SINTER PLANT of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

Srinivasa Rao, YVR*

I) INTRODUCTION:
Iron ore agglomeration is advantageous in terms of resource conservation, waste recycling;
increasing blast furnace productivity, improving Blast furnace control, reducing coke rate etc.,
Sintering and pelletizing are the two most prevalent agglomeration processes for iron ore fines in
the world. While sintering suits the coarse fraction of fines, Pelletization takes care of the micro fines
fraction of the ore. Visakhapatnam steel plant chose sintering route with 80% sinter burden in the
largest Blast Furnaces Godavari and Krishna, established in 1990’s. A high sinter burden shifts the
onus of smooth Blast Furnace operation on sinter plant in terms of meeting quantity and quality
requirement of sinter on a consistent basis. The paper describes in brief the process flow and
various facilities provided at VSP Sinter Plant.

II) TECHNOLOGY:
VSP Sinter Plant was setup with technical collaboration from USSR. The plant is equipped
with two sinter machines (each of 312 sq m grate area), to produce 5.256 MT of gross sinter per
year. The first sinter machine was commissioned on 14/11/1989 and the second on
27/12/1991.Some of the salient features of the plant are given below.
 Base Mix blending yard
 Two stage proportioning of raw mix
 Separate mixing and pelletizing drums
 Slime dewatering and recirculation pump house
 Automatic fire fighting facilities

III) SINTER MAKING:

Sinter making at VSP sinter plant involves the following important steps.
 Raw materials receipt and preparation
 Base mix proportioning, mixing and blending
 Sinter mix proportioning and granulation
 Sinter making, crushing, cooling and screening
 Sampling of raw materials and sinter, their analysis and quality control

IV) RAW MATERIALS RECIEPT AND PREPARATION:

Iron ore fines of -10 mm size are supplied by NMDC, from “Bailadila” mines. They are
received in Raw material handling plant (RMHP) by rakes. The fines are stacked in beds in RMHP
and sent to sinter plant as per demand. The other raw materials which constitutes the raw mix for
sintering are; Lime stone, Dolomite, Lime and Dolomite fines (fluxes), coke breeze (Solid fuel), sand
or quartzite fines (for silica build up), metallurgical waste materials (like flue dust, mill scale, gas
cleaning plant sludge, BF cast house dust and LD converter slag) and minor additions of
Manganese ore fines. Lime stone and dolomite are received in RMHP from captive mines in
“Jaggayyapeta” and “Madharam” respectively and sent to sinter plant. Coke breeze, generated in
the process of coke making in Coke oven & Coal Chemical Plant (COCP) and while screening BF
grade coke in BF, is conveyed to sinter plant.

* AGM (O) & Training coordinator, Sinter plant.

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 Metallurgical waste materials are generated in various processes of steel making and some
of them are indicated below.

METALLURGICAL WASTE GENERATED AREA PROCESS

Flue Dust Blast Furnace Flue gas cleaning

Mill scale Steel rolling mills Rolling of steel

Blast Furnace ,
Sludge Gas cleaning
Steel melt shop
Cast house dust Blast Furnace Dust extraction
Steel melt shop
LD slag Steel making

Metallurgical waste materials, sand, quartzite, limestone, dolomite and manganese ore fines
are permitted up to 10mm upper size. Coke breeze and flux materials are processed in sinter plant
to reduce their size to <3mm.

V) BASE MIX PROPRTINONING, MIXING AND BLENDING:

The prepared and received raw materials are stored in the twelve raw materials bins in RMB.
These bins are provided with Disc / Belt / tube feeders for adding different materials in required
quantities during base mix proportioning.
All the raw materials are proportioned according to the chemistry requirement of product
sinter and chemical composition of individual raw materials. Raw material analysis and sinter
analysis are done at regular intervals to achieve desired consistency in sinter quality.
The proportioned raw mix, called as ‘Base mix’, is fed to the primary mixing drum for
thorough mixing of all the constituents and thus improving its homogeneity. The homogeneous base
mix is sent to Base mix yard (BMY). In the BMY, Base mix is stock piled, in chevron pattern up to
400 m length. The stock pile, made by using Twin Boom Stacker (TBS), could contain 250-400
layers of base mix laid over the entire length of the pile. Material from the stacked pile is reclaimed
by Blender reclaimer (BRC) and sent to SMPP section for preparing sinter mix. During reclaiming of
the pile, material is scooped across its width and thus cut across all the 300 layers which make up
the pile. This results in averaging of variations in raw material quality and gives a blended base mix.

