PELLETISATION PROCESS
OF IRON ORE
JANAK KUMAR
Introduction
Pelletisation process is used to agglomerate the ultrafine iron ore and
product after is the small ball called pellets. The pellets production is
rising continuously inspite of its being costlier than sinter.
Steps of Pelletisation Process
1. Feed preparation
2. Green ball production and sizing
3. Green ball induration
a. Drying
b. Preheating
c. Firing
4. Cooling of hardened Pellets
Theory of Bonding
Production of hardened pellets starts with the production of green
balls. It is necessary that the green balls possess adequate strength to
stand bumps, overlying load and abrasion during screening and
handling until finally, these are hardened by induration.
1. Dry material does not pelletise and presence of moisture is
essential to roll the Powder into balls. Excessive water is also
detrimental.
2. Surface tension of water in contact with the particles plays a
dominant role in binding the particles together in green condition.
3. Rolling of moist material leads to the formation of balls of very
high density.
There are three different water particle system
1. The pendular state – when water is a present just at the point of
contact of the particle and surface tension hold the particle
together.
2. The funnicular state – when some pores are fully occupied by
water in an aggregated system.
3. The capillary state – when all the pores are filled with water but
there is no coherent film covering the entire surface of the
particle.
The bond formed due to surface tension. mechanical interlocking of
particles also plays a significant role in development of Ball strength
Maximum strength of a green ball produced from a given material
will be obtained by compacting the material to the minimum porosity
and with just sufficient water to saturate the void.
Mechanism of Ball Formation
The ball formation is a two stage process That is nucleation or seed
formation and their growth. The formation of balls on a palletiser
depends primarily on the moisture content. If the moisture level is
more than the critical value, growth rate is more but the ball
produced are liable to deformation because their plasticity
It has been observed that the size of the ball produced in a pelletizer
from a charge containing right amount of moisture depends upon the
time and speed of the pelletizer i.e. number of revolution.
1. Nuclei Growth Region
When a wet particles comes in contact with another wet or dry
particle a bond is immediately formed between the two. Similarly
several such particles initially join during rolling to form a highly
porus loosely held aggregate. Which undergo re-arrangment and
partial packing in short duration to form small spherical, stable
nucluii. The size of nucluii is very small.
2. transition period
After nucluii are formed they pass through a transition period in
which the plastic nuclei further rearrange and get compacted to
eliminate the air void present in them. The system moves from a
pendular state through funnicular state to the capillary state of
bonding.
3. Ball growth region
Growth takes place by two alternatives modes.
(a). Growth by assimilation
If no fresh feed material is added for balling the rolling action may
break some of the granules, particularly the small ones, and the
material coalesce with those which grow.
(b). Growth by layering
Growth of the seeds is said to be taking place by layering when the
balls pick up material while rolling on a layer of fresh feed. The
amount of material picked up by the balls is directly proportional to
its exposed surface.
Green Ball Formation
Green ball agglomerate are economically produced in balling drums
and disc. The rolling action of the equipment is chiefly responsible in
compacting the fine particles into a near spherical shape.
The presence of water develops the necessary strength in the green
ball. It has observed that these two stages of ball formation take
place in two different zones of the pelletizer that is the nucleating
zone and the growth zone.
The region where water is added on the pelletizer is the zone of
nucleation. Growth takes place over practically the whole of the rest
of the effective area of the pelletizer.
Disc Pelletizer
It is essentially a disc, With an outword sloping peripheral wall, which
is rotated around its own centre in an incline position to horizontal
Normali 3.6 to 5.6 m in Dia and are inclined it about 45° To the
horizontal. The material to be pelletized is generally feed directly on
to the disc and moisture level is made up with the help of water
spray. Scraper is provided to prevent build up of moist material on the
disc.
In the reason where water is added seeds are generally formed. After
nucleation they are moved out of nucleation zone. During the
moment the ball encounter fresh feed and growth takes place more
by layering well compaction assimilation plays a relativity minor roll
Pelletisation can be carried out on a disc with reasonable flexibility.
