High-chromium vanadium-titanium magnetite all-pellet integrated burden optimization and softening-melting behavior based on flux pellets

High-chromium vanadium-titanium magnetite(HVTM)is a crucial polymetallic-associated resource to be developed.The allpellet operation is a blast furnace trend that aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the future.By referencing the production data of vanadium-titanium magnetite blast furnaces,this study explored the softening-melting behavior of high-chromium vanadium-titanium magnetite and obtained the optimal integrated burden based on flux pellets.The results show that the burden with a composition of 70wt%flux pellets and 30wt%acid pellets exhibits the best softening-melting properties.In comparison to that of the single burden,the softening-melting characteristic temperature of this burden composition was higher.The melting interval first increased from 307 to 362℃and then decreased to 282℃.The maximum pressure drop(ΔPmax)decreased from 26.76 to 19.01 kPa.The permeability index(S)dropped from 4643.5 to 2446.8 kPa·℃.The softening-melting properties of the integrated burden were apparently improved.The acid pellets played a role in withstanding load during the softening process.The flux pellets in the integrated burden exhibited a higher slag melting point,which increased the melting temperature during the melting process.The slag homogeneity and the TiC produced by over-reduction led to the gas permeability deterioration of the single burden.The segregation of the flux and acid pellets in the HVTM proportion and basicity mainly led to the better softening-melting properties of the integrated burden.

Diffusion and reaction mechanism of limestone and quartz in fluxed iron ore pellet roasting process

The increase to the proportion of fluxed pellets in the blast furnace burden is a useful way to reduce the carbon emissions in the ironmaking process.In this study,the interaction between calcium carbonate and iron ore powder and the mineralization mechanism of fluxed iron ore pellet in the roasting process were investigated through diffusion couple experiments.Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy was used to study the elements’diffusion and phase transformation during the roasting process.The results indicated that limestone decomposed into calcium oxide,and magnetite was oxidized to hematite at the early stage of preheating.With the increase in roasting temperature,the diffusion rate of Fe and Ca was obviously accelerated,while the diffusion rate of Si was relatively slow.The order of magnitude of interdiffusion coefficient of Fe_(2)O_(3)-CaO diffusion couple was 10^(−10) m^(2)·s^(−1) at a roasting temperature of 1200℃for 9 h.Ca_(2)Fe_(2)O_(5) was the initial product in the Fe_(2)O_(3)-CaO-SiO_(2) diffusion interface,and then Ca_(2)Fe_(2)O_(5) continued to react with Fe_(2)O_(3) to form CaFe_(2)O_(4).With the expansion of the diffusion region,the sillico-ferrite of calcium liquid phase was produced due to the melting of SiO_(2) into CaFe_(2)O_(4),which can strengthen the consolidation of fluxed pellets.Furthermore,andradite would be formed around a small part of quartz particles,which is also conducive to the consolidation of fluxed pellets.In addition,the principle diagram of limestone and quartz diffusion reaction in the process of fluxed pellet roasting was discussed.

Simulation of deuterium pellet ablation and deposition in the EAST tokamak with HPI2 code

Pellet injection is a primary method for fueling the plasma in magnetic confinement devices.For that goal the knowledges of pellet ablation and deposition profiles are critical.In the present study,the pellet fueling code HPI2 was used to predict the ablation and deposition profiles of deuterium pellets injected into a typical H-mode discharge on the EAST tokamak.Pellet ablation and deposition profiles were evaluated for various pellet injection locations,with the aim at optimizing the pellet injection to obtain a deep fueling depth.In this study,we investigate the effect of the injection angle on the deposition depth of the pellet at different velocities and sizes.The ablation and deposition of the injected pellet are mainly studied at each injection position for three different injection angles:0°,45°,and 60°.The pellet injection on the high field side(HFS)can achieve a more ideal deposition depth than on the low field side(LFS).Among these angles,horizontal injection on the middle plane is relatively better on either the HFS or the LFS.When the injection location is 0.468 m below the middle plane on the HFS or 0.40 m above the middle plane of the LFS,it can achieve a similar deposition depth to the one of its corresponding side.When the pre-cooling effect is taken into account,the deposition depth is predicted to increase only slightly when the pellet is launched from the HFS.The findings of this study will serve as a reference for the update of pellet injection systems for the EAST tokamak.

