This book focuses on agglomeration, or the size enlargement process, of iron ores. This process sits at the interface of mineral processing and extractive metallurgy. The book begins with a discussion of raw materials preparation and the beneficiation process. It then describes fundamental principles of the sintering and pelletization processes, including formation of green mix through granulation and green balls as well as chemical reactions during sintering. Finally, it offers a brief description of iron making processes and correlations related to the agglomerates: quality parameters and BF productivity and coke rate.
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Preamble
1.2 Definition and Category
1.3 Scope of Agglomeration
1.4 Need for Agglomeration
1.5 Raw Materials for Agglomeration
1.6 The Agglomeration Processes
1.7 Iron-Making
1.8 R&D
1.9 Techno-Economics
1.10 Evolutionary Phases
Chapter 2: Raw Materials : Characterization and Preparation
2.1 Categories and Specifications
2.2 Characterization of Raw Materials
2.3 Genesis of Iron Ore
2.4 Classification of Iron Ores
2.5 Mineralogy of Iron Ores
2.6 Preparation of Iron Ores
2.7 Industrial Practice on Iron Ore Beneficiation and Process Flow Sheets
2.8 Handling of Iron Ores
Chapter 3: Iron-Making Processes
3.1 Preamble
3.2 Reduction of Iron Oxide
3.3 Direct Reduction Processes
3.4 Blast Furnace (BF) Iron Making Process
3.5 Blast Furnace (BF) Iron-Making Reactions
3.6 Blast Furnace Performance : Factors Affecting
Chapter 4:: Agglomerates in Iron-Making Processes
4.1 Preamble
4.2 Agglomerates in Iron Making Processes
4.3 Properties of Agglomerates
4.4 Quantitative Effect on Blast Furnace Performance
Chapter 5: Process of Sintering
5.1 Preamble
- The Sintering Process
- Control of Sinter Plant Operation
5.4 Pollution Control and Waste Heat Recovery
5.5 Recycling of Steel Plant Solid Waste
5.6 Non-conventional / Other Process
Chapter 6: Sintering Fundamental
6.1 The Process of Sintering
6.2 Sintering Zones
6.3 Air Flow and Permeability
6. 4 Structure and Porosity of Bed
6. 5 Granules and Granulation
6.6 Thermal Characteristics during Sintering
6.7 Bonding in Sinter
6.8 Assimilation and Coalescence
6.9 Sintering Reactions
6.10 Sintering Reaction and Mineralogy
6.11 Mass Balance
6.12 Heat Balance
6.13 Ignition
6.14 Combustion of Solid Fuel in Sintering
Chapter 7: Sinter Productivity: Theoretical Consideration and Plant Practice
7.1 Sinter Productivity
7.2 Bed Permeability and Bed Structure
7.3 Iron Ores: Particle Size and Characteristics
7.4 Granulation
7.5 Moisture Content of Sinter Mix
7.6 Sinter Basicity and MgO Content
7.7 Coke and Fluxes: Content, Nature and Particle Size
7.8 Return Fines
7.9 Sinter Mean Size
Chapter 8: Sinter Mineralogy
8.1 Preamble
8.2 Major Constituents and Desired Mineralogy of Sinter
8.3 Mineralogical Terminology
8.4 Sintering Reaction and Mineralogy
8.5 5 Composition and Mineralogical Characteristics of Fluxed Sinter
8.6 Process Variables and Sinter Mineralogy
8.7 Sinter Chemistry and its Mineralogy
8.8 Sinter Mineralogy and Quality Parameters
Chapter 9: Sinter Quality: Theoretical Consideration and Plant Practice
9.1 Sinter Quality and Contributing Factors
9.2 Sinter Mineralogy and its Quality Parameters
9.3 Cold Strength
9.4 Sinter Reducibility
9.5 Sinter Reduction –Degradation Index (RDI)
9.6 Salient Ways to Improve Sinter RDI
Chapter 10: Process and Operational Variables with respect to Sintering
10.1 Preamble
10.2 Iron Ore : Characteristics and Size Parameters
10.3 Alumina Content of Ore
10.4 Sinter Basicity
10.5 MgO Content of Sinter
10.6 Fluxes: Size Parameters, Calcination and Assimilation
10.7 Solid Fuel
10.8 Newer Coating and Granulation Techniques
Chapter 11: Pelletization Process
11.1 Pelletization Process
11.2 Raw Materials and their Preparation
11.3 Pelletization Steps
11.4 Environmental Pollution and Control