VI) SINTER MIX PROPARTIONING AND GRANULATION:

Blended Base mix, Sinter returns (-5mm size sinter), crushed lime stone and Coke breeze
are received in eight bunkers in SMPP section. All these materials are proportioned again using
Disc feeders; Vibro feeders and Belt weigh feeders to make sinter mix.
The proportioned Sinter mix is fed to pelletizing drum, where in controlled quantity of water is
added to the rolling mix in the drum, which results in balling of sinter mix with desired moisture.
Sinter mix moisture and degree of balling determine sinter bed permeability, an important
characteristic that influences sinter machine productivity. Therefore, lot of care is to be exercised in
sinter mix preparation in order to get good productivity of sinter machine and quality of sinter.

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VII) SINTER MAKING, CRUSHING, COLLING AND SCREENING:
Sinter machine consists of an endless band of pallet cars moving on rails over static
wind boxes. The empty pallets at the machine drive end are first loaded with 10-20mm size product
sinter up to a thickness of 50mm. Sinter mix is then filled up to 550mm height using a charging
system which consists of Drum feeder, stabilizer plate and segregation chute.
After loading of sinter mix, the top surface of the sinter mix bed is fired using a mixture of
coke oven and blast furnace gas in the ignition furnace. The firing zone temperature in the furnace
is maintained at 1100-1250°C. After ignition of the bed surface, as the moving train of pallets passes
over the wind boxes, which are connected to the main exhaust fan through gas collector and ESP,
the sintered layer gradually moves downwards over the height of the bed. This mechanism of
sintering, in a self sustained manner, is achieved by convective heat transfer between the sinter mix
bed and flowing mass of air being driven through the bed under the influence of exhaust fan.
The vacuum or negative pressure created under the sinter bed, the height of sinter bed and
the temperature of flue in the wind box are the critical factors in controlling sinter machine speed.
Sinter Machine speed and process parameters are monitored and controlled to ensure complete
sintering of the charge mix fed to the machine and to produce quality sinter with sufficient strength
and size.
Sinter cake from sinter machine is crushed in single roll crusher to <200mm size. It is then
screened in hot screen to eliminate -5mm fraction. Sinter of >5mm size is fed to straight line cooler.
In sinter cooler, sinter fed at 600-800°C temperature is cooled to less than 100°C by blowing
atmospheric air through the sinter bed. The cooled sinter is conveyed to sinter screening plant
where it is screened in Double deck and Single deck screens to separate sinter returns (-5mm
size) , bed material (10-20mm size) and Blast Furnace grade sinter (+5mm to -50mm).

VIII) SAMPLING, ANALYSIS AND QUALITY CONTROL:

Quality assurance and technology department (QATD) is involved in this process activity.
Sinter quality control requires continuous data collection and analysis in the upstream and
downstream units apart from in house sampling and analysis.
All the input raw materials are analyzed at the RMHP to get rake wise and bed wise analysis.
Iron ore fines and fluxes are further analyzed at Sinter plant, twice in a shift, using samples
collected from RMB feeders.
Sinter samples are collected every hour and one representative sample is prepared every
four hours in each shift. Sinter chemical analysis and sieve analysis are reported every four hours
and any corrective actions, if required, are taken.
Sinter chemistry is decided based on sinter burden in the Blast furnace and quality of other
raw materials used in BF. The quantity of each chemical constituent in sinter and the relation
between them, especially available lime (CaO-Sio 2), Basicity (CaO / Sio2) and alumina – silica ratio
(Al2o3 / Sio2) are important. Metallurgical quality parameters of sinter like Reducibility Index (RI) and
Reduction degradation Index (RDI) influence BF productivity and coke rate. The physical strength of
sinter is tested from the collected sinter samples and expressed as Tumbler Index (TI).In sinter
sieve analysis, % -5mm and %-10mm fractions indicate sinter returns generation and yield of sinter.
The oversize (+50mm) sinter is equally undesirable for BF.