Effect of titanium on the sticking of pellets based on hydrogen metallurgy shaft furnace:Behavior analysis and mechanism evolution

Direct reduction based on hydrogen metallurgical gas-based shaft furnace is a promising technology for the efficient and low-carbon smelting of vanadium-titanium magnetite.However,in this process,the sticking of pellets occurs due to the aggregation of metal-lic iron between the contact surfaces of adjacent pellets and has a serious negative effect on the continuous operation.This paper presents a detailed experimental study of the effect of TiO2 on the sticking behavior of pellets during direct reduction under different conditions.Results showed that the sticking index(SI)decreased linearly with the increasing TiO2 addition.This phenomenon can be attributed to the increase in unreduced FeTiO3 during reduction,leading to a decrease in the number and strength of metallic iron interconnections at the sticking interface.When the TiO2 addition amount was raised from 0 to 15wt%at 1100°C,the SI also increased from 0.71%to 59.91%.The connection of the slag phase could be attributed to the sticking at a low reduction temperature,corresponding to the low sticking strength.Moreover,the interconnection of metallic iron became the dominant factor,and the SI increased sharply with the increase in re-duction temperature.TiO2 had a greater effect on SI at a high reduction temperature than at a low reduction temperature.

Pelleting and particle size reduction of corn increase net energy and digestibility of fiber,protein,and fat in corn-soybean meal diets fed to group-housed pigs

Background Reduction of the particle size of corn increases energy digestibility and concentrations of digestible and metabolizable energy.Pelleting may also reduce particle size of grain,but it is not known if there are interactions between particle size reduction and pelleting.The objective of this experiment was to test the hypothesis that particle size reduction and pelleting,separately or in combination,increase N balance,apparent total tract digestibility(ATTD)of fiber and fat,and net energy(NE)in corn-soybean meal diets fed to group-housed pigs.Methods Six corn-soybean meal-based diets were used in a 3×2 factorial design with 3 particle sizes of corn(i.e.,700,500,or 300μm)and 2 diet forms(i.e.,meal or pelleted).Pigs were allowed ad libitum access to feed and water.Twenty-four castrated male pigs(initial weight:29.52 kg;standard diviation:1.40)were allotted to the 6 diets using a 6×6 Latin square design with 6 calorimeter chambers(i.e.,4 pigs/chamber)and 6 periods.Oxygen consumption and CO_(2)and CH_(4)productions were measured during fed and fasting states and fecal and urine samples were collected.Results Regardless of particle size of corn,the ATTD of gross energy(GE),N,and acid-hydrolyzed ether extract(AEE),and the concentration of NE were greater(P<0.05)in pelleted diets than in meal diets.Regardless of diet form,the ATTD of GE,N,and AEE,and the concentration of NE were increased(linear;P<0.05)by reducing the particle size of corn,but the increase was greater in meal diets than in pelleted diets(interaction;P<0.05).Conclusions Both pelleting and reduction of corn particle size increased nutrient digestibility and NE,but increases were greater in meal diets than in pelleted diets.

Persicaria lanigera (Polygonaceae) leaf extract exhibits antiulcerogenic and antiproliferative activities against acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis and cotton pellet-induced granuloma tissue in rats

Objective:To assess the effect of leaf extract of Persicaria lanigera on cotton pellet-induced granuloma tissue formation and acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis.Methods:Rats were randomly divided into six groups:normal control,negative control,positive control(dexamethasone or sulfasalazine)as well as Persicaria lanigera(100-600 mg/kg)-treated groups.The effects of the extracts on body weight,antioxidant,and hematological parameters,as well as mast cell proliferation,were assessed.In addition,a histological evaluation was conducted.Results:Persicaria lanigera extract significantly decreased the mean exudate amount and suppressed granuloma tissue formation in a concentration-dependent manner in rats(P<0.05).Additionally,the extract significantly increased body weight,improved hematological profile,reduced the disease activity index score and malondialdehyde level,as well as enhanced catalase and superoxide dismutase activities(P<0.05).Histological evaluation showed Persicaria lanigera extract alleviated acetic acid-induced colonic damages,as evidenced by decreased cell necrosis,edema,and inflammatory cell infiltration.Conclusions:Persicaria lanigera extract possesses antiproliferative,antioxidative,and anti-colitis activities.However,its underlying mechanisms of action need further investigation.

