3D characterization and analysis of pore structure of packed ore particle beds based on computed tomography images

Methods and procedures of three-dimensional （3D） characterization of the pore structure features in the packed ore particle bed are focused. X-ray computed tomography was applied to deriving the cross-sectional images of specimens with single particle size of 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, 7-8, 8-9, 9-10 ram. Based on the in-house developed 3D image analysis programs using Matlab, the volume porosity, pore size distribution and degree of connectivity were calculated and analyzed in detail. The results indicate that the volume porosity, the mean diameter of pores and the effective pore size （d50） increase with the increasing of particle size. Lognormal distribution or Gauss distribution is mostly suitable to model the pore size distribution. The degree of connectivity investigated on the basis of cluster-labeling algorithm also increases with increasing the particle size approximately.

Application of Intra-Particle Combustion Model for Iron Ore Sintering Bed

In order to quantitatively predict the behavior of the material in the packed bed, a single particle model is developed to describe the combustion and sintering process inside an individual particle composed of multiple solid material fines, including iron ore, coke and limestone, and is applied to the combustion modeling of an iron ore sintering. Byanalyzing three typical fuel distribution cases using the developed single particle combustion model, the effects of temperature and oxygen concentration gradient inside the particle on heat and mass transfer and the combustion behavior of the iron ore sintering process areinvestigated. Considering the various combustion rates which are highly dependent on the fuel distribution methods, correction factor for single particle model is also introduced and systematically analyzed. The aim of this research is to supplement particle technology to conventional approach and it is found that the oxygen concentration gradient inside the particle is significantly affected from the mixing method thereby changing the completion times of sintering process.

Reduction of 1-3 mm iron ore by H_2 in a fluidized bed

The reduction of 1-3 mm fine powder of iron ore by H2 was conducted in a lab-fabricated kg class high temperature fluidized bed. The results show that the differential pressure in the fluidized bed, which has small fluctuation with time, increases with the increase of gas flowing velocity. The utilization ratio of gas decreases when the reaction lasts longer time indicating that the reaction is faster at the beginning of reduction and becomes slower in the latter process. The higher the reaction temperature is, the higher the utilization ratio of gas is, but the difference of utilization ratio among the different temperatures becomes smaller with time. The utilization ratio of gas and the metallization ratio can reach 9% and 84% respectively at 750℃ for 20 min, which shows the reduction reaction by H2 is very fast. The increase of metallization ratio with gas velocity performs quite good linearity, which shows that a higher velocity of reducing gas can be used to improve the productivity of the reactor when H2 is used as reducing gas. With the increase of charge height, the metallization ratio decreases, but the utilization ratio of gas increases. The reaction temperature can be reduced to 700-750℃ from 800-850℃ when H2 is used as reducing gas.

Kinetics of thermal decomposition of hydrated minerals associated with hematite ore in a fluidized bed reactor

The kinetics of removal of loss on ignition(LOI) by thermal decomposition of hydrated minerals present in natural iron ores(i.e.,kaolinite,gibbsite,and goethite) was investigated in a laboratory-scale vertical fluidized bed reactor(FBR) using isothermal methods of kinetic analysis.Experiments in the FBR in batch processes were carried out at different temperatures(300 to 1200°C) and residence time(1 to 30 min) for four different iron ore samples with various LOIs(2.34wt% to 9.83wt%).The operating velocity was maintained in the range from 1.2 to 1.4 times the minimum fluidization velocity(Umf).We observed that,below a certain critical temperature,the FBR did not effectively reduce the LOI to a desired level even with increased residence time.The results of this study indicate that the LOI level could be reduced by 90% within 1 min of residence time at 1100°C.The kinetics for low-LOI samples(<6wt%) indicates two different reaction mechanisms in two temperature regimes.At lower temperatures(300 to 700°C),the kinetics is characterized by a lower activation energy(diffusion-controlled physical moisture removal),followed by a higher activation energy(chemically controlled removal of LOI).In the case of high-LOI samples,three different kinetics mechanisms prevail at different temperature regimes.At temperature up to 450°C,diffusion kinetics prevails(removal of physical moisture);at temperature from 450 to 650°C,chemical kinetics dominates during removal of matrix moisture.At temperatures greater than 650°C,nucleation and growth begins to influence the rate of removal of LOI.

