Solid agglomerate for use in a blast furnace, and method for manufacturing and using same
A method for manufacturing solid agglomerates for blast furnaces without carbonization or pyrolysis achieves efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly production with enhanced mechanical strength and reactivity, addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TECHNORED DESENVOLVIMENTO TECHNOLOGICO SA
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for producing solid agglomerates for blast furnaces require a carbonization or pyrolysis step, which increases complexity, cost, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions, while failing to provide adequate mechanical strength, fixed carbon content, and reactivity without these processes.
A method for manufacturing solid agglomerates, such as briquettes or pellets, by combining carbon sources, catalytic sources, and binders without carbonization or pyrolysis, using specific particle sizes and optimized proportions, along with binders to enhance mechanical strength and reactivity.
The method produces agglomerates with suitable physicochemical properties for blast furnaces, reducing energy use, lowering CO2 emissions, and enhancing efficiency by eliminating the need for carbonization or pyrolysis, while maintaining mechanical strength and reactivity.
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Abstract
Description
SOLID AGGLOMERATE FOR USE IN BLAST FURNACES, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND USE THEREOF. FIELD OF THE INVENTION.
[0001] The present invention relates to solid agglomerates. More specifically, the present invention relates to solid agglomerates for use in blast furnaces that are manufactured in the absence of high-temperature heat treatment. FUNDAMENTALS OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the context of pig iron production, the blast furnace is the thermal reactor where the reduction of iron oxide occurs, using reducing agents such as carbon present in coke or charcoal. Several state-of-the-art solutions propose the total or partial replacement of coal coke with greener alternatives that reuse scrap and underutilized materials, in addition to the use of biochar in their composition.
[0003] Cold-pressed solid agglomerates, such as briquettes, extruded products, or pellets, introduced into the blast furnace can be additional sources of carbon and iron, derived from more environmentally friendly raw materials such as biogenic carbon and waste. During heating inside the blast furnace, the carbon present in the solid agglomerates reacts with the oxygen from the iron oxides, promoting their reduction to metallic iron and releasing CO2 in the process. Furthermore, some solid agglomerates contribute to improving the permeability of the blast furnace, allowing for better reactor performance, reducing consumption, and increasing efficiency.
[0004] Figure 1 illustrates a typical process for producing solid agglomerates for use in state-of-the-art blast furnaces. The agglomerate composition may comprise a carbon source, a catalytic source, and a binder, which are dosed and mixed. The resulting mixture is shaped into briquettes or pellets and then introduced into a furnace to perform carbonization, torrefaction, or pyrolysis of the agglomerate.
[0005] The carbonization stage of the solid agglomerate has several impacts on the agglomerate's physical and chemical properties, making it suitable for use in blast furnaces, such as increased fixed carbon content, reduced volatiles, improved mechanical strength, reduced moisture, and improved carbon reactivity.
[0006] However, it should be noted that this additional step implies greater complexity and cost for the production of these solid agglomerates, with increased energy consumption and CO2 emissions from the overall process.
[0007] Given this, it would be advantageous to produce solid agglomerates for blast furnaces by eliminating the carbonization step, while still providing the physicochemical characteristics favorable to their use in blast furnaces.
[0008] Document US4318779A, for example, describes a blast furnace coke containing low-grade coal at a high mixing ratio manufactured by a method comprising mixing not less than 60% of a blended coal with an adjusted total moisture content of not more than 4% with not more than 40% briquettes and carbonizing the resulting mixture. The blended coal consists essentially of not less than 80% coking coal and not more than 20% low-grade coal.
[0009] Document EP2719749A1 teaches a process for the production of a fuel briquette comprising the steps of: a) providing components comprising: biomass, and coal and / or petroleum coke; b) mixing the components; c) drying the components; d) crushing the components; e) forming a feedstock by mixing the components with a binder in the following proportions: 5-30% by mass of biomass, 50-90% by mass of coal and / or petroleum coke, and 5-20% by mass of binder; f) briquette the feedstock; and, after steps a) - f) have been carried out; g) curing the binder and torrefying the briquette.
[0010] It is noted that the state of the art fails to reveal a manufacturing process for solid agglomerates that possess adequate mechanical strength, fixed carbon content, volatile content, and reactivity for use in blast furnaces without the presence of a carbonization, roasting, or pyrolysis step.