Industrial utilization of arsenic-containing gold dressing tailings as pellet prepared by straight grate process

The utilization of arsenic-containing gold dressing tailings is an urgent issue faced by gold production companies worldwide.The thermodynamic analysis results indicate that ferrous arsenate(FeAsO_(4)),pyrite(FeS_(2))and sodium cyanide(NaCN)in the arsenic-containing gold metallurgical tailings can be effectively removed using straight grate process,and the removal of pyrite and sodium cyanide is basically completed during the preheating stage,while the removal of ferrous arsenate requires the roasting stage.The pellets undergo a transformation from magnetite to hematite during the preheating process,and are solidified through micro-crystalline bonding and high-temperature recrystallization of hematite(Fe_(2)O_(3))during the roasting process.Ultimately,pellets with removal rates of 80.77% for arsenic,88.78% for sulfur,and 99.88% for cyanide are obtained,as well as the iron content is 61.1% and the compressive strength is 3071 N,meeting the requirements for blast furnace burden.This study provides an industrially feasible method for treating arsenic-containing gold smelting tailings,benefiting gold production enterprises.

Reduction of Panzhihua titanium-bearing oxidized pellets by CO-N_2-H_2 gas

The effect of H_2 gas content on the reduction of Panzhihua titanomagnetite concentrate pellets by carbon monoxide was investigated by isothermal reduction experiment using CO-N_2-H_2 gas mixtures in a vertical electric resistance furnace.The morphology and phase transformation of reduced samples obtained were detected by scanning electron microscopy,energy disperse spectroscopy analysis and X-ray diffractometry respectively.The results show that increasing H_2 content will enhance the initial stage of reduction rate apparently.There are two reasons responsible for this effect,one is that H_2 accelerates the chemical reaction,and the other is that the addition of H_2 gas can improve the porosity of pellet intensively.It is noteworthy that this effect is more obvious when the reduction temperature reaches 1473 K with sticking phenomenon happening.There are no crystalline phases which can be found such as ulvospinle,ilmenite,ferrous-pseudobrookite and any titanium oxide except titanomagnetite(TTM).The reduction progress is suggested as follows:1) Fe_2O_3→Fe_3O_4→FeO→Fe;2) Fe_2TiO_5→Fe_2TiO_4+Fe_3O_4→TTM.Element Al migrates and gets enriched in high titanium content iron ores,and eventually Al to Ti molar ratio is 1:3.Al is likely to dissolve in titanium iron oxides to form a kind of composite iron compound,which results in the restrain of reduction.

Effect of oxidization on enrichment behavior of TiO_2 in titanium-bearing slag

Due to the dispersed distribution of the titanium component in various mineral phases and very fine grain size, it is difficult to recover the titanium component from the slag. In order to utilize titanium resources, selective enriching and selective growing of the titanium component from the molten slag is expected. In this paper, the selection of the best titanium enrichment phase and the effect of oxidization on the enrichment of titanium by blowing air into the molten slag were studied. The results showed that through oxidizing the slag, the content of the perovskite phase increases while that of the other titanium-bearing mineral phases decreases until they disappear. Most titania resources were enriched into the perovskite phase and increase in size. The process of enrichment and growth is easily carried out.

Preparation,characterization and photocatalytic activity of sulfuric acid-modified titanium-bearing blast furnace slag

The feasibility of reducing Cr(VI)from the aqueous solution by sulfuric acid-modified titanium-bearing blast furnace slag(SATBBFS)as a photocatalyst was investigated.The photocatalysts were examined by X-ray diffraction(XRD),UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra,thermogravimetric analysis(TG)and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR).The photocatalytic activities of the different catalysts were evaluated by the photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI)under UV-vis light irradiation.The results show that the photocatalytic activities of SATBBFS catalysts are strongly dependent on CaTiO3-to-TiO2 mass ratio,adsorption capacity and surface acidity,and SATBBFS calcined at 400°C shows a higher photocatalytic activity compared with other catalysts.