The process analysis of fine iron ore reduced in fluidized bed

The processes of fine iron ore reduced in fluidized bed have been reviewed in this paper,the superiorities and limitations of the processes of direct reduction,pre-reduction in fluidized bed have also been comprehensively analysed,which matches with bath smelting furnace or coke bed type furnace.The analysis has also been made on several controversial topics,and the gas use ratio has been point out to be the key of the competition of the reduction process in fluidized bed.The suitability with final reduction furnace is also important to the energy saving in the whole smelting reduction process.

Super-high bed sintering for iron ores:problems ascertainment

Super-high bed sintering process is an important development direction of iron ore sintering for its lower emission and higher yield.However,there is a lack of deep understanding of the uneven quality of super-high bed sintering products,and the deterioration of reduction disintegration performance,the thickening of hearth layer and the reduction in energy-saving effect are perplexing enterprises and researchers.To ascertain the problems of super-high bed sintering,ten sintering machines with the areas of 265,280,360,550 and 660 m^(2)and bed depth above 900 mm were sampled and analyzed.The results showed that problems were mainly shown in the unevenness of chemical composition,macrostructure,mechanical strength and metallurgical performance.The chemical composition exhibits severe segregation in both horizontal and vertical directions,with basicity segregation reaching as high as 0.81.The uneven macrostructure of sinter is reflected in a 10%difference in porosity and mechanical strength increase in 16%–19%along the vertical direction.The reducibility and reduction disintegration performance gradually deteriorate along the bed depth,with a difference of 10.5%in reducibility and 7.3%in RDI−0.5 mm(reduction disintegration index of sinter with size smaller than 0.5 mm).

Super-high bed sintering for iron ores: inhomogeneous phenomena and its mechanism during mineralizing

The inhomogeneous sinter properties in super-high bed sintering have been reported in our previous research.To inves-tigate the reasons for the inhomogeneous phenomena,detailed sampling and analysis of mixed material bed and sintered bed in super-high bed sintering plant were executed.The results indicated that the higher porosity and thinner dendrite of silico-ferrite of calcium and aluminum in the upper layer as well as dense structure and higher secondary hematite content in the lower layer led to the heterogeneities of mechanical strength and reduction properties exceeding 20%and 10%,respectively.From the bed top downward,the basicity of mixed material decreased from 2.13 to 1.68 because the average particle size increased from 2.65 to 4.56 mm.Fluxes and fuels gathered in finer particles(-3 mm)of mixed material,and the-3 mm particles of mixed material generated more liquid phase than+3 mm ones.The heat input of super-high sintering bed was inhomogeneous due to the heat accumulation effect and unreasonable fuel distribution.The inhomo-geneous sintering heat condition in sintering bed resulted in the different quantities and properties of liquid phase.The inhomogeneous quantities and properties of liquid phase that were influenced by inhomogeneous distribution of chemical composition,particle size,and heat input led to inhomogeneous mineralizing results.Homogeneous mineralizing condition is the key for homogeneous super-high bed sintering.

Influence of hydrogen concentration on Fe_2O_3 particle reduction in fluidized beds under constant drag force

The fixed-gas drag force from a model calculation method that stabilizes the agitation capabilities of different gas ratios was used to explore the influence of temperature and hydrogen concentration on fluidizing duration, metallization ratio, utilization rate of reduction gas, and sticking behavior. Different hydrogen concentrations from 5vol%to 100vol%at 1073 and 1273 K were used while the drag force with the flow of N2 and H2 （N2：2 L·min^-1;H2：2 L·min^-1） at 1073 K was chosen as the standard drag force. The metallization ratio, mean reduc-tion rate, and utilization rate of reduction gas were observed to generally increase with increasing hydrogen concentration. Faster reduction rates and higher metallization ratios were obtained when the reduction temperature decreased from 1273 to 1073 K. A numerical relation among particle diameter, particle drag force, and fluidization state was plotted in a diagram by this model.

