1.

INTRODUCTION

Iron Ore is smelted in the Mini Blast Furnace in order to remove unwanted impurities such as rocks, clay and sand, and also to separate the Iron from the Oxygen. The result is Iron which is about 95% pure. The remaining impurities are other elements which can be removed later if necessary. A Mini Blast Furnace is about 100ft. high and produces about1000 tons of molten Iron a day. It is made from steel. Mini Blast Furnaces (MBFs) are ideally suited to small scale operations. A Mini Blast Furnace (MBF), which can be viewed as is a miniature version of conventional large blast furnace, also has a few additional characteristic features known for their simplicity and economy. The products from mini blast furnaces are of the same quality as that of normal Blast Furnaces and are free of tramp elements - this is of particular advantage in steel making in mini steel plants. The Mini Blast Furnace (MBF) is very flexible and competitive equipment, suitable for both basic and foundry grade hot metal production, in the range of 80,000 to 300,000 tpy.Its flexibility allows the burdening from 100% lump ore to any blend of lump ore and agglomerates (sinter or pellets) in the burden composition. It can be projected to use charcoal or coke as reducer. At the same time, sine the hot blast temperature in MBFs is lower than normal blast furnaces and the specific heat loss is more, the coke rate tends to be 100 - 150 kg/thm higher. SL.NO 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Type of Device Metal Refining Furnace Steel Heating Furnace Copper Reverberator Furnace Open Heart Furnace Cement Kiln Glass Melting Furnace Steam Boiler Exhaust Heat Treating Furnace Mini Blast Furnace Temperature(oC) 650-1650 930-1040 900-1090 650-710 620-730 650-710 230-480 430-650 350-450

1.1 Differences between Large Conventional and Mini Blast Furnace

SI.No. Description I 2. '3. Size Ore/Sinter Coke

CBF Greater than 350 CuM

MBF from 175 to 350 CuM

Agglomerated ore required Lump ore (Sinter/Pellets if to certain minimum extent available) Premium quality, size above 25/30mm Productivity and lower coke rate due to use of sinter in the burden Premium or low quality, size50+ 12mm (Nut coke can also be used) Reasonably good productivity and coke rate even with lump-ore

4.

Results

5.

Cold Blast

Top pressure 0.35 bar, High blast pressure (up to 5 enough for efficient gas bar) generated by powerful cleaning. Blast pressure of turbo blowers. Standby about 1.5 bar max. generated turbo blower required by centrifugal fans in series. Stoves, hot blast temperature up to 1200C. allowed by special burden composition Internal plates are installed. Composite brick lining (e.g. 94% alumina protected by super duty 40% alumina) from both to lower stack, upper stack lined with 57% alumina. Hearth is carbon lined. Metallic blast preheater (MBP) with hot blast temp. of 800C Max since permeability of MBF with charged lump-ore, more than 800C is not required Spray cooling of shell. Lining is with 62% alumina in hearth, bosh, belly and lower stack. Upper stack 45% alumina. Rotary hopper with double bell system Low level of instrumentation allows to operate the furnace at nominal rate and coke consumption. Low specific investment in spite of flow capacity. I5month.

6.

Blast preheating

7.

Lining and cooling

Charging system Bell-less top desirable Furnace equipped with a wide range of monitoring devices. High specific investment due to above features 30months

9.

Instrumentation

10. 11

Investment Construction time

2. The early iron-making process

HISTORY

The raw materials for iron-making, iron ore, limestone and coke, were usually found close to the foundry. Iron ore deposits in the Welsh mountains, which were visible and collectable above ground, were known as patches. Mini Blast Furnace Factory is the first steel factory in Thailand and South East Asia that produce hot metal out of iron ore. The production capacity equals 500,000 tons per year Total budget of 3,800 million baht has been invested in the Mini Blast Furnace. Launched since August 2007, the factory has run since October 2008 In 1970s Brazil has a large hot metal production through mini blast furnaces which use charcoal as a reducer and an energy source. These companies are not integrated and their final product is pig iron. The growth in this sector started in Brazil in the early 1970's as a result of the availability of cheap and good quality raw materials (native wood charcoal and granulated iron ore). In addition, the return of the investment in the construction of Mini Blast Furnace was very fast. In 1990s in India, with the recent increasing demand of pig iron and steel, mini blast furnace technology has proliferated .Lanco Iron Works is successfully operating three small blast furnaces with volumes less than 100m3 each, an MBF of 175m3 capacities was commissioned in Goa in 1992 and nine more mini blast furnaces with installed capacity of 0.80 Mtpa of foundry pig iron and 0.10 Mtpa of basic grade are already operational Plant availability as well as the perfection achieved in technology, made Mini Blast Furnaces a well accepted iron making route in China.. Presently, about one fifth of Chinas total iron production is through about 55 - 60 MBFs. The furnaces in China use metallurgical coke, and the coke rates vary between 500 - 630 kg/thm

3.

PRINICIPLE OF MINI BLAST FURNACE

Mini Blast furnace

The mini blast furnace area provides the raw material for steel-making. Iron produced in the mini blast furnace contains a high proportion of carbon, typically 4%, and lacks any of the additives needed to give the steel its various special properties. At the same time, the hot blast temperature in MBFs is lower than normal blast furnaces and the specific heat loss is more, the coke rate tends to be 100 - 150 kg/thm higher. Mini Blast furnace is essentially an apparatus for hearting the ore in the presence of an excess of carbon, principally in the form of carbon monoxide, which is the reducing agent. That is, it combines with oxygen present in the ore and thus reduces the ore to iron:

Fe2 O3 +3CO

2 Fe+3CO2

The descending iron ore (in the vertical, cylindrical mini blast furnace) is converted to pig iron by an ascending stream of hot reducing gases, chiefly CO, CO2 and N2. INPUT Raw Material Iron Ore Coke Slag Limestone 3)Solid Waste Dolomite Quartz Flue Dust Manganese Ore Sludge Gas OUTPUT 1)Pig Iron 2)By Product

