Influence of Alumina on Iron Ore Sinter Properties and Productivity in the Conventional and Selective Granulation Sintering Process

Abstract

Iron ore sinter constitutes a major proportion of blast furnace burden. Hence, its quality and consistency have a significant impact on blast furnace performance. Iron ore fines are the main source for sinter, and the chemical composition of the iron ore fines, together with the thermal conditions that blends are subjected to, plays an important role in forming the primary melt during the sintering process and accordingly determines the sinter structure and quality. Therefore, considerable importance has been placed on the chemical composition and consistency of iron ore fines, particularly in terms of alumina content. Due to depletion of high grade iron ore resources, alumina content in the iron ore fines is expected to increase gradually. Ore with higher alumina content is usually expected to be detrimental in forming the sinter matrix, if sintered alone, due to the low reactivity of alumina bearing minerals and the high viscosity of primary melts. The selective granulation process is a new sintering process for high alumina iron ore fines, and can eliminate the adverse effects of ‘hard to sinter’ or ‘unsuitable – for ironmaking’ ores. In the present work laboratory sintering experiments have been carried out with iron ore fines of different alumina level (2.00 to 5.46 mass-%) to know the influence of alumina on mineralogy, productivity, physical and metallurgical properties of sinter prepared by the conventional and the selective granulation process. With increasing alumina content in sinter of both the conventional and selective granulation process, the fractions of hematite and of silico-ferrites of calcium and alumina (SFCA) as well as the pore phase increased whereas the magnetite and silicate phases decreased. With increase in alumina content sinter productivity and tumbler index (T.I.) decreased, and metallurgical properties like sinter RDI and reducibility improved. However, sinter of the selective granulation process showed better results compared to the conventional process.