Steam Preheating Granulation Technology for Increasing Sinter Productivity

As a countermeasure for deterioration of raw materials’ quality, improvement of sinter productivity is needed. To increase sinter productivity, steam heating granulation technologies have been developed. Heated granules reduce water condensation at wetting zone of sintering bed. It improves permeability of sinter bed and sinter productivity. At first, sintering properties and heat conductive efficiency were investigated at laboratory steam injection apparatus. As a result of the laboratory test, it was confirmed that the moisture condensation at the raw material bed was suppressed by steam injection, permeability was improved, and the sinter productivity was improved. Second, on the actual plant test, the rise of raw material’s temperature by steam heating was verified. On that test, granules were heated by 20°C. In terms of difference of heat conductive efficiency between laboratory and actual plant test, heat and material balance were examined to establish the heat transfer model at actual process. According to the heat analysis of actual plant test, indirect heat transfer via lining of drum mixer also contributed to heat granules.