Sintered Ore Granulation via Steam Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing sintered ore require additional facilities and resources, leading to increased costs and reduced productivity due to poor gas permeability and sintering time inefficiencies caused by wet zones and weak bonding in granulated raw materials with fine powdery iron ore.
Innovation Solution
Heating and humidifying the granulated raw material with steam in a high-speed agitating mixer to achieve a temperature higher than the starting material temperature, improving gas permeability and reducing the wet zone size in the sintering machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a rotary kiln is used to dry the granulated raw material for sintering, then the wet zone size is reduced and productivity is improved, but facility cost and fuel consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the granulation and drying functions into a single integrated process. The granulated raw material is dried in advance within the granulation system itself, eliminating the need for a separate rotary kiln facility. This merging of functions reduces facility costs while maintaining the productivity benefits of reduced wet zone size.
Solution Approach 2:
The granulation system is designed to perform multiple functions: granulation of the raw material and pre-drying of the granulated material. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate specialized equipment like rotary kilns, reducing facility complexity while achieving the same productivity improvements.
2Productivity
If steam is blown into the granulator to heat and humidify the raw material, then gas permeability is improved and sintering time is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature and humidity parameters of the granulated raw material by blowing steam into the granulator. This parameter change improves gas permeability and reduces sintering time, directly enhancing productivity. The energy consumption is managed by controlling the steam injection rate and timing to achieve optimal parameters without excessive energy use.
3Quantity of substance
If fine powdery iron ore is used in granulation, then原料 availability is improved, but granulation property deteriorates and gas permeability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter during granulation by blowing steam into the granulator. This temperature increase improves the granulation properties of fine powdery iron ore, creating stronger granules with better gas permeability. This allows higher content of fine powdery iron ore to be used without sacrificing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The steam injection causes phase transition from vapor to liquid water within the granulator, providing both heating and humidification. This phase transition improves the granulation properties of fine powdery iron ore by enhancing particle bonding, thereby improving gas permeability while utilizing available fine ore materials.
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 enhances the production rate of sintered ore by improving gas permeability and reducing sintering time, while maintaining the strength and quality of the sintered product.
Implementation Method 1
Heating and humidifying the granulated raw material with steam in a high-speed agitating mixer to achieve a temperature higher than the starting material temperature
Implementation Method 2
improving gas permeability and reducing the wet zone size in the sintering machine
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Proposed is a method effective for increasing production rate of sintered ore by using a granulated raw material for sintering contributing to reduction in size of a wet zone generated in a raw material charged layer on a pallet of a sintering machine. The method is a method for sintering in which a compounded raw material for sintering containing not less than 10 mass% of fine powdery iron ore with a particle size of not more than 150 µm is granulated in a granulator by blowing steam into the granulator such that a granulated raw material for sintering to be charged onto the pallet is heated and humidified to have a temperature higher than a starting temperature of the compounded raw material for sintering before the charging into the granulator by not lower than 10°C.