Simultaneous preparation of TiO2 and ammonium alum,and microporous SiO2 during the mineral carbonation of titanium-bearing blast furnace slag

In this study,a route for simultaneous mineralization of CO2 and production of titanium dioxide and ammonium alum,and microporous silicon dioxide from titanium-bearing blast furnace slag(TBBF slag)was proposed,which is comprised of(NH4)2 S04 roasting,acid leaching,ammonium alum crystallization,silicic acid flocculation and Ti hydrolysis.The effects of relevant process parameters were systematically investigated.The re sults showed that under the optimal roasting and leaching conditions about 85%of titanium and 84.6%of aluminum could be extracted while only 30%of silicon entered the leachate.84%of Al^3+was crystallized from the leachate in the form of ammonium aluminum sulfate dodecahydrate with a purity up to 99.5 wt%.About 85%of the soluble silicic acid was flocculated with the aid of secondary alcohol polyoxyethylene ether 9(AEO-9)to yield a microporous SiO2 material(97.4 wt%)from the crystallized mother liquor.The Al-and Si-depleted solution was then hydrolyzed to generate a titanium dioxide(99.1 wt%)with uniform particle size distribution.It was figured out that approximately 146 kg TiO2 could be produced from 1000 kg of TBBF slag.Therefore,the improved process is a promising method for industrial application.

Recent progress of efficient utilization of titanium-bearing blast furnace slag

Titanium-bearing blast furnace slag(BFS)has valuable compositions and potential environmental hazardousness.Thus,developing efficient and green approaches to utilize BFS is highly desired for resource economization and environmental protection.In the past decades,many attempts have been adopted to reuse BFS efficiently,and significant advances in understanding the fundamental features and the development of efficient approaches have been achieved.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest progress on the efficient utilization of BFS and discusses the mechanism and characteristics of various approaches,along with their application prospects.In particular,the extraction and enrichment of titanium-bearing phases from BFS are highlighted because of the high availability of titanium resources.This systemic and comprehensive review may benefit the design of new and green utilization routes with high efficiency and low cost.

Recovery of titanium,aluminum,magnesium and separating silicon from titanium-bearing blast furnace slag by sulfuric acid curing-leaching

An energy-efficient route was adopted to treat titanium-bearing blast furnace slag(TBBFS)in this study.Titanium,aluminum,and magnesium were simultaneously extracted and silicon was separated by low temperature sulfuric acid curing and low concentration sulfuric acid leaching.The process parameters of sulfuric acid curing TBBFS were systematically studied.Under the optimal conditions,the recovery of titanium,aluminum,and magnesium reached 85.96%,81.17%,and 93.82%,respectively.The rapid leaching model was used to limit the dissolution and polymerization of silicon,and the dissolution of silicon was only 3.18%.The mechanism of sulfuric acid curing-leaching was investigated.During the curing process,the reaction occurred rapidly and released heat massively.Under the attack of hydrogen ions,the structure of TBBFS was destroyed,silicate was depolymerized to form filterable silica,and titanium,magnesium,aluminum,and calcium ions were replaced to form sulfates and enriched on the surface of silica particles.Titanium,aluminum,and magnesium were recovered in the leaching solution,and calcium sulfate and silica were enriched in the residue after leaching.This method could effectively avoid the formation of silica sol during the leaching process and accelerate the solid-liquid separation.

