Particle size segregation in hopper at a bell-less top blast furnace with parallel hoppers

Owing to a certain angle existing between a belt conveyor and the parallel hoppers,and the hoppers localizing away from the centerlines of a blast furnace,particles size segregation is likely to happen in a bell-less top blast furnace with parallel hoppers.Mastering the law of particles size segregation in hoppers could help to choose better charging parameters and optimize production and technical indices.As for the previous works on burden segregation at a bell-less top blast furnace with parallel hoppers,more attention was paid to the falling point segregation and the circumferential mass flow segregation while charging from the tilting chute,but ignoring the particle size segregation in burden hoppers as burden falls from a belt conveyor,which is the right basis of analyzing the former,and plays a significant role in controlling the gas distribution in the blast furnace.The present work takes ternary mixtures of coke in three different particle sizes to simulate the size segregation of the coke charged into the hoppers by experiments.The effect of the main striking point on size segregation is also investigated.The research shows that there exists a good linear relation between segregation coefficient k and the dimensionless main striking point when using the equation C = C_0~k to express the degree of size segregation in hoppers.The linear relation is proposed for the first time and provides a new way to predict the size segregation in hoppers,which forms a theoretical basis and technical support for reducing the size segregation degree in hoppers.

Research progress and future prospects in the service security of key blast furnace equipment

The safety and longevity of key blast furnace(BF)equipment determine the stable and low-carbon production of iron.This pa-per presents an analysis of the heat transfer characteristics of these components and the uneven distribution of cooling water in parallel pipes based on hydrodynamic principles,discusses the feasible methods for the improvement of BF cooling intensity,and reviews the pre-paration process,performance,and damage characteristics of three key equipment pieces:coolers,tuyeres,and hearth refractories.Fur-thermoere,to attain better control of these critical components under high-temperature working conditions,we propose the application of optimized technologies,such as BF operation and maintenance technology,self-repair technology,and full-lifecycle management techno-logy.Finally,we propose further researches on safety assessments and predictions for key BF equipment under new operating conditions.

Process metallurgy and data-driven prediction and feedback of blast furnace heat indicators

The prediction and control of furnace heat indicators are of great importance for improving the heat levels and conditions of the complex and difficult-to-operate hour-class delay blast furnace(BF)system.In this work,a prediction and feedback model of furnace heat indicators based on the fusion of data-driven and BF ironmaking processes was proposed.The data on raw and fuel materials,process op-eration,smelting state,and slag and iron discharge during the whole BF process comprised 171 variables with 9223 groups of data and were comprehensively analyzed.A novel method for the delay analysis of furnace heat indicators was established.The extracted delay variables were found to play an important role in modeling.The method that combined the genetic algorithm and stacking efficiently im-proved performance compared with the traditional machine learning algorithm in improving the hit ratio of the furnace heat prediction model.The hit ratio for predicting the temperature of hot metal in the error range of±10℃ was 92.4%,and that for the chemical heat of hot metal in the error range of±0.1wt%was 93.3%.On the basis of the furnace heat prediction model and expert experience,a feedback model of furnace heat operation was established to obtain quantitative operation suggestions for stabilizing BF heat levels.These sugges-tions were highly accepted by BF operators.Finally,the comprehensive and dynamic model proposed in this work was successfully ap-plied in a practical BF system.It improved the BF temperature level remarkably,increasing the furnace temperature stability rate from 54.9%to 84.9%.This improvement achieved considerable economic benefits.

Coke behavior with H_(2)O in a hydrogen-enriched blast furnace:A review

Hydrogen-enriched blast furnace ironmaking has become an essential route to reduce CO_(2)emissions in the ironmaking process.However,hydrogen-enriched reduction produces large amounts of H_(2)O,which places new demands on coke quality in a blast furnace.In a hydrogen-rich blast furnace,the presence of H_(2)O promotes the solution loss reaction.This result improves the reactivity of coke,which is 20%-30%higher in a pure H_(2)O atmosphere than in a pure CO_(2)atmosphere.The activation energy range is 110-300 kJ/mol between coke and CO_(2)and 80-170 kJ/mol between coke and H_(2)O.CO_(2)and H_(2)O are shown to have different effects on coke degradation mechanisms.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the effect of H_(2)O on the structure and properties of coke.By exploring the interactions between H_(2)O and coke,several unresolved issues in the field requiring further research were identified.This review aims to provide valuable insights into coke behavior in hydrogen-rich environments and promote the further development of hydrogen-rich blast furnace ironmaking processes.