Fig:1 Cut view

3.1 OVER VIEW OF FURNACE

Fig 2: Mini Blast furnace placed in an installation 1. Iron ore + limestone sinter 2. Coke 3. Elevator 4. Feedstock inlet 5. Layer of coke 6. Layer of sinter pellets of ore and limestone 7. Hot blast (around 1200C) 8. Removal of slag 9. Tapping of molten pig iron 10. Slag pot 11. Torpedo car for pig iron 12. Dust cyclone for separation of solid particles 13. Cowper stoves for hot blast 14. Smoke outlet (can be redirected to carbon capture & storage (CCS) tank) 15: Feed air for Cowper stoves (air pre-heaters) 16. Powdered coal 17. Coke oven 18. Coke 19. Mini Blast furnace gas downcomer

Fig3: Mini Blast furnace diagram

1. Hot blast from Cowper stoves 2. Melting zone (bosh) 3. Reduction zone of ferrous oxide (barrel) 4. Reduction zone of ferric oxide (stack) 5. Pre-heating zone (throat) 6. Feed of ore, limestone, and coke 7. Exhaust gases 8. Column of ore, coke and limestone 9. Tapping of molten pig iron 10. Collection of waste gases

4. DESCRIPTION

The MBF concept corresponds to furnaces with working volume up to 350 m3 with the following features:

Burden preparation/charging system

Fig:10 Bunkers S.NO 1 2 3 4 5 BUNKER NAME Iron Ore I & II Coke I & II CAPACITY in MT 180 100

Lime Stone,Quartz,Dolomite and 80 Mn/Ore Coke fines Additional bunker(Sinter) 60 60

Conveyor System
The Conveyor System takes the Charge from the area where it is mixed together to the top of the Furnace. The Charge is carried in Skip Cars which run on a rail track. All the required raw materials for the Mini Blast Furnace are discharged in a receiving ground hopper, from where are conveyed by belt conveyors to the day bins for storage and posterior handling in the burden preparation. The burden preparation is made per batching; the system comprises 6

screens and vibrating chutes as well as weighing bins. The burden preparation system can be dimensioned to operate with charcoal or coke. The use of sinter in the MBF burden improves considerable the operational conditions reducing the consumption of reducer (charcoal or coke) and increasing the productivity. After the raw materials weighing, the same ones are carried to the MBF top though belt conveyors. The entire weighting process and loading of raw materials on MBF top is made automatically by the supervisory system through the furnace control cabin. The system that involves the handling and storage of raw materials is equipped with devices to capture dust collected in bag filters this is the first part of the secondary dedusting.

Charging Bells
The Charging Bell system in the above diagram looks more complicated than those we see in books. The reason is that we are looking at a more accurate representation. The manufacturers of Iron want to conserve as much energy as possible, not to do so would cost money and be mad! There are in fact two Bells in the system called, the Small Bell and the Large Bell. The Small Bell is filled directly from the Conveyor System, and when it is close to being full it is opened to allow the Charge drop into the Large Bell. The Large Bell is then opened when it is nearly full and the Charge can drop into the Furnace. Using this system greatly reduces the amount of heat that is lost to the atmosphere.

5. CONSTRUCTION
Figure (5) shows a mini blast furnace for the manufacture of pig iron. The furnace is fundamentally a vertical steel shaft or stack varying in height from 24 to 33 meters with a diameter at the hearth of about 8.5 meters.

FIG 5: MINI BLAST FURNACE PARTS The total volume is more than 1400 cubic meters. The steel structural cylinder is lined with hard-fired alumina refractory is approximately 9000 metric tons. A typical mini blast furnace has 1. Internal volume 2. Blast volume 3. Blast temperature 4. Fuel ratio 5. Daily capacity 4670m3 7400m3 1260c 565 kg/ton 11000tons

The Mini blast furnace has charging arrangements at the top and a means of running off the pig iron and slag at the bottom. Air is blown in near the bottom of the furnace, and this forced draught increases the speed of combustion and maintains high temperature. 1. The Iron Ore, Coke and Limestone, (the Charge), is conveyed to the top of the Furnace. 2. The Charge is stored in Bells until the timing is right for the charge to be dropped into the Furnace. 3. Hot air is then blown through pipes called Tuyeres, to fire the mixture. 4. The Coke burns to increase the temperature in the Furnace. 5. The Limestone attracts the impurities in the Iron Ore and forms Slag. This Slag is lighter than the molten Iron and so floats on top of it. 6. As the Furnace fills, the molten Iron is Tapped off. The Slag is also tapped off at regular intervals.

Most Iron is taken straight from the Mini Blast Furnace to the Steel Mill, but some is poured into buckets called Pigs. This Iron is called Pig Iron and is used to make Cast Iron. The Charge consists of 3 parts: 1. Iron Ore 2. Coke 3. Limestone

Iron Ore
The Iron Ore is first mined and then brought to the Mini Blast Furnace. It contains impurities which have to be removed. Haematite (Hematite) and Magnetite are the most common ores. It takes about two tons of Iron Ore to produce one ton of iron, but this varies with different types of ores.

Coke
Coke is made by heating soft coal in the absence of air. As Coke is burned in the Mini Blast Furnace it raises the temperature to about 2000C which is enough to melt the Iron Ore. The Carbon in the Coke chemically reacts with the Oxygen in the Iron Ore to form Carbon Dioxide (CO2, and Carbon Monoxide (CO), which escapes through the Gas Outlet.

Limestone
The Limestone is mined then crushed before being brought to the Mini Blast Furnace. It combines with the impurities in the Iron Ore to form Slag. A material which removes unwanted materials or cleans another material is called a Flux.

