A STUDY ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF

SINTER PLANT






















FACTORS EFFECTING SINTER PRODUCTIVITY

1. AMOUNT OF LIME DUST ADDED
Lime addition increases the permeability because it acts as a binder, helps in forming balls. The
productivity increases as the time required for sintering decreases.
2. DOLOMITE CONTENT
The addition of dolomite in sinter mix decreases the reducibility of the mix because of the formation of
magnesium ferrite and magnesowistite which have poor reducibility. Coke breeze requirement increases
with dolomite content in the base mix. Also sintering and cooling time periods increase when dolomite
is used instead of limestone
3. MOISTURE CONTENT
The amount of moisture plays a crucial role in sintering. Insufficient moisture prevents proper
agglomeration of fines. Excess amount of moisture promotes condensation in the bottom of the bed and
fills the voids with water which may collapse the bed structure
4. SOLID FUEL CONTENT
Sinter strength is greatly affected by carbon content of the mix. With increasing coke breeze, the peak
temperature of sinter bed raises considerably which improves slag bonding. Presence of excessive coke
in the sinter mix results in the formation of lower oxides of iron
5. PARTICLE SIZE
Large amounts of very fine grains causes reduction in permeability in turn lowers the output. On the
other hand, if the proportion of course grains is high, the heat content of the gases cannot be
sufficiently absorbed by solid, bonding increases.
6. COKE BREEZE SIZE
The required coke breeze granulometry for efficient sintering is given as follows:
-3mm =85-90%
+5mm<5%
-0.5mm<15%
Presence of higher percentages of +5mm coke breeze slows down its burning rate and thus slows the
sintering rate
7. WATER ADDED IN PELLETISING DRUM
The amount of water added in the balling/pelletising drum also controls the degree of balling and hence
the permeability of the sinter mix thus increasing the productivity of the sinter
8. PRE-HEATING THE SINTER MIX
Pre-heating of the sinter mix is done to prevent re condensation of moisture in the bed. It can be done
by:
-Adding hot water in the balling drum
-Adding steam in the balling drum
-Adding hot return fines
9. USAGE OF LD SLAG
LD slag is used in base mix preparation because it has limestone, dolomite content which can be reused
instead of adding fluxes in the base mix. But adding excess amounts of slag causes increase in
phosphorous content which is an impurity in steel making process
10. ACP, GCP DUST USAGE
ACP (air cleaning plant) dust is the dust obtained after blowing air through the hot sinter in the straight
line cooler. It has high amounts of Cao, Mgo content which can be reused as metallurgical wastes
GCP(gas cleaning plant) dust is the dust obtained electrostatic precipitators(ESP) in the suction
mechanism. GCP dust usually contains high iron content and also Cao, Mgo content which are reused as
metallurgical wastes.
11. SINTER MACHINE SPEED
As the speed of the sinter machine increases, the productivity increases as the sintered cake is collected
quickly. We must make sure the speed is in such a way that the burn through point is achieved just
before the end of the length of the bed.
12. USING METALLURGICAL WASTES
The productivity of the sinter plant can be increased by using metallurgical wastes. The following
metallurgical wastes are used:
-flue dust (it is the dust from flue gases in the blast furnace)
-cast house dust (dust from the casting house)
-mill scale (scale obtained because of the contact of hot billets with atmosphere)
-ACP (air cleaning plant) dust
-GCP (gas cleaning plant) dust
13. BURN THROUGH POINT
The point where the combustion zone reaches the bottom layer of the bed is called burn through point.
This means the sinter is fully prepared. We have to make sure that the burn through is not reached too
quickly or too late because un-sintered portions may be left out. The optimum is the burn through point
should be achieved around 70% of the length of the bed.
12. ADDITION OF RETURN FINES AFTER GRANULATION
In order to increase the permeability of the sinter bed, return fines are added after the base mix is
prepared. These return fines increase the permeability by
-increasing pseudo size of the particles at granulation
-decreasing bulk density of sinter bed
So, the permeability increases which in turn increases productivity
13. POSITION OF COKE PARTICLES IN IRON ORE SINTERING
Coke is the widely used solid fuel in sintering of iron ore. Coke is generally blended with several sinter
mix components before granulation. Several studies have shown that delayed introduction of coke
effects the parameters of sintering. Positioning of finer coke particles depend upon when coke is added
in the granulating mix.
When fine coke particles were well embedded into granules their combustion rate was decreased which
decreases the productivity.
14. USAGE OF SUPPORTING STANDS IN SINTERING
The sinter cake load on the combustion melting zone has a great effect on structure formation of sinter
cake especially in the lower layer. It increases the permeability resistance and effects sinter quality
indirectly. So, stand support sintering method is used in which bars or plates are attached to pallets
which when used stop shrinkage and gas flow rate increases. They are of two types called high stand
and low stand. High stand gives more productivity when used.
It is seen that when stand supports are used, the productivity increases by 20%. Sinter products with
stands are porous and have good reducibility.
15. USAGE OF CHARCOAL INSTEAD OF COKE BREEZE
Compared to coke breeze, higher moisture is required for the sinter mix containing charcoal to achieve
maximum granulation
To achieve return fine balance extra fuel addition was required when 0-50% of coke breeze is replaced
by charcoal. At 100% substitution the sinter mixture failed to achieve balance even when using extra
fuel. Sinter obtained is weaker when compared to the sinter obtained using coke breeze.
The sintering speed and productivity increased with increase in substituted charcoal thus it can be used
instead of coke breeze.
16. SUCTION UNDERGRATE
The rate of flow of the air through the bed is controlled by the vacuum under the bed and the
permeability of the bed.
The optimization of the gas dynamics parameters of the sinter machines enables one to achieve higher
under grate suction and thus substantial improvements in the techno-economic parameters of the
sinter production.
17. HOT AIR IN IGNITION HOOD
Hot air recovered from sinter cooler could be used in the ignition hood.
This will help in not only saving gaseous fuel, but also increases the free oxygen potential.