Cross-upgrading of biomass hydrothermal carbonization and pyrolysis for high quality blast furnace injection fuel production:Physicochemical characteristics and gasification kinetics analysis

The paper proposes a biomass cross-upgrading process that combines hydrothermal carbonization and pyrolysis to produce high-quality blast furnace injection fuel.The results showed that after upgrading,the volatile content of biochar ranged from 16.19%to 45.35%,and the alkali metal content,ash content,and specific surface area were significantly reduced.The optimal route for biochar pro-duction is hydrothermal carbonization-pyrolysis(P-HC),resulting in biochar with a higher calorific value,C=C structure,and increased graphitization degree.The apparent activation energy(E)of the sample ranges from 199.1 to 324.8 kJ/mol,with P-HC having an E of 277.8 kJ/mol,lower than that of raw biomass,primary biochar,and anthracite.This makes P-HC more suitable for blast furnace injection fuel.Additionally,the paper proposes a path for P-HC injection in blast furnaces and calculates potential environmental benefits.P-HC of-fers the highest potential for carbon emission reduction,capable of reducing emissions by 96.04 kg/t when replacing 40wt%coal injec-tion.

Extraction of Valuable Metals from Titanium-bearing Blast Furnace Slag by Acid Leaching

To realize the resource utilization of the valuable metals in the titanium-containing blast furnace slag,the process route of “hydrochloric acid leaching-electrolysis-carbonization and carbon dioxide capture-preparation of calcium carbonate” was proposed.In this study,the influences of process conditions on the leaching rates of calcium,magnesium,aluminum,and iron and the phases of the leaching residue were investigated for the leaching process.The experimental results show that the HCl solution could selectively leach the elements from the titanium-containing blast furnace slag.The better leaching conditions are the HCl solution concentration of 4 mol/L,the leaching time of 30 min,the ratio of liquid volume to solid gas of 10 mL/g,and the stirring paddle speed of 300 r/min.Under the conditions,the leaching rates of calcium,magnesium,aluminum,and iron can reach 85.87%,73.41%,81.35%,and 59.08%,and the leaching rate of titanium is 10.71%.The iron and the aluminum are removed from the leachate to obtain iron-aluminum water purification agents,and the magnesium is removed from the leachate to obtain magnesium hydroxide.The leaching residue phase is dominated by perovskite,followed by magnesium silicate and tricalcium aluminate,and the titaniumrich material could be obtained from the leaching residue by desiliconization.

A Novel Sensing Imaging Equipment Under Extremely Dim Light for Blast Furnace Burden Surface:Starlight High-Temperature Industrial Endoscope

Blast furnace(BF)burden surface contains the most abundant,intuitive and credible smelting information and acquiring high-definition and high-brightness optical images of which is essential to realize precise material charging control,optimize gas flow distribution and improve ironmaking efficiency.It has been challengeable to obtain high-quality optical burden surface images under high-temperature,high-dust,and extremelydim(less than 0.001 Lux)environment.Based on a novel endoscopic sensing detection idea,a reverse telephoto structure starlight imaging system with large field of view and large aperture is designed.Combined with a water-air dual cooling intelligent self-maintenance protection device and the imaging system,a starlight high-temperature industrial endoscope is developed to obtain clear optical burden surface images stably under the harsh environment.Based on an endoscope imaging area model,a material flow trajectory model and a gas-dust coupling distribution model,an optimal installation position and posture configuration method for the endoscope is proposed,which maximizes the effective imaging area and ensures large-area,safe and stable imaging of the device in a confined space.Industrial experiments and applications indicate that the proposed method obtains clear and reliable large-area optical burden surface images and reveals new BF conditions,providing key data support for green iron smelting.