5.1. ELEMENTS OF MINI BLAST FURNACE

The main unit consists of 1. The hearth (Lower section) 2. Tuyeres 3. The bosh (Middle section) 9

4. In wall 5. The stack and charging mechanism (upper section) 6. Heating Mechanism.

Fig: 6 Line Diagram

Hearth (Lower section):

The hearth is cylindrical and usually lined with refractory carbon bricks. The hearth is built on the foundation and serves as a collecting basin (or reservoir) for the molten iron and its accompanying slag. Near the bottom of the hearth is the tap hole through which the molten iron is removed and about 1.2 to 1.7 meters above the tap hole is the cinder notch through which the molten slag or cinder is withdrawn. The tap hole and cinder notches are sealed with plugs of backed clay. When the level of molten products approaches the Tuyeres the plugs are removed, the slag is drawn off from the cinder notch and the iron from the tap hole. An average depth of hearth is approximately 3.5 meters.

Tuyeres:
Tuyeres are located peripherally near the top of the earth and they are the inlets that admit the heated air necessary for combustion and chemical reactions. There are from 10 to 16 tuyeres spaced at equal intervals around the circumference of the furnace and they are connected to the refractory lined bustle pipe that distributes the air from the hot blast stoves. Tuyeres are made of copper or bronze and have internal diameter of 100-175mm. the tuyeres 10

are water-cooled and are surrounded by hollow water-cooled metal coolers. Tuyers are replaceable and the life of tuyeres may range from a few days to several months depending upon furnace conditions. In blast furnace operation, the air volume required through the tuyeres is about 16000m3/hr at a temperature of about 700c and a Pressure of 1 - 1.4 kg.cm2. The hot air blast reduces fuel costs and makes possible the highly efficient operation of modern mini blast furnace.

Fig:7 Tuyer diagram

Bosh (Middle section):

The bosh is the smelting zone and the hottest part of the furnace. The bosh extends upward from the tuyeres level and has a slope of about 20 and a height of about 3.6 meters. This slope or contraction tends to compensate for the volume reduction of the solid charge as it changes to molten state and descends into the melting zone in front of the tuyeres. The bosh Tuyeres section of the furnace is in the melting zone and because of the high temperature; water-cooled copper or bronze plates are used to protect the refractory lining. Another function of the slope in construction is to intensify combustion and to provide a more rapid fusion of the charge.

Inwall:
The inwall is the lining of the stack from the top of the bosh to the top of the furnace. The inwall tapers from the bosh upward until the diameter at the top is about 3 meters less than the bosh diameter. This part of the furnace receives the charge and contains it is its descent through the preheating and hot zones.

The stack and charging mechanism (upper section):

11

The charging mechanism, which is at the top of the stack, consists of a pair of vertically operating cone-shaped bell valves that provide a gastight charging mechanism. In operation, the charge is carried buy skip hoist to top of the furnace and dumped in a hopper. The top bell, then, opens, permitting the charge to fall to the bottom bell. The top bell then gets closed, the bottom bell opens and the charge enters the stack.

Heating Mechanism:
The stoves for heating the air blast utilize gases leaving the top of the furnace. The stoves are essentially checker-work systems of firebrick that acts as heat exchangers between the burning and gas cleaners links the blast furnace proper to the air heating stoves.

Taphole :
The Tap hole is used to draw off the molten Iron at regular intervals of about 5 to 6 hours. The Tap hole is located below the Slag hole. This is because the Slag is lighter than the molten Iron and so sits on top. The molten Iron leaves the Tap hole and is either poured into moulds called 'Pigs' or sent to other areas for further refining.

Fig:8 Tap Hole

Slag Hole :
The Slag hole, which is situated above the Tap hole, because Slag is lighter than molten Iron, is used to draw off the waste Slag. The Slag is scraped off every 3 or 4 hours and is then used for road beds, fertilizer or cement. REBD (Rotary Equal Burdon Distribution): The function of REBD is to distribute the material equally through rotation. It is having Essentric chute. Parts: 1. REBD Rollers (a) Guide rollers 9 nos 6 nos 12

(b)Supporting rollers -

3 nos

2. REBD Rail pins & Bushes 52 or 54 nos

VTA (Variable Throat Arrangement):

VTA having some setting of plates inside the furnace for the material distribution equally to required area in the furnace.

Equilisation Value:
The function of equalization valve is to equalize the pressure for bells opening and closing.

Stock rod:
The function of stock rod is to check the stock level in the furnace. It is counter weight.

5.2 The Mini Blast Furnace Proportions

The mini blastfurnace shell is built of carbon steel plate of different thicknesses. It is lined internally with dense alumina and alumina carbon refractory bricks and the hearth is lined with carbon blocks. The MBF shell is fixed directly on the concrete base. The tuyeres are fed with hot blast from the bustle main through articulated blow pipes. The number of tuyeres depends on the MBF working volume and the specified blowing flow .The furnace has one tap hole from where both hot metal and slag will flow. The slag is separated of the hot metal in the taping spout by a properly contention system. This system is located in the working platform. Hot metal flows into the ladle or torpedo car and casted in wheel or strand type pig casting machine, while the slug is directed to the granulation system. The granulated slag is raw material for the cement industry. Alternatively it can be utilized for paving of streets and roads.

13

Usually the MBF shell is externally cooled by water spray nozzles, in closed circuit, the internal cooling recourse is not economic this is one of the differentials of the MAF installation cost comparing to the conventional MBF. The tuyeres and tuyere coolers are adopted of cooling system in closed circuit, with cooling towers, similar to large MBF. The tapping areas of hot metal and slag are adopted of a dusting captive system the second part of the secondary dedusting.

Fig:9 Furnace top

5.3 Refractories
The MBF is entirely refractory lined. In the hearth are utilized carbon blocks, while bosh and lower stack are lined with high alumina content. The stack ilined with fireclay bricks about 40% Al2O3 dense bricks. Runner and ladle are also lined with fireclay bricks. The expected campaign life of MBF lining is 5 to 6 years, defining the duration of campaign. The lower line cost and the internal cooling absence (boxes, staves), as well as the relatively short time to reline the MBF refractory line 30 to 40 days, against 90 days for the big MBF - this option is the most attractive in function of specific investment, when is compared with the most alternatives required by the big MBF.