Growth behavior of the magnetite phase in the reduction of hematite via a fluidized bed

To understand the formation and growth mechanism of the magnetite phase during the fluidized reduction of hematite, a high-purity hematite ore was isothermally reduced using a 20vol% CO 80vol% CO2 gas mixture in a micro-fluidized bed to examine the process of the selective conversion of hematite to magnetite. The micro-structural characteristics of the magnetite phase were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) method, and the thickness of the magnetite layer was measured and evaluated using statistical analysis. The experimental results showed that the fresh magnetite nuclei were dense needles of different lengths, and the original hematite grains became porous after complete reduction to the magnetite phase. The thickness of the mag- netite layer increased with an increase in reduction temperature and reduction time. The growth kinetics of the magnetite layer was investi- gated, and the value of the activation energy E was estimated to be 28.33 kJ/mol.

Research on optimizing ore matching technology for 550 m^2 sintering machine

The sinter quality is important for its performance in a blast furnace,and optimizing ore matching is a main way to ensure the quality and yield of sinter ore and to reduce the cost of ore matching.The research on optimizing ore matching for a 550 m2sintering machine in Shougang Jingtang was carried out in this paper. Firstly,based on the condition of iron ore resourse in Shougang,sintering properties of various ores,especially the high temperature properties were researched,and basic structure of ore matching was determined according to the mutual complementary properties of assimilation and liquid phase fluidity among Australia ore,Brazilian ore and domestic concentrates,that was Australian ore(50%-60%) + Brazilian ore(40%-30%) + domestic concentrates(about 10%).Secondly,9 groups of ore matching schemes were designed and sintering pot tests were carried out,and then the starting scheme of the 550 m2sintering machine was obtained:ore from southern Brazil (20%) +ore from northern Brazil(10%) + semi-limonite(20%) + limonite ore(35%) + domestic concentrates (15%).Thirdly,experiment of optimizing parameters of optimizing basicity,lime ratio,water addition and bed depth were carried out,and 9 groups of ore matching schemes were designed.The results showed that parameters fit for Jingtang currently are as follows:binary basicity is 1.9 - 1.95,lime ratio and water addition is 5%and 7.0% respectively;sintering bed should increase to 800 mm gradually.At last,Jingtang sintering plant was put into production successfully and yields stably,with the bed depth of 800 mm and advanced sintering indexes.

Investigation on the evolution characteristics of bed porous structure during iron ore sintering

To better understand the evolution characteristics of bed porous structure during iron ore sintering,X-ray computed tomography scanning technology was used to analyze the pore parameters in different areas of the sintering bed.A pore skeleton structure model was established to study the characteristics of the airflow channels in different zones.The absolute permeability of different areas was calculated through simulation,and the corresponding streamline and pressure drop distribution were analyzed.The results show that the porosity of raw material zone,high-temperature zone,and sintered zone increases gradually,which are 37.69%,46.41%,and 55.57%,respectively.The absolute permeability calculation results of the raw material zone and sintered zones are 792.49μm^(2) and 20560.80μm^(2),while the tortuosity is 1.77 and 1.45,respectively.Compared with the raw material zone,the flow streamline in the sintered zone is thicker and denser,the airflow resistance and the pressure drop are minor.

Fluidized roasting reduction kinetics of low-grade pyrolusite coupling with pretreatment of stone coal

Based on the fluidized roasting reduction technology of low-grade pyrolusite coupling with pretreatment of stone coal, the manganese reduction efficiency was investigated and technical conditions were optimized. It is found that the optimum manganese reduction efficiency can be up to 98.97% under the conditions that the mass ratio of stone coal to pyrolusite is 3：1, the roasting temperature of stone coal is 1000℃, the roasting temperature of pyrolusite is 800℃, and the roasting time is 2 h. Other low-grade pyrolusite ores in China from Guangxi, Hunan, and Guizhou Provinces were tested and all these minerals responded well, giving -99% manganese reduction efficiency. Meanwhile, the reduction kinetic model has been established. It is confirmed that the reduction process is controlled by the interface chemical reaction. The apparent activation energy is 36.397 kJ/mol.