[0011] The invention now proposed solves the problems of the prior art described above. OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention has as its primary objective to provide a solid agglomerate, including briquettes, extrudates or pellets, for use in blast furnaces and a method for manufacturing the same, in which the manufacturing process occurs without a pyrolysis or carbonization step of the solid agglomerate.
[0013] The present invention has a second objective: to provide a solid agglomerate for use in blast furnaces that is more environmentally friendly, requiring less energy and emitting less carbon dioxide to be produced.
[0014] The present invention has a third objective: to provide a solid agglomerate, including briquettes, extrudates or pellets, with mechanical strength, fixed carbon content, volatile content and reactivity suitable for use in blast furnaces without the presence of a carbonization, torrefaction or pyrolysis step. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] In order to achieve the objectives described above, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a solid agglomerate, such as briquettes, extrudates or pellets, for use in a blast furnace, comprising the steps of: providing at least one carbon source with a particle size of 1 to 6 mm and at least one catalytic source with a particle size smaller than 3 mm; mixing at least one carbon source, at least one catalytic source and at least one binder; and mechanically shaping the mixture of at least one carbon source, at least one catalytic source and at least one binder in order to form a shaped solid agglomerate.
[0016] The present invention further provides a solid agglomerate for use in blast furnaces, comprising in its composition: at least one carbon source; at least one catalytic source; and at least one binder; wherein the particle size of at least one carbon source is from 1 to 6 mm and the particle size of at least one catalytic source is less than 3 mm. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0017] The detailed description presented below refers to the attached figures and their respective reference numbers.
[0018] Figure 1 shows the state-of-the-art method for manufacturing a solid agglomerate for blast furnaces, which uses a carbonization step of the formed solid agglomerate.
[0019] Figure 2 illustrates the manufacturing method of a solid agglomerate, including briquettes, extrudates or blast furnace pellets, according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] First, it should be noted that the description that follows will be based on a preferred embodiment of the invention. As will become evident to anyone skilled in the art, however, the invention is not limited to this particular embodiment.
[0021] The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a solid agglomerate, such as briquettes, extrudates or pellets, for use in a blast furnace 30, comprising the steps of: providing at least one carbon source 10 in a particle size of 1 to 6 mm and at least one catalytic source 11 in a particle size smaller than 3 mm; mixing 100 at least one carbon source 10, at least one catalytic source 11 and at least one binder 12; and mechanically shaping 200 the mixture of at least one carbon source 10, at least one catalytic source 11 and at least one binder 12 so as to form a shaped solid agglomerate 20.
[0022] Figure 2 illustrates the steps of the manufacturing method of the solid agglomerate of the present invention. After providing at least one carbon source 10 and at least one catalytic source 11 in specific particle sizes, at least one carbon source 10, at least one catalytic source 11 and at least one binder 12 are dosed 101 in favorable proportions to be mixed 100 in a mixer. The mixture of at least one carbon source 10, at least one catalytic source 11 and at least one binder 12 is then mechanically shaped 200 to form a solid agglomerate shaped 20 into a briquette, extruded or pellet size to be used in the blast furnace 30.
[0023] After the mechanical shaping stage, the solid agglomerate of the present invention already possesses favorable characteristics for its use in blast furnaces 30 as fuel briquettes, eliminating the need for a carbonization, torrefaction, or pyrolysis stage. This is possible due to the optimized combination of particle sizes, proportions, and specific properties of the materials used, along with the use of binders designed to promote structural cohesion and high reactivity. Furthermore, the specific proportions used by the method of the present invention of the carbon source 10, at least one catalytic source 11, and at least one binder 12 also favor the mechanical strength and reactivity of the solid agglomerate of the present invention.
[0024] Preferably, at least one ligand 12 comprises a first ligand and / or a second ligand, wherein the mixing step 100 further comprises: mixing 40-60% by mass of at least one carbon source 10, 10-30% by mass of at least one catalytic source 11, 3-30% by mass of the first ligand and 2-15% by mass of the second ligand.
[0025] Optionally, the mixing step 100 further comprises: mixing 50-60% by mass of at least one carbon source 10, 15-25% by mass of at least one catalytic source 11, 3-30% by mass of the first binder and 2-15% by mass of the second binder. The first binder comprises carbon binder with thermoplastic characteristics suitable for providing cohesion in the particles, providing agglutination and resistance to high temperatures, and the second binder comprises one or more of corn starch, cassava starch, CMC (carboxymethylcellulose), phenolic and / or non-phenolic resins, vegetable and / or mineral tars, added and / or non-additivated sodium silicates, clay minerals such as bentonite, sugarcane molasses, dextrose, lime and rice husk ash.