5.4 MBF Top Equipment

14

The MBF top equipment consists: Rotary distributor to ensure uniform distribution of raw material into the MBF. Loading system / double bell sealing or, alternatively with tight valves. Internal distributor, with fixed blades. Equalizing system. Sounding system of automatic loading. The entire operation of the MBF top is automatic and handled by PLC, as the rotary distributor operation, opening and closure of bells; equalizing system and load level sounding.

6. MINI BLAST FURNACE CHARGE

Ore, flux and coke constitute the mini blast furnace charge and are deposited in alternate layers in the proportions as required by the operation. The operating furnace is kept filled up to the stock line and new material is added at the same rate as that at which the slag and molten iron form in the smelting zone. Since, the operation of furnace involves the chemical reaction between the solid charge and the rising gases in the furnace, the charge must therefore be uniformly porous to permit a uniform flow of gas through the interstices. Constituents of Charges: a. Ore b. Coke c. Flux a. Ore: The iron processed in mini blast furnaces is usually in the form of an oxide-either Hematite (Fe2 O3) or Magnetite (Fe3 O4). Hematite, which is used in greater proportion than magnetite, contains 50% to 65% iron. The ore pieces are usually less than 100mm in diameter. 15

b. Coke: Mini Blast furnace coke is hard and porous; it contributes to the porosity of the charge and is strong enough not to crush under the weight of the charge column. The coke charged to furnace is less than 100mm in diameter and usually has the 6mm material screened out. The coke in a mini blast furnace serves the following purposes. 1. It provides the heat necessary for the furnace operation. 2. It provides the reducing agent (CO) required to remove the oxygen from the oxide. 3. It physically supports the weight of the descending charges while providing a porous path for the ascending gases. a. Flux: Limestone or Dolomite acts as a flux in iron smelting. Limestone is usually

sized between 25 and 100mm for use in the mini blast furnace. Limestone decomposes into CaO and Co2 and the lime reacts with the siliceous impurities in the ore and coke ash to form a fusible slag. The slag in addition to removing wastes also helps in the control of the chemical properties (usually the Sulphur content) of the iron. Fluxes must form slag of low viscosity and low density so that the slag will settle freely down through the charge and float in a distinct layer on the iron in the hearth. The weight of the charge exclusive of the fuel is known as the furnace burden. 1.

IMPORTANT EQUIPMENT

7.1 Blasting System 7.1.1 Cold Blast System

Fig:10 Blowers Wind volume NM3/Hr 3500 to 3800

16

Hot Blast Pressure in MMWC Motor HP in KW Voltage in KV Motor frame Size NO . of Blowers Duct Size

13500 400 X5 ,450X1 3.3 560 6(5+1) DIA 650

This system is responsible for the supplying of blast air required in the MBF productive process. In a normal version it is compounded in a set of six centrifugal fans operating in series, one of them is on stand by. The pressure in the cold blast system exit is 1,5 kg/cm2,necessary and sufficient to operate the MBF with granulated ore and to maintain adequate top pressure. The MBF top pressure is up to 0,4 kg/cm (4.000 mm CA), sufficient to assure an efficient top gas cleaning , assuring solids content in suspension below 10 mg/Nm3. As an alternative to the fans in series, can be utilized also turbofans, being one in operation and the other one on stand by. All operating parameters are displayed in the Supervisory System, including alarms and general protections.

7.1.2 Hot Blast System

The blast air heating is normally made in metallic preheaters of exclusive design containing two or three modules operating in parallel. Metallic Blast Preheaters (MBP) of LANCOS design consist of a set of centrifugal tubes of special alloys welded as specific method being designed to reach blow temperatures up to 900C.The fuel utilized to heat the blast air is the proper gas generated in the mini blast furnace gas (MBFG). About 45% of the generated MBFG total volume is utilized for the blast air heating. Admitting a loss of 5%, remaining 50% available for others purposes normally utilized to generate electric power (about 180 kWh per ton of produced pig iron). The burners of MBP are designed to operate with MBFG and also with other auxiliary fuel necessary during the start up of installation. MBP operation is automatically controlled by the Supervisory System located in the MBF control cabin. 17

The alternative for MBP is the ceramic regenerators (stoves or cowpers) able to reach temperatures up to 1200C. Notice that for each 100C added to the blast, correspond to an economy of 15 to 20kg of charcoal or coke per ton of pig iron.

7.2 Stoves
The hot blast air is produced by passing cold blast air through preheated chambers or stoves, and heating the air to above 1000C.The stove is first heated up by burning gas and combustion air within the chamber and allowing the heat to be absorbed into the brickwork, or chequerwork. This mode is called on-gas. When sufficient heat has been absorbed, the stove is put on-blast. In this mode, no combustion takes place, but cold blast air is forced through the stove and absorbs the heat to become hot blast. This is then mixed with cold blast to bring it to the right temperature, and is then forced into the furnace via the tuyeres near its base. It is quite common to have three or four stoves, so that at any time one stove is onblast while the others are on-gas or boxed. A boxed stove has been heated up to temperature and sealed, so that it is ready to go on-blast. If one stove is down for repair, it is possible to run on just two stoves.

7.2.1 Stove changeover

Figure 11 shows the layout of a typical stove system. The procedure for changing over from one stove to another is as follows: Assume stove 2 is on-blast and stove 1 is heated up and boxed ready for use valve 1 of stove 1 is opened first, allowing cold blast into the stove to pressurize it valve 2 of stove 1 is opened, so that stoves 1 and 2 are now on blast stove 2 now comes off blast by shutting valves 1 and 2 of stove 2

Stove 2 is now put on-gas, to heat up again, now that its stored energy has been used. Valves 3 and 4 of stove 2 are opened during this stage, allowing gas and air to enter the stove, and the waste gases to leave once the gas has been burned. When the stove is up to temperature these valves are closed again, leaving the stove boxed.

18

Fig:11 Stoves

7.2.2 MBP OPERATION

Mini Blast furnace gas which is comes out from the furnace is used as main fuel for the MBP. Occasionally L.P. Gas, light diesel oil, compressed air will be used as fuel for start up or supporting. Each MBP contains two burners and each burner is designed to use oil and gas at a time or individually. Burner controls are used for smooth operation. High pressure blowers are used to suck the normal air and supply to the MBP with required pressure and temperature.