Analysis and Prospect of Waste Heat Utilization from Blast Furnace Slag Flushing

Estimating the residual heat of blast furnace slag flushing in China,classifying and introducing the current proposed methods of slag flushing waste heat utilization,and listing existing cases.In order to better save energy and water in the slag flushing process of blast furnaces,an ideal comprehensive cascade utilization system scheme for annual recovery of waste heat is proposed.Based on the measured waste heat data of a steel plant,design calculations are carried out to further analyze the economic feasibility of the new scheme and provide reference for its promotion and application.

Mathematical model of burden distribution in bell-less top blast furnace

The burden distribution in the shaft of blast furnace is known to affect the gas distribution,heat transfer,and chemical reactions inside the furnace.However,the internal layer structure of burden in the shaft cannot be directly measured.Hence,a mathematical model for evaluating burden profile and layer structure was established.A sensitivity analysis based on the model was implemented to elucidate the effect of some factors on the burden distribution,including the stockline height and the mass of central coke.The results show that the width of funnel zone widens with the increase in stockline height,and the mass percentage of ore to coke in this zone slightly increases.Besides,the mass of central coke shows a significant influence on the width of coke channel,and 2%of batch mass of coke is recommended to implement central coke charging operation.The model has been indirectly verified by the gas temperature in operating blast furnace and successfully applied to online evaluate burden distribution.

Synthesis,Characterization of NaA Zeolite from Blast Furnace Slag(BFS)via Alkaline Fusion and Hydrothermal Treatment

A blast furnace slag zeolite(BFSZ)material was successfully synthesized from BFS by alkaline fusion and hydrothermal treatment.Via the analyses of XRD,FT-IR,FE-SEM,XRF,CEC and BET surface area measurement,when zeolite was synthesized at a crystallization temperature of 100℃with initial Si/Al ratio of 1:1,the main composition in the product is Na-A zeolite.Under the above conditions,the BFSZ was synthesized with CEC of 3.06 meq/g and maximum BET surface area of 37.55 m^(2)·g^(-1).Moreover,the incorporating of BFS-derived minor metals(such as Mg,Fe,and Ca)are found to be of little importance for the synthesis of BFSZ.Thus the obtained BFSZ material has a great adsorption performance for removing Mn^(2+),Cu^(2+),and NH_(4)^(+)ions diluted in water,owing to the higher CEC.

Minimax entropy-based co-training for fault diagnosis of blast furnace

Due to the problems of few fault samples and large data fluctuations in the blast furnace(BF)ironmaking process,some transfer learning-based fault diagnosis methods are proposed.The vast majority of such methods perform distribution adaptation by reducing the distance between data distributions and applying a classifier to generate pseudo-labels for self-training.However,since the training data is dominated by labeled source domain data,such classifiers tend to be weak classifiers in the target domain.In addition,the features generated after domain adaptation are likely to be at the decision boundary,resulting in a loss of classification performance.Hence,we propose a novel method called minimax entropy-based co-training(MMEC)that adversarially optimizes a transferable fault diagnosis model for the BF.The structure of MMEC includes a dual-view feature extractor,followed by two classifiers that compute the feature's cosine similarity to representative vector of each class.Knowledge transfer is achieved by alternately increasing and decreasing the entropy of unlabeled target samples with the classifier and the feature extractor,respectively.Transfer BF fault diagnosis experiments show that our method improves accuracy by about 5%over state-of-the-art methods.

Efficient Use of Steel Slag in Alkali-Activated Blast Furnace Slag Based Geopolymer

Energy shortage and the emission of greenhouse gases have become a global problem of urgent concern.Therefore,there is an urgent need to develop a low carbon building material.Geopolymers have become a hot topic due to their environmental sustainability and the feasibility of immobilizing industrial waste.In this paper,steel slag(SS)fines were investigated as auxiliary materials of blast furnace slag(BFS)based geopolymer.The hydration heat properties,flowability,compressive strength,sorptivity coefficient,X-ray diffraction(XRD),and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)of the geopolymer pastes were determined.The results showed that the incorporation of SS weakened the reactivity of the BFS-based geopolymer paste and improved the flow values of the paste.The compressive strength of the geopolymer with 20%SS content reached 117 MPa at 28 d.The geopolymer specimens with high compressive strength showed a low sorptivity coefficient.The microscopic results showed that the addition of the appropriate amount of SS reduced the cracks,improved the density of the geopolymer,and produced a geopolymer composite with excellent mechanical properties.

