore mines
and steel plants would have posed a problem regarding their disposal. So Sintering Plant
helps in that not only it supplies a suitable charge for Blast Furnace but also eliminates
other intricate problems.
 Comparative Study of the different Sintering equipments at the
Integrated Steel Plants of SAIL

Mixing & Balling drum :

PMD, SP2, SMD,SP2, OLD M/C, NEW M/C, NEW SP,
Particulars SP, BSL SP2, RSP
BSP BSP SP3, BSP SP3, BSP ISP
Eirich
Mixing & Mixing & Mixing & Mixing &
Primary Secondary Mixing &
Machine type Balling Nodulising Balling Nodulising
mixing mixing Eirich
drum drum drum drum
Nodulising
M/s
Techno M/s M/s M/s
Make M/s TPE
Promex Kawasaki Outotec Outotec
Export
Nos. 2 1 + 1 spare 4 1 1+1 1 1
Maximum 450 at
250 at 767 &
Capacity 13% 850 860 460 424
12% filling 768.5
(Tph) filling
Drum length 12.5 m 8m 9m 21 m 3.5 m (ht) 15.9 m 15 m
Drum dia. 3.2 m 3.2 m 2.8 m 4.6 m 4m 3.8 m 4m
Inclination 20 40’ 20 30’ 10 30’ 10 50’ 10 35’
0-8.1 9.84, 6.55, 7.03, 5.32, 4.5-7.0 0-5.51
Drum speed 5 rpm
rpm 4.92 rpm 3.5 rpm rpm rpm
60/120/90 50/80/
145 kW, /200 kW, 110 kW,
700 kW,
Drive motor 440 rpm, 485/985/ 485/735/
750 rpm
220V DC 740/1480 970 rpm,
rpm, AC DC
Max.
20 m3/hr
requirement 3.2
2.5 m3/hr 4.6 m3/hr &
of water m3/hr
15 m3/hr
spraying
 Sintering Machine :

SP2 M/c 4 NEW

SP2 M/c OLD M/C, NEW SP,
Particulars SP, BSL BSP M/C, SP3, SP2, RSP
1,2,3, BSP SP3, BSP ISP
BSP
No. of m/c 3 3 1 1 1 1 2
Grate Area(m2) 312 75 80 320 360 192 204
M/c length 78 m 30 m 32 m 80 m 64 m
M/c width 4m 2.5 m 2.5 m 4m 4m 3m
Bed depth 480 mm 450 mm 450 mm 650 mm 700 mm 600 mm 700 mm
Productivity 1.2 1.348 1.348 0.75 0.9 1.135 1.2
T/m2/hr T/m2/hr T/m2/hr T/m2/hr T/m2/hr T/m2/hr T/m2/hr
Size of Pallet 1.5x4x 1x2.5x0.45 1x2.5x0.45 1.5x4x 1.5x4x0.7 1x3x0.7
0.48 0.65
No. of pallets 130 30 32 134 148 164
Drive motor 75 kW, 50 kW 22 kW DC
570 rpm, VVVF (shunt
440V DC type)
Ignition 4.08 m 8.45 m 8.45 m 6m 6m 8m 3.8 m
furnace length
Ignition gas BF:CO Mixed gas Mixed gas Mixed gas Mixed gas BF:CO gas Mixed
mix 9:7 3000 3000 3000 3000 85:15 gas 2000
kcal/Nm3 kcal/Nm3 kcal/Nm3 kcal/Nm 3
kcal/Nm3
Ignition charge 1150 0C 1150 0C 1150 0C 1200- 1200- 1200-1300 1100-
temperature 1300 0C 1300 C
0 0
C 1200 0C
No. of burners 12 (vert. 4 top 4 top 4 side 4 side 4 side
placed in mounted mounted mounted mounted mounted
3 rows)
No. of wind 26 15 16 22 24 17
legs/ vacuum
chambers
Max. suction 1600 1200 1200 1600 1600 1000-1200 1600
during mmwc mmwc mmwc mmwc mmwc mmwc mmwc
sintering
No. of 1+1 1 1 1 2 1 1
exhauster/ spare
m/c
Sinter crusher Single Single roll Single roll Single roll Single roll Double roll Spike
type & area roll 1.3x2.7 m 1.3x2.7 m 2.0x4.2 m 1.2x1.5 m roll
1.3x4.2
m
Sinter size 200 mm 80 mm 80 mm 150 mm 200 mm 100 mm 200 mm
after crushing
 Sinter Cooler :
SP2 M/c SP2 M/c OLD M/C, NEW M/C, NEW SP,
Particulars SP, BSL SP2, RSP
1,2,3, BSP 4 BSP SP3, BSP SP3, BSP ISP
Type St. line St. line St. line Circular Circular St. line Circular
Working 315 m2 128 m 2
128 m2 315 m2 375 m 2
192 m2 202 m2
area
Capacity 350 tph 125 tph 128 tph 800 tph 667 tph 390 tph
Blowing 760 220 220 420 mmwc 408 mmwc
chamber mmwc mmwc mmwc
pressure
No. of fans/ 6 8 8 2 3 3
blower
Fan capacity 3666.67 60000- 60000- 13000 20833.33 4800
m3/min 80000 80000 m3/min m3/min m3/min
m3/min m3/min
 Advancement of Technology in Mixing and Balling Unit