[0026] Optionally, the supply step further comprises: supplying at least one carbon source 10 with a particle size of 4 to 6 mm and at least one catalytic source 11 with a particle size smaller than 2 mm. Note that at least one carbon source 10 comprises charcoal and / or biochar, wherein the carbon source is preferably crushed nut coke, small coke, or coke breeze (coke fines), and wherein at least one catalytic source 11 comprises one or more of a calcium source and / or an iron source.
[0027] The present invention further provides a solid agglomerate for use in blast furnace 30, comprising in its composition: at least one carbon source 10; at least one catalytic source 11; and at least one binder 12; and wherein the particle size of at least one carbon source 10 is from 1 to 6 mm and the particle size of at least one catalytic source 11 is less than 3 mm.
[0028] Preferably, at least one linker 12 comprises a first linker and / or a second linker.
[0029] Preferably, the solid agglomerate of the present invention comprises 40-60% by mass of at least one carbon source 10, 10-30% by mass of at least one catalytic source 11, 3-30% by mass of the first binder and 2-15% by mass of the second binder.
[0030] Optionally, the solid agglomerate of the present invention comprises 50-60% by mass of at least one carbon source 10, 15-25% by mass of at least one catalytic source 11, 20-30% by mass of the first binder and 12-15% by mass of the second binder.
[0031] Preferably, the first binder comprises carbon binder with thermoplastic characteristics suitable for providing cohesion to the particles, providing agglutination and resistance to high temperatures, and the second binder comprises one or more of the following: corn starch, cassava starch, CMC (carboxymethylcellulose), phenolic and / or non-phenolic resins, vegetable and / or mineral tars, sodium silicates with and / or without additives, clay minerals such as bentonite, sugarcane molasses, dextrose, lime, and rice husk ash. The carbon binder is used to increase the thermal resistance of the solid agglomerate.
[0032] Optionally, the particle size of at least one carbon source 10 is 4 to 6 mm and the particle size of at least one catalytic source 11 is less than 2 mm.
[0033] Preferably, at least one carbon source comprises coal and / or biochar, where the coal is preferably nut coke.
[0034] Biochar can be used to manufacture the solid agglomerate of the present invention in order to make it greener, being a partial or total substitute for mineral coal in the mixture.
[0035] Preferably, at least one catalytic source 11 comprises one or more of a calcium source and an iron source, such that the calcium source is derived from one or more of lime, limestone and / or calcium oxide (CaO), wherein the iron source is derived from one or more of iron oxide (FeO), sponge iron and / or scrap containing iron.
[0036] Preferably, the solid agglomerate of the present invention is a catalyzed briquette for blast furnaces.
[0037] Furthermore, the solid agglomerate of the present invention has high reactivity with a Coke Reactivity Index (CRI) greater than 50%, resistance in the drumming test greater than 75% with a gasification temperature lower than 950°C, and the solid agglomerate increases the efficiency of iron oxide reduction in the blast furnace, favoring operation with lower fuel consumption. These properties of the proposed agglomerate result from the strategic combination of particle size, composition, and proportions of raw materials, which provide the effect of saving energy in the blast furnace and increasing its efficiency in reducing iron oxide.
[0038] Preferably, the solid agglomerate of the present invention has a spherical shape with dimensions of 20-40mm by 5-20mm.
[0039] Preferably, the solid agglomerate of the present invention has the shape of a spherical pellet with a diameter of 30-45 mm.
[0040] Preferably, the solid agglomerate of the present invention is manufactured by extrusion and has a cylindrical shape of 30-45 mm in diameter and 30-45 mm in height after extrusion.
[0041] Thus, the solid agglomerate and the manufacturing method of the solid agglomerate according to the present invention are attractive because they possess suitable physicochemical characteristics for use in blast furnaces, eliminating the need for a carbonization, roasting, or pyrolysis step in their manufacture, and are resistant to handling and transport. It should be noted that the combination of materials and manufacturing techniques confers physicochemical properties equivalent to those of agglomerates subjected to pyrolysis or carbonization, making these steps unnecessary. Furthermore, the absence of this step makes the solid agglomerate of the present invention cheaper and less complex to produce, additionally reducing CO2 emissions and saving energy.
[0042] Numerous variations within the scope of protection of this application are permitted. Therefore, it is reinforced that the present invention is not limited to the particular configurations / embodiments described above.