In a continuous operation the discharge of desire size balls is balanced
by an equivalent addition of feed. The concept of formation of balls in
two stages implies that there is a specific residence time for any given
mix to produce balls of required size
The rate of production of balls on a disc is a function of the following
variables
1. Diameter of the disc
2. Height of the peripheral wall
3. Angle of inclination of disc
4. Speed of rotation
5. Place on the disc where water is spread on the mix
6. Place on the disc where mix is fed
7. Rate of feed
8. Rate of moisture addition
9. Any other addition like binder flux etc
All these factors affect in the final analysis, the rates of nuclation and
growth. For optimum utilisation of a given disc the residence time of
the charge must be the same is the balling time
As the angle is increase, compaction is more and pellets of better
strength are obtained. As the speed is increased The rolling improves
and consequently the rate of growth is increased.
For a given slope and feed rate the residence time can be adjusted to
some extent by varying the height of the peripheral wall. The finer is
the feed, more the specific size, better is the quality of the pellets
Drum Pelletizer
The drum Pelletizer is a simple steel drum, open at both ends.
rotating around its own axis in a slightly inclined position to the
horizontal.
Length to Diameter ratio – 2.5 to 3.5
Diameter – 2 - 3 meter
Length – 6 – 9 meter.
Rotation – 10- 15 RPM
Angle of Inclination – 2 – 10°
The charge is feed through that end which is at higher Level, water
sprays are also located there. The materials roles over the surface of
the rotating drum and slides downward due to inclination Of the
drum. This motion of the ball is called cascading which takes place
until the balls emerge out of the lower end
The rate of production of desire size ball is a function of the following
variables
1. Speed of rotation
2. Angle of inclination
3. Diameter of drum
4. Rate of feed
5. Moisture content
6. Death of material
7. Any other addition such as binder flux
Additives
Many times the iron bearing material by itself may not roll into balls
Aur may not produce green balls or required strength just by the
addition of water. Under such circumstances addition of a small
amount of certain binder may have successfully improve The balling
operation.
Inorganic binders like ferrous sulphate, alkali chloride, alkali and
alkaline earth carbonate etc have been successfully used. Bentonite
has found the widest application since it’s use improve induration
result.
Use of lime or dolomite as an additive is also beneficial.
Induration of Pellets
The green balls from the pelletisation plant are sent to the induration
plant where these are subjected to
1. Drying
2. Preheating
3. Firing
4. Cooling
bonds are developed between the particles and their strength is
increases of the pellet.
Drying
The green balls are dried by passing hot air through the bed of the
balls laid on a grate. The temperature of the hot blast and volume
required for drying are largely a function of the moisture contain of
green balls.
Adequate dry strength of the ball is a necessary to stand the over
lying burden during preheating and handling operation. The use of
binders is beneficial in obtaining better drive strength
Pre-heating and Firing
The pellets should have high strength to bear the load in the blast
Furnace. The firing cycle should aim in this direction in developing the
required nature and strength of the bond.
In the preheating stage partial oxidation of magnetite and sulphide, if
present, occurs along with the calcination of carbonate and
hydroxides. The solid bonding and grain growth commenses in the
preheating period. These are completed in firing stage. Liquid
formation by chemical combination of various acid and basic
constituents and consequently the development of slag bond occur
predominantly during firing.
The Shaft Kiln
It was developed in 1950. The green or dried pellets fed vertically
downward in a central staff of usually a rectangular cross section.
Fuel is burnt in two fire chambers, one on each long side of the shaft
and the hot gases are allowed to enter the main shaft through
multiple flues. It is in a way counter current gas solid heater.
The fired pellets are cooled in the lower portion and if any chunk are
formed these are broken by the chunk breaker and cold pellets are
discharge from the bottom.
A typical furnace of this type has a shaft of a round 4 x 2 m cross
section and is nearly 20 m in height from the discharge point.
The temperature in the combustion chamber is around 1300°C. And
production rate of hardened pellets is around 1000 to 1200 ton per
day
The Grate Machine
These are essentially the modified adoption of Dwight Lloyd Sintering
machine in which the green balls are fed at one end on the
continuous travelling grate and the hardened and cold pellets are
discharge from the other end.
The length of the grate is divided into four different zones viz drying,
preheating firing and cooling zone of suitable relative lengths. The hot
air from the cooling zone is circulated in a complex manner to carry
out drying, dehydration, preheating etc. Oil or gas burner are used in
the firing zone.
Down-draught, up-draught or a combination of the two is suitably
employed in the design to carry out the preliminary operation before
actual firing.
The Grate Kiln