Reduction of 1-3 mm Iron Ore by CO on Fluidized Bed

The reduction-degree of the sample increases and the utilization ratio of gas decreases when the reaction lasts longer time,which indicates that the reaction is faster at the beginning of reduction,while it becomes slower in subsequent process.The higher the reaction temperature,the higher the utilization ratio of gas and the reduction-degree are,but the difference of utilization ratio among the different temperatures becomes smaller with time.The utilization ratio of gas can reach about 8% and the reduction-degree is 80% for 20 min reduction at 850 ℃,indicating that the reduction reaction by CO is very fast at high temperature.The higher the reaction temperature,the higher the apparent reaction rate constant is,but the difference of apparent reaction rate constant among the different temperatures becomes bigger.The apparent activation energy is about 59.11 kJ/mol in the fluidized bed experiment.The increase of reduction-degree with gas velocity shows quite good linearity,indicating that at high temperature even higher velocity of reducing gas can be used to improve the productivity of reactor when CO is used as reducing gas.With the increase of charge height,the metallization ratio and the reduction-degree decrease,but the utilization ratio of gas increases.

Fluidization behavior and reducibility of iron ore fines during hydrogen-induced fluidized bed reduction

A laboratory fluidized bed reactor was used to investigate the fluidization behavior and reducibility of various iron ore fines.Hydrogen was chosen as a reducing agent across a temperature range of 873-1073 K.The magnetite ore used exhibited strong sticking behavior after the initiation of metallic iron formation.All other tested ores fluidized sufficiently well when subjected to the same high reduction temperatures.Parallel kinetic analysis was conducted using a previously developed model to include three rate-limiting step types.The trend of apparent activation energy was correlated with the degree of reduction.Additionally,the influence of varying the specific gas rate was investigated.The results show the variation in reducibility as a result of different interactions,which influence the rate-limiting mechanisms of nucleation and the undertaken chemical reactions,which vary as a function of temperature and degree of conversion.The apparent activation energies,determined from the reduction of wtistite to metallic iron,were in the range of 15-60 kJ/mol,depending on the iron ore used and the degree of conversion.The change in apparent activation energy deriving from the increased specific gas rate can be explained by an increasing nucleation effect,especially at lower reduction temperatures.

An efficient method for iron ore sintering with high-bed layer:double-layer sintering

Poor permeability and low sintering productivity restrict the development of high-bed sintering.An efficient method of the double-layer sintering process(DLSP)was proposed to achieve high-bed sintering and solve the aforementioned problems.Theoretical calculation and sintering pot experiments were implemented to investigate the double-layer sintering process.Traditional sintering process and DLSP were compared in terms of sintering indices,metallurgical properties and morphology characterization.Under the condition of traditional sintering process,DLSP successfully realized fast velocity and highly productive sintering of 1000-mm high bed.After the sintering bed is charged and ignited twice,the air permeability of the bed has been greatly improved.Sintering time is shortened significantly by simultaneous sintering of the upper and lower feed layers.Under the condition of bed height proportion of 350/650 mm and pre-sintering time of 20 min,the yield,tumbler strength,productivity and solid fuel consumption are 69.96%,65.87%,1.71 t(m^(2)h)^(-1)and 56.71 kg/t,respectively.Magnetite,hematite,calcium ferrite and complex calcium ferrite are the main phases of DLSP products.The metallurgical properties of DSLP products meet the requirement of ironmaking.It indicates that DLSP is an effective method to solve the disadvantages of bad permeability and low sintering productivity in high-bed sintering.

