Electrical performance of calcium ferrite in sintering by the assimilation melt breakover method

Abstract The quality of sintering ore and the efficiency of the blast furnace are both heavily dependent on the high-temperature performance and compatibility of iron ores. A novel characterization technique, the Assimilation Melt Breakover method, is proposed to test the electrical performance during assimilation in sintering. Utilizing the two-electrode method, the electrical resistance of mixtures of ferrite oxide and calcium oxide was measured during their assimilation. A rise in temperature is associated with a reduction in electrical resistance, adhering to the principles of Arrhenius Law. The changes in conductivity observed during the assimilation process accurately reflect the mineral phase transformations, encompassing alterations within the solid state and transitions from solid to melt. The transition is marked by a substantial reduction in electrical resistance, specifically from several thousand to a few dozen Ohms in melting assimilation, along with notable variations in the activation energy associated with conductance. This research has the potential to swiftly differentiate between the assimilation characteristics of different iron ores, as well as to assist in the utilization of an electric field in iron ore sintering.