19

The normal air temperature increases upto 140 with the help of blowers. In the blowers air will thermal be compressed and it is heated to high temperature. The blowers are rotate in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction. Before blowing to the furnace air is to be preheated to 750with in condition of the furnace and at the same time not affect the thermal condition of the furnace and at the same time not affect the thermal condition of the furnace and at the same time burning rate of the coke at high temperature than the high temperature.

Fig:12 MBP Line Diagram

7.3 Hot Metal Tapping

The tapping area is equipped with pneumatic drilling machine for tap hole aperture and hydraulic mud gun of mass injection to effectuate the furnace closing. Both are projected to work under severe operational conditions predominance in this area. The ladle heating system is incorporated to the tapping area utilizing as fuel part of the MBF top gas surplus. The tapping area is equipped with a complete dedusting system.

20

Fig:13 Drill and Mud Gun machine

The Tap hole Drills and Clay Guns on a mini blast furnace are large machines which are used to release and stop the flow of molten metal from the bottom of the mini blast furnace. The tap hole drill is a fully-hydraulic machine used to drill a hole at the bottom of the furnace to allow the molten metal to flow out into a trough system, and into crucibles for further processing. It moves into position and drills a typical 55mm hole through 3.5 meters of hard-baked refractory clay, before retracting. Once the required amount of molten metal has been collected then the hole is plugged using the mud gun.

7.4 GAS PURIFIER GCP (Gas Cleaning Plant) :

Gas purifier is a device that is used to clean the gas getting from the mini blast furnace. The cleaning procedure is as follows. Mini Blast furnace gas, which is released from the furnace, is collected from the neck of the furnace. This collected gas is directly connected to the dust catcher. In this dust catcher the gas flow direction will be suddenly changed due to this the heavy dust particle will move down ward due to weight and gravitational pull. The remaining gas will enter into saturator. In this saturator, the furnace gas will flow on wet wooden blocks so that the gas will 21

directly contact with the water spray. Little dust will be attracted by this wet wooden blocks this dust is collected below arranged water column, more over this water column act as the gas seal. Now 50% cleaned furnace gas is allowed to flow through Ventures electrically operated water spray nozzles will remove some of the dust. Finally the gas is allowed to flow the scrubber. This will give the most pure form of gas, which is utilized directly at Metallic Blast Pre-Heater. Flow Chart: MBF GAS UP TAKE DUST CATCHER VENTURI -2 SATURATER VENTURI -1

FLARE STACK

SCRUBBER

7.4.1 Gas Cleaning System and Effluent Treatment System

The gas captured in the furnace top (MBFG) to a temperature varying 100 to 180C is conduced through appropriate pipeline to the dust catcher, where the biggest particles are retained. From the dust catcher the MBFG is conducted to the saturator, where is cooled and saturated the temperatures below 70C, through intense water spraying. The MBFG already pre-cleaned passes through two Venturis , being one fixed throat and the other variable throat. The second venturi follows a system of MBFG dehumidification that avoids the dragging of water droplets. The dust concentration into the MBFG after the cleaning system described will be 10mg/Nm3 maximum. Part of the clean MBFG (about 45%) is utilized for the blast air heating and the rest is available for others applications, as power generation or substitution of others fuels utilized in the plant. The water utilized in the Gas Cleaning System (GCS) is conduced to a thickener for the particles disposition followed by filter and chemical treatment viewing the reutilization in the GCS. The decanted sludge in the thickener bottom is conduced to a press filter; the separated water is re-conduced to the thickener and the filtration cake with 30% moisture can be discarded or conduced for sintering. A torch is installed to burn the MBFG eventually exceeding and to control the line distribution pressure. In case the installation of a power Generate Unit, the distribution line pressure is controlled by a small gasholder or by the proper torch. The entire Gas Cleaning System is automatically controlled through the Central Supervisory System.

7.5 Water System

Several areas of MBF require industrial water continuously in determined qualities, tapping and pressure. These areas are: 22

 Furnace shell cooling. Cooling of tuyeres and tuyere coolers Gas cleaning system Slag granulation system Blower bearings cooling system Cooling system of hydraulic units All the water is recirculated. Small cooling towers are required in the cooling water circuit of tuyeres and tuyere coolers. An overhead water tank shall be installed for emergencies generally power failure. The main parameters related to all water systems are monitored through the Central Supervisory System, from the control room.

7.6 Compressed Air System

The main points of compressed air consumption are the equalization of MBF top, tap hole drilling machine, bag filters and driving cylinders of raw materials weigh bin gates. A centralized compressed air station is responsible to supply the air required in the pig iron production process.

7.7 Electrical System

The electrical system takes care of power distribution for the whole plant. It comprises substations, PCCs, MCCs, illumination, earthing, etc.

7.8 Instrumentation and Control

Control and supervising of the whole MBF operation will be performed from the MBF control room, installed at MBF working platform. This includes also the whole MBF load preparation. The system comprises three supervisory stations and a main PLC. Several field instruments are installed to measure and control all MBF process parameters.

7.9 MBF Control Cabin

23

MBF is equipped of a control cabin acclimatized located in the working platform. The entire installation control, since the load preparation till the pig iron tapping, is made from this control cabin. Equipped with supervisory stations, all the operational parameters are monitored and registered automatically. In case any operational parameter comes out of the pre-established, automatically corrections are made and/or alarms are activated.

7.10 Slag Granulation System

Fig: 14 Slag Removal During tapping the slag will be skimmed out from the runner to a slag granulation station located close to the furnace operation platform. The granulated slag is stored and sent to the cement plant. The water utilized in the granulation system is recycled in closed circuit avoiding the liquid effluents emission in the process.

7.11 Pig casting machine

Hot metal produced in the MBF, whenever not used directly in the steel melt shop or Foundry is cast in the Pig Casting Machine (PCM). There are two usual casting systems: conveyor belt and wheel.