Post-mortem Microstructural Study of Aluminous Refractory Brick Used in Channels of Blast Furnaces

Aluminous refractory materials with high alumina contents are widely used in the steel industry,and the higher the alumina content,the higher the working temperature.Properties such as high refractoriness and thermal shock resistance lead these refractory materials to be used as channel linings of blast furnaces,where they are exposed to the attack by slag,molten steel,working cycles and sudden temperature changes between 25℃(room temperature)and 1520℃(the temperature of molten pig iron).In this work,microstructural changes in post-mortem aluminous refractory bricks were investigated by apparent porosity,X-ray diffraction analysis(XRD),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),scanning electron microscopy,and X-ray dispersion energy spectrometry(SEM/EDS).The results showed an increase in the apparent porosity and the bulk density and the presence of the phases mullite,sillimanite,alumina,and quartz in the post-mortem brick.Calcium and magnesium were not detected in the microstructure of the post-mortem brick,indicating that slags did not corrode these refractory materials.Therefore,the microstructural changes that occurred in the post-mortem bricks must be due to thermal cycling.In the X-ray diffraction(XRD)test,mullite,sillimanite,quartz,andα-alumina phases were identified.These results indicate that the aluminous refractory was obtained from sillimanite.In infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)it was possible to identify the vibration bands referring to the Si-O and Al-O bonds.The increase in the porosity is a result of cracks caused by work cycles at high temperatures and the temperature gradient to which the refractory was subjected during use.Through the micrograph it was possible to identify the presence of acicular mullite.The absence of magnesium and calcium in the microanalysis results by energy dispersed X-ray spectrometry(EDS)indicates that there was no infiltration by slag or liquid iron.These results indicate that the microstructural changes that occurred in the post-mortem aluminous refractory were of a thermal nature.

Preparation and Properties of SiC Assembled Large Block for Blast Furnace Tuyeres

A SiC assembled large block for blast furnace tuyeres was prepared using silicon carbide particles(3-1 and 1-0.088 mm)and fine powder(<0.088 mm),silicon powder(<0.088 mm),industrial carbon black(N990),microsilica,ρ-Al_(2)O_(3) powder,etc.as raw materials.The developed block was compared with a silicon nitride bonded silicon carbide brick,a self-bonded silicon carbide brick and an imported self-bonded silicon carbide block to analyze and evaluate their service performance.The results show that:(1)in the 0-100 mm zone,the SiC large block mainly consists ofβ-SiC and nitrides such as O'-SiAlON,β-SiAlON,α-Si_(3)N_(4),and Si_(2)N_(2)O,the bulk density is 2.68-2.70 g·cm^(-3),the apparent porosity is 14%-15%,and the material structure is uniform;(2)in the 0-100 mm zone,β-SiC nano-whiskers intercalate with nitrides;with the depth increasing,the number of flocculentβ-SiC nano-whiskers increases,while the number of nitrides decreases;when the depth reaches 150 mm or more,the main bonding phases areβ-SiC and mullite;(3)compared with the reference products,the developed SiC large block has a good basic performance,and after alkali corrosion,the mass change rate is-0.1%,which is obviously superior to the imported self-bonded silicon carbide and the homemade silicon nitride bonded silicon carbide materials.

Numerical Simulation of Heat Transfer of High-Temperature Slag Flow Inside the Blast Furnace Slag Trench

To investigate the flow and heat transfer process of blast furnace slag through the slag trench after the slag is discharged,a three-dimensional physical model is established and simulated according to the actual size of the slag trench and the physical properties of the high-temperature slag.The temperature field and flow field distribution of the high-temperature slag liquid inside the slag trench is obtained by numerical simulation under different working conditions,and the effects of operating conditions such as slag trench inclination,high-temperature slag inlet flow rate,and inlet temperature are investigated.The results show that the flow rate of high-temperature slag is related to the slope of the slag trench,the greater the slope of the slag trench,the higher the flow rate of high-temperature slag,in which the highest average speed can reach 2.23 m/s when the slope is 8%;changing the inlet flow rate,flowing through the slag trench,the high-temperature slag reaches the highest flow rate at the same position,the overall flow rate changes tend to rise first and then decrease,and the greater the inlet flow rate,the higher the temperature change of high-temperature slag.The higher the inlet flow rate,the higher the temperature change of high-temperature slag,the higher the temperature of high-temperature slag out of the slag trench;the higher the inlet temperature,the higher the overall flow rate of high-temperature slag,and the position of the highest flow rate is relatively backward.