Evaluation of granule structure and strength properties of green packed beds in iron ore sintering using high-resolution X-ray tomography and uniaxial compression testing

The strength properties of green sinter beds,including the Young’s modulus and maximum bed strain,were evaluated using uniaxial compression tests.The green-sinter-bed samples were scanned using X-ray computed tomography(XCT),and the geometry characteristics of the granules were quantified by XCT image analysis.The orthogonal array method was applied to determine the concomitant effects of the moisture,hydrated lime,and concentrate contents on the bed strength characteristics.Less bed strain was observed when the granules had a thin adhering layer and increased interlock contacts,which had a great capacity to resist the applied load collectively.The optimal combination for decreasing the bed maximum strain was 5.8%moisture,2%hydrated lime,and 0%concentrate.The moisture and concentrate contents were the most significant factors determining the green bed strength.Increasing the moisture and concentrate contents produced granules with a thicker and more deformable adhering layer,resulting in a more compact bed.The addition of hydrated lime inhibited rearrangement,deformation,and fracture of the granules in green sinter bed during compression.

Temperature Distribution of Iron Ore Pellet Bed in Grate

The temperature distribution of iron ore pellet bed in grate has a significant effect on pellet production and quality control, but the related work is scarce. A well-designed test was successfully carried out by means of tracking measurement and the temperature distribution and variation in pellet layers were obtained. The effects of blast tem- perature, blast velocity and oxidation reaction on the pellet layer temperature were studied. According to the analy- sis, the inlet air temperature in the up-draught drying zone （UDD） and blast temperature in the Preheating I （PH I） zone should be raised, and the length of the down-draught drying zone （DDD） should be properly increased.

Effects of pressure and plastic addition on sticking of fine iron ore particles in fluidized bed reduction

The adhesion of fine iron ore particles during fluidized bed reduction was studied using pressurized visible fluidized bed laboratory equipment.The results showed that the optimal operating parameters for pure hydrogen reduction under high pressure were reduction temperature of 1073 K,particle size of 0.18-0.66 mm,pure H_(2) linear velocity of 0.8 m/s,reduction pressure of 200 kPa,and reduction time of 50 min.When plastic particles were mixed into the fluidized bed,the optimal parameters were reduction temperature of 973 K,particle size of 0.18-0.66 mm,pure H_(2) linear velocity of 0.8 m/s,reduction pressure of 100 kPa,mass content of plastic particles of 8%,and reduction time of 65 min.The chemical reaction resistance is much higher than the inner diffusion resistance at the initial stage of the reaction,whereas,in later stage,the inner diffusion resistance exceeds the chemical reaction resistance.The contact area of iron atoms or iron whiskers gradually decreases with the increase in reduction pressure from 0.20 to 0.45 MPa,and the sticking trend gradually decreases.Adding plastic particles in the fluidized reduction process of fine iron ore can effectively inhibit the adhesion among fine iron ore particles.

Reduction Kinetics of Fine Iron Ore Powder in Mixtures of H_2-N_2 and H_2-H_2O-N_2 of Fluidized Bed

Reduction kinetics of fine iron ore powder in different gas mixtures were investigated in high-temperature fluidized bed at a scale of kilograms. Influence of processing parameters, such as particle size, gas flow velocity, height of charge, temperature, compositions of gas mixture, and percentage of inert components, on reduction ki- netics was experimentally determined under the condition of fluidization. The equations for calculating instantaneous and average oxidation rates were deduced. It was found that an increasing H2 O percentage in the gas mixture could obviously decrease the reduction rate because the equilibrium partial pressure of H2 decreased with increasing content of Hz O in the gas mixture and then the driving force of reduction reaction was reduced. When the H2 content was high, .the apparent reaction rate was so rapid when the average size of iron ore fines was less than 1 mm that the re- action temperature can be as low as 750 ℃ ; when the average size of iron ore fines was more than 1 mm, a high re- action temperature of 800 ℃ was required. In addition, it was also found that the content of H2O should be less than 10% for efficient reduction.

Kinetics of Reduction Reaction in Micro-Fluidized Bed

Micro-fluidized bed reactor is a new research method for the reduction of iron ore fines. The reactor is op- erated as a differential reactor to ensure a constant gas concentration and temperature within the reactor volume. In order to understand the dynamic process of the reduction reaction in micro-fluidized bed, a series of kinetic experi- ments were designed. In the micro fluidized bed, the use of shrinking core model describes the dynamic behavior of reduction of iron ore. And the apparent activation energy is calculated in the range of 700--850 ~C while the initial atmosphere is 100% content of CO.