24

Fig: 15 Casting Machine

1.

MINI BLAST FURNACE OPERATION

Weigh Bin at RMHS

Conveyor Belt 3

Conveyer Belt 4

FURNACE

CHARGING HOPPER

REBD/UPB

In mini blast furnace operation, as shown in fig: 16 the charge components iron ore , flux and coke are carried in successive layers and in carefully calculated proportions to the top of the furnace. They are introduced into the furnace through the bell valves and the stack is loaded (burdened) to a height 1.8 to 3 meters above the valve system. Air is preheated to about 1000c in heaters attached to the furnace. It is then blown in through Tuyeres (vents) spaced around the furnace near its lower end, leaving enough space for the 25

slag and molten iron to collect in the bottom below them. It is this blasts of air that gives the blast the blast furnace its name. The mini blast furnace operates on a counter-current principle; the charge moves slowly down in the furnace and the current of gas that reacts with this charge moves upward. This operation is reduction smelting. As the solids, knows as the burden move down the furnace, iron is produced from the ore by the action of carbon monoxide, and the molten iron collects at the bottom of the furnace. The limestone combines with the impurities in the ore to form a slag, consisting mainly of calcium aluminum silicate, which floats on top of the iron. The molten iron and slag are tapped off separately. Once the reaction is started, the burden level is maintained by the same; being fed in continually in small batches and the mini blast furnace operation is continuous. The temperature inside the furnace ranges from about 1540c on the hearth to about 200c at the top gas-outlets. The pig iron tapped from the blast furnace may be, 1. Either cast in cast-iron moulds in a pig casting machine, or 2. Cast in sand-beds, or 3. Taken to steel making furnace, etc.

Fig:16 Layout of Furnace

8.1 MINI BLAST FURNACE PROCESS:

The furnace is charged with sinter pellets and rubble ore (iron bearing materials), flux and coke. Conventionally, the materials are charged through a rotating hopper distributor and two-bell system, although many modern furnaces have the Paul Wurth bell-less top which 26

uses a rotating chute. Correct distribution at the furnace top is achieved by controlling the feed rate and the order in which the materials are fed in. The modern conception of mini blast furnace operation is briefly the following: As shown in when ore fuel and flux are charged in the furnace, at first moisture and combined water get eliminated in temperature range of 200c-300c. With the rise of temperature indirect reduction of ore starts according to the following reactions: 3Fe2 O3+CO Fe2O3 +6CO 2Fe2 O3 4Fe+6CO2

At temperature about 535c, Carbon Monoxide, stats dissociating into free carbon particles and carbon dioxide, as per reaction: 2CO C+CO2

With temperature range from 400C to 600, the following reaction takes place:
Fe3 O4+CO 3FeO+CO2

At a temperature about 400C direct reduction of ore starts as per below reactions: Fe2 O3+C Fe3 O4+C 2FeO 3FeO+CO

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With in temperature range from 700 to 800, direct reduction of ferrous oxide starts with information spongy iron, which is located and impregnated with carbon particles. This reaction takes place about half way between the top and the bottom of the furnace. Limestone dissociates at 800 C and Dolomite at 1075C as per reactions: CaCO3 MgCO3 CaO+CO2 MgO+CO2

While descending the spongy iron gets impregnated with carbon, which decreases its melting point, and melts while absorbing more and more carbon from column of coke. Lime or magnesia combines with the so called gangue matter of the iron and ash of the coke. Further down, with rise of temperature, the direct reduction of alloys and metalloids takes place according to the following reactions: SiO2+2C MnO+C P2 O5+5C FeS+CaO+C Ca3 PO4+3SiO2+5CO Si+2CO Mn+CO 2P+5CO Cas+Fe+CO 3CaSiO3+5CO+2Fe3 P

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FIG.17 MINI BLAST FURNACE PROCESS Near the tuyeres where there is impact of hot blast against the incandescent coke, the following reaction occurs: 2C+O2 2CO

1. CHARACTERISTICS OF MBFG In order to successfully combust MBFG in a MBP or a sustained basis, it is very important to understand the specific characteristics of MBFG and the ways in which it differs from conventional fuels. A study of MBFG characteristics reveals the following characteristics. 1. High inert and low calorific value MBFG contains very low amount of combustible (20 to 22 percentage of CO) and high amount of inserts such as Nitrogen and Carbon dioxide. The results in a very low calorific value. The lower calorific value means that the combustion of MBFG needs to be very carefully stabilized. It is also means that very high quantities of fuel gas therefore flue gases have to be handled for the same steam output as compared to conventional boilers. These high quantities increase the pressure drop in the boiler system.

2. Slow burning
As result of the low calorific value and high amount of inert, the MBFG is a very slow burning gas. In order to ensure the complete combustion of MBFG, Higher residence time in the furnace is very essential. The high residence time can be achieved by using larger boiler furnace and lower furnace volumetric heat release rate.

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If the combustion of MBFG is not complete in the furnace Zone, an unwanted accumulation of combustibles, which may result in explosion, may take place in the convection zone.

3. Low flame temperature and emissivity

The MBFG flame is much cooler as compared to conventional fuel flames. The MBFG flame does not have strong emissivity for radioactive heat transfer to the furnace enclosures.

4. Wide variations in supply pressure, flow and calorific value

Due to fluctuations in the process, of making pig iron, the supply pressure, flow and calorific value the MBFG vary widely. The wide fluctuation result in an unstable flame.

5. Low supply pressure

The MBFG is supplied at lower pressure to the burners as compared to conventional fuels thereby severely limiting the possibility of giving high swirls for intense air fuel mixing. This also results in slower combustion of the MBFG.

6. Health hazards
Due to CO contents, the MBFG is a poisonous gas and prolonged exposure to it can result in unconsciousness.

7. Moisture loading from the gas cleaning plant

Due to the wet scrubbing of the MBFG carried out in the GCP prior to the boiler, a certain excess amount of water enters the boiler along with the MBFG. This water results in a lower calorific value and lower flame temperatures.