11.5 Specification of Pelletization Plants
11.6 Composite Pellets
Chapter 12: Green Pelletization: Process and Mechanism
12.1 Balling Process
12.2 Formation of Green Balls and Growth
12.3 Strength of Wet Agglomerates
12.4 Viscosity Effect and Binders
12.5 Elastic and Plastic Deformation of Green Pellets
12.6 Stages of Pellet Formation and Growth
12.7 Kinetics of Ball Growth
Chapter 13: Quality of Green Pellets
13.1 Preamble
13.2 Size and Porosity of Pellets
13.3 Drop Resistance (Number)
13.4 Wet Compressive Strength
Chapter 14: Induration of Green Pellets
14.1 Preamble
14.2 Pellet Induration : Steps
14.3 Process of Induration using Shaft Furnace
14.4 Straight Grate Process of Pellet Induration
14.5 Grate-Kiln-Cooler Process
14.6 Comparison of Straight Grate Process vis-à-vis Grate Kiln Process
14.7 Factors influencing the Induration Process (and Pellet Quality)
14.8 Fuel Substitution in Pellet Induration
Chapter 15: Reactions and Formation of Phases during Induration
15.1 Preamble
15.2 Induration of Magnetite bearing Pellets and Phases Formed
15.3 Induration of Hematite bearing Pellets and Phases formed
15.4 Induration: Magnetite vis-à-vis Hematite Concentrate
15.5 Phases and Pores in Indurated Pellets
15.6 Parameters influencing the Mineral Phases in Indurated Pellets
15.7 Parameters Influencing the Porosity in Indurated Pellets
15.8 Duplex Structure
Chapter 16; Quality of Indurated Pellets
16.1 Preamble: Pellet Properties and Factors Influencing
16.2 Pellet Chemistry
16.3 Bulk Density and Angle of Repose
16.4 Crushing Strength (CCS)
16.5 Porosity .
16.6 Swelling Index
16.7 Pellet Reducibility
16.8 Reduction – Degradation Index (RDI)
16.9 Softening and Melt-Down Characteristics
Biography
Ram Pravesh Bhagat (born October 1954 has 36 years of research experience in the iron ore beneficiation & agglomeration areas while serving premier R&D establishments, SAIL-RDCIS and CSIR-NML.
He has worked with Soviet Experts to implement R&D Projects at SAIL plants aimed to improve the productivity of sinter and its quality. In the 1990’s, the author research projects in collaboration with IIT Kharagpur, RAS Russia and with support from Private Industries. His subsequent research career in CSIR-NML (2000--2014) had been concentrated to the agglomeration area with support from the Ministry of Steel (Govt, of India), Private/ PSU Organisations,
As a faculty member of AcSIR-CSIR and IIT (ISM), the author has developed courses in agglomeration technology and delivered invited lectures. He has supervised two Ph.D. scholars (IIT Kharagpur) and four M. Tech students (ISM). At ISM he initiated research in the field of agglomeration. He has contributed three book chapters including "Agglomeration" in the Encyclopedia of Iron, Steel, and Their Alloys (CRC Press). He has also published over a hundred research papers in journals and conference proceeding volumes. He is life fellow and member of several professional bodies. He is also recipient of various awards and fellowship including CSIR-DAAD.
Agglomeration of Iron Ores covers in considerable detail both the sintering and pelletising of iron ore fines and concentrates that are generated along with lump ore in iron ore mines around the world, either naturally or after upgrading in a beneficiation process. The book is devoted to a detailed treatise of the sintering and pelletising of the raw materials in separate chapters, including the fundamentals, mineralogy, reactions, process and operating variables, quality and productivity of sintering and pelletising. In summary, this book is a masterful coverage of the subject, and is recommended reading for metallurgical students, teachers, researchers, and practicing professionals in the iron and steel industry.
--Ralph J Holmes, CSIRO Mineral Resources, Clayton, VIC, Australia, Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy, April 2020