Antibacterial Properties of V-doped Titanium-bearing Blast Furnace Slag Prepared at Different Calcination Temperatures

Perovskite-type V-doped titanium-bearing blast furnace slag (VTBBFS) photocatalyst was prepared by high-temperature solid phase method.The influence of calcination temperature on the photocatalytic and antibacterial properties of VTBBFS was studied in details.Its composition and microstructure were evaluated by X-ray diffractometer,ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrometer,Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and scanning electron microscope.The antibacterial properties of VTBBFS to Candida albicans were investigated by flask oscillation method.The results showed that the optical absorption and antibacterial properties of VTBBFS were the best with 10%(ω) doping of vanadium,prepared at 800℃ for 2 h,and its sterilization rate was close to 100% to Candida albicans (ATCC10231).The minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations were 25 and 50 mg/mL.When the concentration was 0.2 μg/mL,the catalyst had the least toxic toxicity.

Synthesis of Foliar Fertilizer and Ca-S-Si Compound Fertilizer from Titanium-bearing Blast Furnace Slag

With titanium-bearing blast furnace slag, ammonium sulfate, citric acid and potassium carbonate as raw materials to produce foliar fertilizer and Ca-S-Si compound fertilizer by means of heating process for the first time, which improved the solubility of the slag and converted the nutritional elements into such ones which are prone to be absorbed by plants. The effects of process conditions on dissolution rate of titanium were mainly analyzed through the orthogonal experiment. The results showed that the optimum synthesis process conditions of foliar fertilizer from the slag were 360 ℃ for 35 min, the mass ratio of ammonium sulfate and titanium-bearing blast furnace slag was 8：1. Under these conditions more than 80% of iron, titanium, magnesium and part of silicon in titanium-bearing blast furnace slag converted into water-soluble substances and existing in foliar fertilizer. Foliar fertilizer contained nitrogen, sulfur, potassium, iron, titanium, magnesium and silicon, and pH value of foliar fertilizer was 6. Ca-S-Si compound fertilizer mainly contained calcium silicate and calcium sulfate, which existed in the form of citric acid-soluble substance and slightly soluble substance, respectively.

Probing deactivation by coking in catalyst pellets for dry reforming of methane using a pore network model

Dry reforming of methane(DRM) is an attractive technology for utilizing the greenhouse gases(CO_(2) and CH_(4)) to produce syngas. However, the catalyst pellets for DRM are heavily plagued by deactivation by coking, which prevents this technology from commercialization. In this work, a pore network model is developed to probe the catalyst deactivation by coking in a Ni/Al_(2)O_(3) catalyst pellet for DRM. The reaction conditions can significantly change the coking rate and then affect the catalyst deactivation. The catalyst lifetime is higher under lower temperature, pressure, and CH_(4)/CO_(2) molar ratio, but the maximum coke content in a catalyst pellet is independent of these reaction conditions. The catalyst pellet with larger pore diameter, narrower pore size distribution and higher pore connectivity is more robust against catalyst deactivation by coking, as the pores in this pellet are more difficult to be plugged or inaccessible.The maximum coke content is also higher for narrower pore size distribution and higher pore connectivity, as the number of inaccessible pores is lower. Besides, the catalyst pellet radius only slightly affects the coke content, although the diffusion limitation increases with the pellet radius. These results should serve to guide the rational design of robust DRM catalyst pellets against deactivation by coking.

The Logistics of Production and Supply of Ag Pellets for Industrial Applications in Canada

In this work we analyze the supply of biomass from field to an in-land or port destination. The biomass is pelletized to increase its bulk density to extend its storage period and for ease of its transport. The pellet may be used for conversion to chemicals and animal bedding or for straight combustion. We analyzed supply chain in Saskatchewan where there are plenty of crop residues but widely dispersed and harvest seasons are short. We envisioned that the farmer collects bales from field and transports the bales to farmstead during the harvest season. The bales are then processed into pellets using small scale pellet equipment. A custom operator with expertise in pelletization may engage in handling and densifying the biomass. The business case for the mobile mill will be similar to the well established custom grain and forage harvesting operations. The pellets are stored in hopper bottom grain bins at the farmstead. From this point, the handling of pellets would be similar to the handling and marketing of grain. The farmer trucks a specified volume of pellets from farmstead to the nearest elevator where the pellets are transferred to larger bins or silos. Pellets are extracted from silos and loaded onto the rail cars. The Canadian freight rail companies (mainly CN) currently transport over 3 million dry tonne (dt) of wood pellets in rail cars. The pellets are hauled to marine ports on the West Coast or East Coast for export. The cost of delivering ag pellets to biorefinery or to the shipping port is $86.09/dt. This cost does not include the equivalent value of removing biomass from the farm (e.g. fertilizer replacement) and return on investment. The GHG emissions to produce and transport ag pellets add up to 185.9 kg of CO2 per dt of biomass. The cost of producing pellets without drying feedstock is $35.05/dt and the corresponding GHG for palletization amounts $146.30/dt.