The quality of the mix determines the quality of the final product. If the basic materials are
mixed insufficiently, expected product properties will not be achieved, the quality is
varying. All the old mixing units run with less variable tool speed. That means that the
mixing power, the energy input into the mix, cannot be adjusted to the specific mixing task.
The EIRICH Intensive Mixer differs from all other mixers owing to the fact that a stable
mixing process is possible with low as well as high tool speeds. While the tool speed of
other mixers ranges by few m/s, an Intensive Mixer enables mixing tool speeds between 2
m/s and 40 m/s. Hence, an Intensive Mixer can be either a powerful but slowly running
tractor or also a powerful but fast running racing car – depending on the mixing task. The
energy input into a mix is influenced approximately by the third power of the speed of the
mixing tool. This fact makes evident that the Intensive Mixer is a unique mixing system. To
reach that kind of performance it is necessary to combine a rotating drum with a rotating
tool. That means that you find two “mixing elements” in one mixer. This fact is the reason
that the Intensive Mixer is often more expensive than “simple” mixers. The EIRICH
Intensive Mixer alongwith Noduliser is being used at the sinter plants SP 3 (new machine)
unit of Bhilai Steel Plant and SP 3 unit of Rourkela Steel Plant.

Mixing is defined as distribution of several components which are distinguished at least by

one property. For the actual mixing process transposition processes are necessary. In order
to effectuate these processes work has to be expended, energy has to be introduced in the
system. There is a “specific mixing energy”; the dimension is related to the weight, thus kW
per 100 kg or kW per ton. This specific mixing energy results experimentally from the
effective motor load for a special mixing process and from the weight of the mix. It is
important that for a special result a corresponding expenditure of mixing work is required,
resulting from series of tests through which the best achievable condition - the optimum
mixing quality - can be determined. The advantages connected to this are shown in the
following. High-Performance Intensive Mixers turn out to be advantageous for the process
and consequently for the customer: small mixing systems produce a high throughput rate
while modern Intensive Mixers have a specific power of up to 10 or 20 kW/100 kg.

This mixing principle is unique worldwide.

These mixers are equipped with:

 An inclined positioned rotating mixing pan

 A stationary wall/bottom scraper

 A fast-turning rotor positioned eccentrically to the central point of the mixing pan
In the mixing pan, the material to be mixed is transported upwards by wall friction and falls
back again at the highest point through gravitation. This process is supported by the
wall/bottom scraper by which the material is circulated and thrown into the rotor.
 References

1. BSP Manual

2. Sinter Technology : Theory & Practice by Shukhdeo Prasad

3. The Sintering Process of Iron Ore Fines from ispatguru.com

4. Sinter Machine details of BSP, RSP, ISP & BSL

5. Sintering Equipment by Mujeeb Hussain

6. High Performance Mixing & Plant Technologies by Klaus Frey and Peter Nold