Recrystallization of Fe2O3 During the Induration of Iron Ore Oxidation Pellets
Magnetite and hematite concentrates are the two main raw materials for oxidized pellet production. Magnetite concentrates have more predominance due to the heat release by oxidation during roasting and may reduce energy consumption (Jiang et al., 2008; Li et al., 2009). However, with the continuous consumption of iron resources driven by the rapid development of iron and steel industry, magnetite resources are becoming scarce and so the development of pellet production is restricted to some extent. Thus, it is imperative to make better use of hematite resources to meet the raw material supply for pellet production (Xu, 2001).
Preheating and roasting characteristics of hematite–magnetite (H–M) concentrate pellets
Abstract Regressive orthogonal design experiments have been carried out based on the analysis of the oxidation and induration behaviours of individual magnetite and hematite pellets. The research shows that the optimal pellet preheating time and temperature, and roasting time and temperature change with hematite/magnetite (H/M) ratio. Under the conditions of preheating temperature 900°C, preheating time 10 min, roasting temperature 1275°C and roasting time 15 min, the compression strength of preheated and roasted pellets is found to be respectively more than 444 N/pellet (N/P) and 3993 N/P when the magnetite content in the pellets exceeds 20%. The pellet strengths meet the requirements of rotary kilns and blast furnaces respectively.
Mechanisms in oxidation and sintering of magnetite iron ore green pellets
Abstract Thermal volume changes and oxidation mechanisms in magnetite iron ore green pellets balled with 0.5% bentonite binder, as a function of raw material fineness and pellet porosity, are shown. When a pellet starts to oxidize, a shell of hematite is formed around the pellet while the core still is magnetite. Dilatation curves were measured under non-oxidizing and oxidizing atmospheres to separately describe thermal volume changes in these two phases. Dilatation measurements showed contraction during oxidation between 330 and 900 °C by 0.5%. The extent of contraction was not influenced by the raw material fineness or the original porosity in pellets. Sintering started earlier in the magnetite phase (950 °C) compared to the hematite phase (1100 °C). The sintering rate increased with increasing fineness in the magnetite concentrate. A finer grind in the raw material would, therefore, promote the formation of duplex structures with a more heavily sintered core pulling away from the less sintered outer shell. At constant porosity in green pellets, the oxidation time became longer as the magnetite concentrate became finer, because of the enhanced sintering. In practical balling, however, the increase in fineness would necessitate the use of more water in balling, which results in an increase in green pellet porosity. These two opposite effects levelled out and the oxidation time became constant when green pellets were balled at constant plasticity. Combining the results from the oxidation and dilatation studies revealed new information on the rate limiting factors in oxidation of iron ore pellets. At 1100 °C, the diffusion rate of oxygen was limited by sintering in the magnetite core, taking place before oxidation rather than by the diffusion rate of oxygen through the oxidized hematite shell, as has been claimed in earlier literature. The oxidation rate was at maximum at around 1100 °C. At 1200 °C, the rate of oxidation substantially decreased because both the hematite shell and the magnetite core show heavy sintering at this temperature. Dilatometer measurements showed large thermal volume changes in the presence of olivine, at temperatures above 1200 °C. This is explained by the dissociation of hematite back to magnetite. Dissociation leads to an increase in the volume of the oxidized shell, while sintering of the magnetite core is further enhanced by the olivine additive.