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10. FLOW CONTROL

10.1 Gas Enrichment
The waste gas produced by the furnace is used as fuel in many areas of the steel works. Generally, however, its calorific value is very low and it requires the addition of natural gas and/or coke oven gas. Figure 18 shows a typical control scheme, where the furnace gas flow rate is inferred by subtracting the natural gas and coke oven gas flow rates from the total mixed gas flow rate. This calculated value is then used as a ratio set point for the natural gas and coke oven gas control blocks, keeping the proportion of each type of gas entering the stove constant and achieving the desired calorific value of the total mixed gas.

Figure 18: Gas enrichment control

10.2 Oxygen Enrichment of cold blast

It has been proven that a small increase in the oxygen content of the cold blast, to 22-24% instead of the 21% O2 content of normal air, improves the efficiency of the furnace. The 31

control scheme includes O2 analysis and independent shutdown equipment, but only the controller and its I/O will be discussed here. Figure 19 shows a schematic for this part of the process.

Figure 19: Oxygen enrichment of cold blast The cold blast flow is measured and oxygen is injected into the main, controlled by a ratio control block with the control blast flow as a ratioed PV. The actual O2 content of the cold blast is also measured, and this signal is used to trim the ratio of the oxygen to the cold blast, maintaining a constant value. When a high O2 alarm is activated, the usual requirement is that the O2 control valve is immediately closed. Additional and separate alarm circuitry shuts the isolation valves. The control valve closes due to the track action of the controller.

10.3 Hot blast temperature control

After leaving the stoves, the hot blast enters the base of the mini blast furnace via the tuyeres. It passes up through the furnace, reacting with the coke, ores and fluxes, and emerges as top gas, containing mainly CO and CO2. The upwards pressure from the gases supports the burden, so that there is a pressure drop of 1.4 bar across the burden, irrespective of the top gas pressure. With this pressure difference, the furnace permeability is good - i.e. the materials move downwards through the furnace at the right speed. The hot blast temperature needs to be kept constant, to maintain good furnace efficiency. The temperature of the hot blast leaving the stove decreases as the stove cools down, so to achieve a constant temperature the hot blast is mixed with cold blast in the mixing chamber. The proportion of hot to cold blast is controlled by a control module which also throttles the cold blast to the stoves. As the stoves energy is used up, the hot blast temperature falls, and the amount of cold blast which is mixed with it is decreased. The flow of cold blast into the stove is also reduced, so that the gases spend longer in the stove to absorb the heat. The hot blast temperature control scheme is depicted in Figure 20.

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Figure 20: Hot blast temperature control

10.4 Stoves combustion control

Three control modules are required in order to achieve the following: dome temperature control air flow control gas flow control

The gas flow into the stoves is measured and controlled to a local set point. The gas flow reading is used as a set point for the air flow ratio controller. The combustion control mechanism is similar to the one described in the Soaking Pits Application Note. The O2 reading trims the air/fuel ratio, until the dome temperature nears its required value and then the dome temperature controller output replaces the O2 trim signal activated by the dome controller high target temperature. This action increases the air flow to the stove, while keeping the gas flow constant. This mode is known as excess air, and has the effect of increasing the heat distribution in the stove while cooling the stove dome. A steady temperature is maintained within the stove, and the heat is absorbed into the chequer work.

10.5 Tuyere flows control

The hot blast air and natural gas are injected into the mini blast furnace through tuyeres distributed around the perimeter, typically 24 or 36 off.

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Figure 21 Tuyere control Whilst the overall natural gas flow is ratioed to the cold blast flow, each individual tuyere also has natural gas to hot blast air ratio control. Figure 21 illustrates the use of one control module to ratio the natural gas flow to hot blast air for one tuyere. Additional analogue inputs are used to check for water leakage within the tuyere by comparing inlet and outlet water flows. 11. MBF PERFORMANCE DATA MBF productive parameters for pig iron of steel plant and foundry .The nominal production of various sizes of LANCOS MBF and the pig iron average analysis produced are presented in tables. The presented values are averages data and the effectives productions will be strongly influenced by the raw materials quality and by the team experience of operation. Blast Characteristics - Blast Temperature: 900 C maximum (metallic blast preheater). max. 1200C (cowpers). - Blast Pressure max. 15.000 mmCA. Top Gas Lower Heating Value (dry basis): 1000 kcal/Nm3 (charcoal). : 850 kcal/Nm3 (coke). Dust concentration: < 10 mg/Nm3 after gas cleaning system. Top pressure: max. 4.000 mmCA.

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12. ENERGY BALANCE SHEET Specification of Mini Blast furnace. Blast volume Blast temperature Combustion air temperature Mini Blast furnace gas calorific value Flue gas temperature = 13000Nm3/hr = 770C = 350C = 730kcal/Nm3 = 400C

MBFG Analysis
Mini Blast furnace gas contains the following composition: CO CO2 O2 H2 N2 25% 16% 1.0% 3.0% 55%

MBF gas contains high percentage of CO and CO2. These gases will be used for combustion process. The 25% of CO gas burns with the air and it is liberated high heat.

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13. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL FACILITIES Due to characteristics of the pig iron production process, special attention is given during the project development in order to adequate the installation to the requirement established by government environmental control. Liquid and solids effluents as well as the sound emissions are dully treated taking in consideration the parameters required by the environmental legislation.

A. Liquid wastes
The entire system works in closed circuit, in other words, there is not emission of liquid wastes. The gas scrubbing water is contaminated with the dust caught from the MBF top gas. After leaving the gas scrubbing station, slurry is pumped to thickener, where is treated. This water is recirculated again in the process. The dust retained in the thickener is deposited in appropriate place or reutilized in sintering process.