Claims
CLAIMS 1. Method for manufacturing a solid agglomerate for use in a blast furnace (30), characterized in that it comprises the steps of: provide at least one carbon source (10) in a particle size of 1 to 6 mm and at least one catalytic source (11) in a particle size smaller than 3 mm; mix (100) with at least one carbon source (10), at least one catalytic source (11) and at least one binder (12); and mechanically shape (200) the mixture of at least one carbon source (10), at least one catalytic source (11) and at least one binder (12) in order to form a shaped solid agglomerate (20).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one binder (12) comprises a first binder and / or a second binder, wherein the mixing step (100) further comprises: mix 40-60% by mass of at least one carbon source (10), 10-30% by mass of at least one catalytic source (11), 3-30% by mass of the first ligand and 2-15% by mass of the second ligand.
3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the mixing step (100) further comprises: mix 50-60% by mass of at least one carbon source (10), 15-25% by mass of at least one catalytic source (11), 20-30% by mass of the first binder and 12-15% by mass of the second binder; wherein the first binder comprises carbon binder, and the second binder comprises one or more of corn starch, cassava starch, CMC (carboxymethylcellulose), phenolic and / or non-phenolic resins, vegetable and / or mineral tars, sodium silicates with and / or without additives, clay minerals such as bentonite, sugarcane molasses, dextrose, lime and rice husk ash.
4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the supplying step further comprises: provide at least one carbon source (10) in a particle size of 4 to 6 mm and at least one catalytic source (11) in a particle size smaller than 2 mm; wherein at least one carbon source (10) comprises coal and / or biochar, wherein the carbon source is preferably crushed nut coke or coke fines; and wherein at least one catalytic source (11) comprises one or more of a calcium source and / or an iron source.
5. Solid agglomerate for use in blast furnaces (30), characterized in that it comprises in its composition: at least one carbon source (10); at least one catalytic source (11); and at least one ligand (12); and wherein the particle size of at least one carbon source (10) is 1 to 6 mm and the particle size of at least one catalytic source (11) is less than 3 mm.
6. Solid agglomerate according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one binder (12) comprises a first binder and / or a second binder.
7. Solid agglomerate according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises 40-60% by mass of at least one carbon source (10), 10-30% by mass of at least one catalytic source (11), 3-30% by mass of the first binder and 2-15% by mass of the second binder.
8. Solid agglomerate according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that it comprises 50-60% by mass of at least one carbon source (10), 15-25% by mass of at least one catalytic source (11), 20-30% by mass of the first binder and 12-15% by mass of the second binder.
9. Solid agglomerate according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the first binder comprises carbon binder, and the second binder comprises one or more of corn starch, cassava starch, CMC (carboxymethylcellulose), phenolic and / or non-phenolic resins, vegetable and / or mineral tars, added and / or non-additivated sodium silicates, clay minerals such as bentonite, sugarcane molasses, dextrose, lime and rice husk ash.
10. Solid agglomerate according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the particle size of at least one carbon source (10) is 4 to 6 mm and the particle size of at least one catalytic source (11) is less than 2 mm.
11. Solid agglomerate according to any one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that at least one carbon source (10) comprises coal and / or biochar, wherein the coal is preferably crushed nut coke.
12. Solid agglomerate according to any one of claims 5 to 11, characterized in that at least one catalytic source (11) comprises one or more of a calcium source and / or an iron source.
13. Solid agglomerate according to any one of claims 5 to 12, characterized in that the calcium source is derived from one or more of lime, limestone and / or calcium oxide (CaO), wherein the iron source is derived from one or more of iron oxide (FeO), sponge iron and / or scrap containing iron.
14. Solid agglomerate according to any one of claims 5 to 13, characterized in that it has a Coke Reactivity Index (CRI) greater than 50% and a resistance in the drumming test greater than 75%, whose gasification temperature is less than 950°C.
15. Solid agglomerate according to any one of claims 5 to 14, characterized in that it has a spherical shape with dimensions of 20-40 mm by 5-20 mm.
16. Solid agglomerate according to any one of claims 5 to 14, characterized in that it has the shape of a spherical pellet with a diameter of 30-45 mm.
17. Solid agglomerate according to any one of claims 5 to 14, characterized in that it is manufactured by extrusion and has a cylindrical shape of 30-45 mm in diameter and 30-45 mm in height after extrusion.
18. Use of the solid agglomerate produced by the method to manufacture a solid agglomerate as defined in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is applied as fuel in blast furnaces.