Granulator Water Vapor Heating for Sintering Permeability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for improving sintered ore productivity require additional equipment and fuel, increasing costs, and do not effectively control the wet zone in the material charged layer on sintering machines.

Innovation Solution

Blowing water vapor into a granulator during the granulation of sintering raw materials to heat them above the initial temperature, improving gas permeability and productivity by adjusting the water content and blowing position within the granulator.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If water vapor is blown into the granulator to heat the raw material, then the temperature of granulated raw material increases and gas permeability improves, but the water content control becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature of granulated raw materialVSAvoidwater content control complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical state parameters of water (from liquid to vapor) and controls the amount of vapor blown into the granulator to achieve both heating and water content adjustment simultaneously. By controlling the vaporization amount and blowing conditions, the method optimizes both temperature and moisture content in one integrated process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The water vapor blowing process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it heats the raw material, adjusts water content, and improves granulation quality. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate heating and moisture control systems, reducing overall process complexity while achieving multiple objectives

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If water vapor is blown into the granulator, then the productivity of sintered ore improves, but the equipment and fuel costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproductivity of sintered oreVSAvoidfuel cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention utilizes the phase transition of water from liquid to vapor, leveraging the latent heat of vaporization to efficiently heat the raw material. This phase change process provides concentrated thermal energy that improves heating efficiency and reduces the overall fuel consumption required for the sintering process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces traditional mechanical heating systems with a vapor-based heating system. By using water vapor generated from the process itself rather than external fuel combustion, the method substitutes a thermal field approach for mechanical/chemical heating, reducing fuel costs while maintaining productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If water vapor is blown into the granulator, then the gas permeability improves, but the blowing position and amount must be precisely controlled

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas permeabilityVSAvoidblowing position and amount control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies water vapor blowing at specific local positions within the granulator rather than uniformly throughout. By targeting specific zones where raw material is being processed, the method achieves effective heating and gas permeability improvement while minimizing the total vapor amount required, thereby reducing control complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method enhances the temperature of granulated raw materials, improving gas permeability and sintered ore production rates while reducing equipment and fuel costs by optimizing water vapor usage and distribution.

Implementation Method 1

vapor such as water vapor is blown into a granulator such as a drum mixer, an Eirich mixer, or a pelletizer used in granulation of a compounding raw material for sintering to granulate the compound material for sintering while heating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVapor heating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3760747B1Method for manufacturing granulated raw material for sintering

Publication Date: 2023.12.27 JFE STEEL CORP

Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2~3
Figure 4

AI summary

Proposed is a novel method for manufacturing granulated raw material for sintering wherein vapor is used during granulation for heating, which is effective in improving gas permeability as well as productivity pf sintered ore when the granulated raw material for sintering is charged into a sintering machine. In the proposed method for manufacturing granulated raw material for sintering, when a compounding raw material for sintering formed by compounding iron ore powder, carbon material, and auxiliary material is granulated in a granulator, water vapor is blown into the granulator thereby to increase the temperature of the granulated raw material for sintering higher than that of the compounding raw material for sintering before charged into the granulator by not less than 10 °C.