B. Gaseous wastes 1) Source of Air Pollution

The major atmospheric pollutants in a hot metal plant are the fumes generated in the burning of MBFG and the raw materials handling such as iron ore, charcoal or coke and fluxes. Other emitter sources are the handling of fines generated in the raw material screening processes. 2)

Control Measures for atmospheric emissions

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The dust generated in the productive process, during the raw materials handling, products, sub products and solids residues in general, are captured through the systems endowed with hoods/pipelines and treated in appropriate equipments such as bag filters, cyclones, electrostatics precipitators, etc. The emission standard of LANCOS MBF attends to all legislation parameters. The MBFG collected in the MBF top after cleaned is burnt in part in the blast air heater; the surplus gas if not used for other purposes such as power generation, is burnt to the atmosphere through an adequate Flare Stack generating only CO2 and H2O.

C. Solid Rejects
The slag volume generated in the MBF depends directly the raw materials utilized, as well as slag to be produced. Normally the slag volume is 100 to 150kg per pig iron ton for operation with charcoal and 250 to 300 kg/t for operation with coke. The granulated slag is utilized as raw material for cement plants.

1) Slag

2) Charcoal and/or Coke Fines

The charcoal and/or coke fines generated in the screening process can be reutilized in the MBF injection system. The dust collected in the bag filters (charcoal and/or coke dusts) are also reutilized in the injection system. Optionally these dusts can be sold for cement plants. If there is a sintering plant in the locality, the charcoal and/or coke fines will be utilized integrally as fuel in the sintering.

3) Iron Ore Fines

Iron ore fines separated during screening are stored in bins and reutilized in the sintering plant or for road paving purposes.

4) Dust Catcher
The dust catcher generated the rate 10 to 20 kg/t of pig iron is compounded of coke fines (>60%), ore and limestone. Its granulometry is between 0.2 and 0.3mm. It can be integrally recycled in the sintering or will be deposited, not having aggressive elements to the environment. 37

5) Thickener Slurry
The thickener slurry after pressed the rate is 3 to 5 kg/t pig iron, containing basically ore, charcoal, coke or limestone in granulometry very fine (<0.2mm). It can be recycled in sintering or deposited, not containing aggressive elements to the environment.

11. ADVANTAGES OF MINI BLAST FURNACE Low specific investment Flexibility on burden preparation and composition Easy operation and maintenance Proven technology by numbers of MBF already installed in several Countries (Brazil, India, Argentine, Indonesia).

12. APPLICATIONS Iron is the most widely used of all the metals, accounting for 95% of worldwide metal production. Its low cost and high strength make it indispensable in engineering applications such as the construction of machinery and machine tools, automobiles, the hulls of large ships, and structural components for buildings. Since pure iron is quite soft, it is most commonly used in the form of steel. Commercially available iron is classified based on purity and the abundance of additives. Pig iron has 3.54.5% carbon and contains varying amounts of contaminants such as sulfur, Silicon and phosphorus. Pig iron is not a saleable product, but rather an intermediate step in the production of cast iron and steel from iron ore. Cast iron contains 24% carbon, 16% silicon, and small amounts of manganese. Contaminants present in pig iron that negatively affect material properties, such as sulfur and phosphorus, have been reduced to an acceptable level. It has a melting point in the range of 14201470 K, which is lower than either of its two main components, and makes it the first product to be melted when carbon and iron are heated together. Its mechanical properties vary greatly, dependent upon the form carbon takes in the alloy.

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"White" cast irons contain their carbon in the form of cementite , or iron carbide. This hard, brittle compound dominates the mechanical properties of white cast irons, rendering them hard, but unresistant to shock. The broken surface of a white cast iron is full of fine facets of the broken carbide, a very pale, silvery, shiny material, hence the appellation.

13. RECOMMENDATIONS The following are the recommendations made based on the study of this project to improve the heat carrying capacity of blast air. 1. The major energy loss in the MBP is heat carried by flue gas and the radiation losses. To increase the blast air volume and to reduce that major losses. 2. The heating surface of the MBP coils should be clean. 3. Heat carrying capacity of combustion air can be increased by increasing the combustion air temperature. 4. Installation of air flow measuring instrument is increased for constant volume of air sucking to the fans. 5. To maintain efficient operation of gas holder to hold the gas in the furnace shutdown timing. 6. A structured formal energy management team. 7. Additional instrument for monitoring energy system. 8. Uses of standard form of developed by the committee for recording the date. Analysis of energy elated data on a micro computer and periodical presentation of relevant to the top management.

Recommendations for increasing the utilization factor:

In order to increase the utilization factor of effective volume, the production of pig iron in terms of per cubic meter of furnace volume, and to decrease the consumption of fuelcoke and at the same time wastage of ore in the form of just, the following steps are to be taken: 1. The intensify of combustion of fuel (coke) in terms of kg/m3/hr of the area of the tuyeres should be increased.

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2.

The velocity of motion of the charge should be increased without decreasing the same time of contact of the reacting agents, i.e. contact between reducing gas co and the charge.

3.

The surface of contact of reacting materials should be increased.

11. CONCLUSION: Recommendations which are suggested above are followed for the pig iron plant to improve the tones per year and to reduce pollution in the atmosphere.

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12.

APPENDIX
LIST OF ABBREVATIONS:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. MBF GCP MBP PCM MBFG RMHS REBD MINI BLAST FURNACE GAS CLEANING PLANT METALLIC BLAST OPERATION PIG CASTING MACHINE MINI BLAST FURNACE GAS RAW MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM ROTARY EQUAL BURDON DISTRIBUTION VARIOUS THROAT ARRANGEMENT METALLIC ARC FURNACE

8. VTA 9. MTA

11. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Combustion Engineering & Fuel Technology 2. Fuel, Furnace & Refractories 3. Engineering Chemistry 4. Waste Heat Recovery Hand Book 5. Principles of Blast Furnace 6. Practical Heat Recovery 7. The Institute of Engineers (India),Vol.82, A.K.Shaha Gilchirst Jain & Jain Robert J.Goldstick Anil .K. Biswas Robert.J.Goldstick Albert Thumamm

8. Bruce Hedman, Energy and Environmental Analysis/USCHPA, "Combined Heat and Power and Heat Recovery as Energy Efficiency Options", Briefing to Senate Renewable Energy Caucus, September 10, 2007, Washington DC. 41

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