Hydrochar Pelletization towards Solid Biofuel from Biowaste Hydrothermal Carbonization

Hydrothermal carbonization is highly applicable to high moisture biomass upgrading due to the fact that moist-ure involved can be directly used as reaction media under the subcritical-water region.With this,value-added utilization of hydrochar as solid fuel with high carbon and energy density is one of the important pathways for biomass conversion.In this review,the dewatering properties of hydrochar after the hydrothermal carbonization of biowaste,coalification degree with elemental composition and evolution,pelletization of hydrochar to enhance the mechanical properties and density,coupled with the combustion properties of hydrochar biofuel were discussed with various biomass and carbonization parameters.Potential applications for the co-combustion with coal,cleaner properties and energy balance for biowaste hydrothermal carbonization were presented as well as the challenges.

Effect mechanism of aluminum occurrence and content on the induration characteristics of iron ore pellets

With the intensified depletion of high-grade iron ores,the increased aluminum content in iron ore concentrates has become unavoidable,which is detrimental to the pelletization process.Therefore,the effect mechanism of aluminum on pellet quality must be identified.In this study,the influence of aluminum occurrence and content on the induration of hematite(H)and magnetite(M)pellets was investigated through the addition of corresponding Al-containing additives,including alumina,alumogoethite,gibbsite,and kaolinite.Systematic mineralogical analysis,combined with the thermodynamic properties of different aluminum occurrences and the quantitative characterization of consolidation behaviors,were conducted to determine the related mechanism.The results showed that the alumina from various aluminum occurrences adversely affected the induration characteristics of pellets,especially at an aluminum content of more than 2.0wt%.The thermal decomposition of gibbsite and kaolinite tends to generate internal stress and fine cracks,which hinder the respective microcrystalline bonding and recrystallization between Fe2O3particles.The adverse effect on the induration characteristics of fired pellets with different aluminum occurrences can be relieved to varying degrees through the formation of liquid phase bonds between the hematite particles.Kaolinite is more beneficial to the induration process than the other three aluminum occurrences because of the formation of more liquid phase,which improves pellet consolidation.The research results can further provide insights into the effect of aluminum occurrence and content in iron ore concentrates on downstream processing and serve as a guide for the utilization of high-alumina iron ore concentrates in pelletization.

Elucidating the suppression of lithium dendrite growth with a void-reduced anti-perovskite solid-state electrolyte pellet for stable lithium metal anodes

Solid-state lithium-metal batteries,with their high theoretical energy density and safety,are highly promising as a next-generation battery contender.Among the alternatives proposed as solid-state electrolyte,lithium-rich anti-perovskite(Li RAP)materials have drawn the most interest because of high theoretical Li^(+)conductivity,low cost and easy processing.Although solid-state electrolytes are believed to have the potential to physically inhibit the lithium dendrite growth,lithium-metal batteries still suffer from the lithium dendrite growth and thereafter the short circuiting.The voids in practical Li RAP pellets are considered as the root cause.Herein,we show that reducing the voids can effectively suppress the lithium dendrite growth.The voids in the pellet resulted in an irregular Li^(+)flux distribution and a poor interfacial contact with lithium metal anode;and hence the ununiform lithium dendrites.Consequently,the lithium-metal symmetric cell with void-reduced Li_(2)OHCl-HT pellet was able to display excellent cycling performance(750 h at 0.4 m A cm^(-2))and stability at high current density(0.8 m A cm^(-2)for 120 h).This study provides not only experimental evidence for the impact of the voids in Li RAP pellets on the lithium dendrite growth,but also a rational pellet fabrication approach to suppress the lithium dendrite growth.