2011-12
LIME
DUST
(kg/t of
sinter
charge)
COKE
CRUSHING
INDEX(%<3MM)

IRON
ORE



FINES SIZE


SINTER
RETURNS
(kg/t of sinter
charge)
LD SLAG
(kg/t of
sinter
charge)
MACHINE
SPEED
(m/min)
VACCUM
(mmWC)
METALLURGI
CAL
WASTES
(kg/t of sinter
charge)
PRODUCTIVITY
(t/hr/m.sq)
+10MM
(%)
-150MIC
(%)
April 2011 6.6 73.89 5.21 24.28 371.4 12.7 2.772 940.5 100.5 1.28
May 2011 9.4 71.90 5.36 21.18 408.4 17.9 2.97 995 130.1 1.36
June 2011 8.8 71.08 4.61 21.66 400.3 13.2 2.97 1047 91.0 1.42
July 2011 8.7 69.77 4.58 21.90 407.8 2.7 2.63 1036.5 80.6 1.38
August 2011 7.8 65.31 4.35 22.97 395.2 6.4 2.70 1021.5 74.1 1.37
September 2011 7.2 61.98 4.14 20.30 397.2 15.6 2.71 1042.5 65.2 1.31
October 2011 6.2 62.76 4.38 22.58 398.6 20.0 2.72 1012 79.6 1.26
November 2011 6.6 63.16 4.53 23.52 394.6 24.5 2.67 1010 77.7 1.26
December 2011 9.7 67.28 4.53 22.87 400.6 36.0 2.71 1010.5 57.3 1.26
January 2012 9.2 69.40 4.28 22.58 387.5 33.8 2.82 998 57.4 1.32
February 2012 10.7 72.18 4.39 22.32 408.3 29.9 2.85 1014.5 93.5 1.28
March 2012 9.3 72.33 4.77 22.40 409 36.1 2.91 982 102.7 1.35















2012-13
LIMEDUST
(kg/t of sinter
COKE CRUSHING
INDEX(%<3MM)
IRON
ORE
FINES SIZE

SINTER
RETURNS
LD SLAG
(kg/t of
MACHINE
SPEED
VACCUM
(mmWC)
METALLURGI
CAL
PRODUCTIVITY
(t/hr/m.sq)















2103-14
LIMEDUST
(kg/t of sinter
charge)
COKE
CRUSHING
INDEX(%<3MM)
IRON
ORE

FINES SIZE

SINTER
RETURNS
(kg/t of sinter
LD SLAG
(kg/t of
sinter
MACHINE
SPEED
(m/min)
VACCUM
(mm WC)
METALLURGICA
L
WASTES
PRODUCTIVITY
(t/hr/m.sq)
charge) (kg/t of sinter
charge)
sinter
charge)

(m/min) WASTES
(kg/t of sinter
charge)

+10MM
(%)
-150mic
(%)
April 2012 10.0 70.29 4.09 22.12 493.8 26.2 2.91 953 85.5 1.30
May 2012 11.5 71.59 4.17 22.18 480.8 20.5 2.78 920 94.4 1.33
June 2012 13.9 71.57 4.19 22.83 488.9 17.0 2.77 881 81.7 1.36
July 2012 14.4 71.45 4.11 24.45 501.1 8.8 2.81 914 90.7 1.32
August 2012 12.9 70.98 5.35 21.46 500.2 5.3 2.82 890 85.7 1.36
September
2012
14.0 70.89 5.87 20.01 549.9 5.4 2.85 896 57.2 1.50
October
2012
11.9 69.45 5.78 23.19 529.2 3.4 2.81 876 69.4 1.48
November
2012
12.2 68.28 5.47 22.87 519.1 5.5 2.90 924 80.8 1.44
December
2012
9.5 68.87 4.99 24.68 468.9 18.4 2.85 952 67.9 1.41
January 2013 9.9 67.51 4.01 27.79 495.2 39.0 2.92 921 91.0 1.34
February
2013
13.1 68.61 4.47 25.80 527.1 32.1 3.00 945 75.5 1.31
March 2013 11.0 68.74 5.36 23.84 482.8 35.4 3.05 886 116.1 1.42
+10mm
(%)
-150mic
(%)
charge) charge) (kg/t of sinter
charge)
April 2013 12.70 68.71 4.71 25.95 479.6 34.3 2.37 956.50 72.38 1.37
May 2013 12.01 68.66 3.42 26.02 476.4 33.01 2.80 972 84.88 1.39
June 2013 13.30 69.03 4.08 23.81 509.9 19.71 2.71 976.50 90.34 1.38
July 2013 14.26 69.37 4.33 22.11 505.5 18.92 2.66 973.50 120.51 1.39
August 2013 10.52 69.29 5.62 22.11 502.7 17.55 2.67 964.50 97.30 1.38
September
2013
12.01 69.93 4.15 23.25 500.8 28.57 2.62 953.25 92.26 1.36
October 2013 11.47 69.91 3.73 23.47 471.3 18.06 2.72 941.50 58.56 1.40
November
2013
9.65 70.26 5.02 23.01 481.3 14.22 2.56 929.49 63.52 1.39
December
2013
10.40 70.01 4.15 21.06 485.2 13.23 2.77 931 79.74 1.34
January 2014 11.06 70.30 4.89 19.47 520 20.12 2.42 955.50 83.08 1.39
February 2014 12.30 69.85 4.23 23.21 532.8 34.5 930.5 76.1 1.35
March 2014 12.70 69.75 4.62 23.58 530.7 34.47 2.37 956.50 72.38 1.37