Identifying major zones of an iron ore sintering bed

Abstract

An unsteady, two-dimensional axisymmetric model is applied to simulate the iron ore sintering process. The present model consists of a wide range of chemical mechanisms in conjunction with detailed and complicated kinetic models. The temperature profile and gas species distribution throughout the bed are analyzed to identify chemical reactions taking place in different parts of the sintering bed. The study shows how simulation results of temperature and gas species variations throughout the bed can be analyzed in order to identify different zones of the sintering bed, based on the chemical reactions that control the process. Simulation results indicate that the sintering bed can be divided into four distinct zones with respect to the dominant chemical reactions taking place in the vertical direction of the bed. These zones are the flame front zone, preheating zone, dry zone and evaporation zone.