Manganese Ferroalloy Agglomeration for Smelting Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high operating costs of electrolytic manganese production and the inability to directly use manganese ore fines smaller than 6-9 mm in steelmaking due to crust formation and operational disturbances in smelting processes pose challenges in making manganese a cost-effective and efficient raw material for steel production.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the agglomeration of manganese ore fines with chromite ore concentrate, followed by sintering in a steel belt sintering furnace and smelting in a submerged arc furnace to produce manganese and chromium-containing ferroalloy, which includes adding carbonaceous materials and binding agents to create suitable agglomeration products for efficient steelmaking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If manganese ore fines with grain size smaller than 6-9 mm are used directly in smelting, then the availability of raw material is improved, but crust formation occurs on top of the charge causing gas eruptions and operational disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by agglomerating manganese ore fines before smelting. The fines are mixed with binding agents and processed into green pellets, which are then sintered to create strong, porous agglomerates suitable for blast furnace charging. This pre-treatment prevents crust formation during smelting while enabling the use of fine ore particles that would otherwise be unusable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses binding agents (such as clay, bentonite, or organic binders) as intermediaries to connect fine manganese ore particles into larger agglomerates. These binding agents facilitate the formation of stable green pellets that can withstand handling and smelting conditions without forming disruptive crusts, thus mediating between the fine ore particles and the smelting process.
2Manufacturing precision
If electrolytic manganese is used for final control of manganese content in steelmaking, then the manganese content can be precisely controlled, but the operating costs become very high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of manganese ore through agglomeration and sintering processes. The sintering process creates porous agglomerates with controlled permeability and reactivity, enabling fine ore particles to function effectively as a smelting feedstock. This parameter transformation allows manganese ore fines to replace expensive electrolytic manganese while maintaining production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, energy-intensive electrolytic manganese with cheaper manganese ore fines that are processed through agglomeration and sintering. The resulting sintered pellets serve as a cost-effective alternative feedstock for blast furnaces, significantly reducing raw material costs while providing adequate manganese content for steelmaking applications.
3Ease of manufacture
If manganese ore fines are agglomerated and sintered to make them suitable for blast furnace feeding, then the usability of fine ore is improved, but additional processing steps and equipment complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the agglomeration and sintering processes into an integrated production line. Green pellets formed in the agglomeration step are directly fed into the sintering furnace, creating a continuous flow process. This merging of operations reduces intermediate handling, minimizes equipment complexity, and creates an efficient workflow from fine ore to sintered blast furnace feedstock.
Solution Approach 2:
The sintering process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it hardens green pellets to create mechanically strong agglomerates, creates porous structure for proper gas flow during smelting, and partially pre-reduces the ore. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate processing steps and equipment, simplifying the overall manufacturing system.
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
This method reduces raw material costs by utilizing manganese ore fines effectively, allowing for energy savings by adding the manganese-containing ferroalloy in a molten state, and produces a ferroalloy with optimal manganese and chromium content suitable for refined steel production.
Implementation Method 1
sintering the green agglomeration products in a steel belt sintering furnace to produce sinter or sintered pellets
Implementation Method 2
smelting the sinter or sintered pellets in a submerged arc furnace to produce manganese and chromium containing ferroalloy
Data Source
AI summary
To produce manganese containing ferroalloy for steel production, an agglomeration mixture is produced which comprises chromite ore concentrate and manganese ore fines with a grain size smaller than 6-9 mm. The mixture is agglomerated to produce green agglomeration products, such as pellets or other types of agglomerates. The green agglomeration products are sintered in a steel belt sintering furnace to produce either sinter or sintered pellets. The sinter or sintered pellets are smelted in a submerged arc furnace to produce manganese and chromium containing ferroalloy. The ferroalloy produced by the method comprises 6.0-35 w-% manganese and 31-54 w-% chromium.