Research on Weighing System and Debugging Technology for Batching Under Blast Furnace Ore Tank

The article introduces the composition and working principle of the batching and weighing system underneath the blast furnace hearth.Besides,the shortcomings of the batching and weighing system during installation,debugging,and calibration,as well as the dynamic errors in the batching process are also analyzed.Corresponding solutions are then provided.

Mathematical model of burden distribution for the bell-less top of a blast furnace

Due to the difficulty in measuring the burden trajectory directly in an actual blast furnace （BF）, a mathematical model with Coriolis force and gas drag force considered was developed to predict it. The falling point and width of the burden flow were obtained and analyzed by the model, the velocities of particles at the chute end were compared with and without the existence of Coriolis force, and the effects of chute length and chute torque on the falling point were also discussed. The simulation results are in good agreement with practical measurements with laser beams in a 2500 m3 BF.

Effect of cross-section shape of rotating chute on particle movement and distribution at the throat of a bell-less top blast furnace

Rotating chutes are widely used to control the burden distribution and enhance the gas distribution in a blast furnace.The chute cross-section shape has a significant effect on the particle movement and distribution.Therefore,this study developed a three-dimensional model of a blast furnace top with rotating chute using the discrete element method.The effect of different chute shapes on the particle movement and radial burden distribution was then investigated.The results showed that the burden stream height at the chute discharge agrees well with the burden stream thickness at the burden surface.A semicircular chute had the largest main striking point,where the chute discharge joins the burden surface,and trapezoidal and rectangular chutes had successively smaller MSPs.The semicircular chute helped to obtain a uniform radial size distribution.The trapezoidal chute helped form an aggregated burden stream at low rotating speeds,while the rectangular shape chute achieved this at higher rotating speeds and different chute angles.

Effect of Chute Rotation on Particles Movement for Bell-less Top Blast Furnace

For the bell-less top blast furnace, when particles move along the chute, the particlesr motion direction and the frictional force acting on them will change due to the chute rotation, which consequently influences the velocity at the tip of chute, changes the burden flow width and impact point, and finally affects the stock profile and gas f[ow distribution. So the influence of chute rotation needs to be considered when calculating the burden trajectory with a mathematical model. The mathematical model was established to analyze the influence of Coriolis force on particle velocity at chute tip as well as height and width of burden flow in chute, and to summarize the effect of Coriolis force on burden distribution, thereby making the calculation result more accurate.

Preparation of UV-visible light responsive photocatalyst from titania-bearing blast furnace slag modified with(NH_4)_2SO_4

Sulfate-modified titanium dioxide-bearing blast furnace slag（STBBFS） photocatalysts were prepared by the high energy ball milling method with（NH4）2SO4 and titanium dioxide-bearing blast furnace slag（TBBFS） as raw materials.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）,X-ray diffraction（XRD）,scanning electron microscopy（SEM）,thermogravimetric analysis（TGA）,UV-visible diffuse reflectance absorption spectra（UV-Vis）,adsorption experiment and photocatalytic degradation measurement were conducted to characterize the structure,surface status,light absorption capacity,adsorption capacity and photocatalytic activity of the obtained photocatalysts.The adsorption equilibrium was described by the Langmuir isotherm model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 8.25 mg/g of Cr（VI） ions onto the STBBFS photocatalysts.As a result,sulfation of TBBFS improved the photocatalytic activities of STBBFSx photocatalysts.At a low calcination temperature,the photocatalytic activity of STBBFS300 photocatalyst was markedly higher compared with TBBFSx prepared at high calcination temperature,indicating that the photocatalytic activity of STBBFSx photocatalyst was determined by the balanced result between adsorption capacity and perovskite content.