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 (A) CHEMICAL ANALYSIS:
Sinter (Avg in 2010-11) Iron Ore Fines (Avg in 2010-11)
Total Fe : 56.04 % Total Fe : 64.86 %
FeO : 11.15 % Al2O3 : 01.82 %
CaO : 09.96 % SiO2 : 03.25 %
Mgo : 02.26 % P : 0.036 %
SiO2 : 06.15 %
Al2O3 : 02.15 %
MnO : 00.12 %
Basicity : 01.63 %
CaO/SiO2 :

Lime Stone (Avg in 2010-11) Dolomite (Avg in 2010-11)

CaO : 29.83 % CaO : 45.13 %
MgO : 20.73 % SiO2 : 09.64 %
SiO2 : 03.35 % Al2O3 : 01.18 %
Fe2O3 : 02.43 % MgO : 01.00 %
Al2O3 : 00.75 % Fe2O3 : 01.44 %
LOI : 42.41 % LOI : 41.12 %

(B) SIEVE ANALYSIS:

Sinter sieve analysis
+50 mm : 06.59 %
-5.0mm : 14.01 %

Drum Test (Sinter strength)

+6.3mm : 73.05 %
-0.5mm : 05.28 %

IX) EQUIPMENT CONTROL:

Sinter plant control is broadly divided into two sections to facilitate effective monitoring of the
above mentioned process activities. They are,
 Raw materials Bins (RMB control room)
 Sinter Machine Building (SMB Control room)
Equipments related to raw materials receipt, preparation & storage, base mix proportioning,
mixing, blending and dispatch, storing and dispatch of BF grade sinter & coke, conveying iron ore,
sinter and coke to BF, receiving sinter and coke returns from BF and handling metallurgical waste
materials are controlled from RMB control room.
Equipments related to sinter mix preparation, sinter making, crushing of sinter cake, screening
and cooling of hot sinter and finally screening of product sinter are controlled from Sinter Machine
Building (SMB) control room. Auxiliary equipments in ACP, GCP and SDPH are also controlled and
monitored from SMB control room.
Fan building control room is additionally provided in view of the criticality of sinter machine
exhausters. Some of the critical equipment like Hammer crushers, Coke crushers, Air cleaning Plant
exhausters, Sinter cooler blower fans and big capacity pumps in Slime Dewatering pump house are
operated locally with monitoring facilities from the control rooms.

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X) LIST OF SECTIONS IN RMB:
 Lime stone / Dolomite Crushing Plant (DCP)
 Flux Screening and Fuel grinding plant (DSP)
 Receiving Bins (RB)
 Raw Materials Bins (RMB)
 Material Mixing and Distribution Plant (MMDP)
 Fuel Storage Yard (FSY)
 Base Mix Yard (BMY)
 Centralized fire protection system
XI) LIST OF SECTIONS IN SMB:

 Sinter mix secondary Mixing and Pelletizing Plant (SMPP)

 Sinter Machine Building (SMB)
 Sinter Screening Plant (SSP)
 Fan Building (FB)
 Gas Cleaning Plant (GCP)
 Air Cleaning Plant (ACP)
 Slime Dewatering Pump House (SDPH)

XII) FUNCTIONS AND FACILITIES IN SECTIONS:

(A) RAW MATERIAL BINS

(a) Dolomite Crushing Plant:

Functions:
1. Receiving Lime stone and Dolomite from RMHP conveyors.
2. Storing and crushing of these flux materials.

Main Equipment:
1. Reversible Hammer Crushers - 04 Nos.
 Capacity : 250 T/hr (Each crusher)
 Maximum Input : 80mm
 Rotor speed : 1000 rpm
 Motor power : 630 KW
 Motor voltage : 6600V
 No of hammers : 45
 Rotor size : 1450 mm Dia
: 1300 mm Length

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 2. Electric magnets with metal sensors
3. Vibro feeders
4. Conveying and the DE (dust extraction) system equipment

(b) Flux Screening and Fuel Grinding Plant (DSP):

Functions:
1. Receiving and storing crushed flux
2. Screening and dispatch of +3mm and –3mm flux
3. Receiving and storing of coke breeze
4. Crushing and dispatch of crushed coke breeze (-3mm)
5. Conveying and the DE system equipment.

Main Equipment:
1. Four- roll coke crushers – 07 Nos
 Feed size of coke : Up to 25mm
 No. of Rolls : 04 Nos (Each crusher)
 Size of Rolls : 900 mm Diameter
: 700 mm Length
 Capacity : 16 T/hr
 Each crusher : Speed of Top rolls : 116 rpm
: Speed of Bottom rolls: 179 rpm
 Roll Turning Mechanism
2. Flux screens - 08 Nos.
 No. of Screening deck :1
 Inclination of Deck : 20°
 Size of screening surface : 17500 mm Width
: 3500 mm Length
 Screening mat : 4 x 4 mm Steel mesh
 Capacity : 150 T/hr
3. Tripper and Trolley Mounted Conveyors
4. Electro magnet
5. Conveying and the DE system equipment.

(c) Receiving Bins:

Functions:
1. Receiving of metallurgical waste material from Truck / Wagons.
2. Storing and dispatch of metallurgical waste materials to RMB.

Main Equipment:
1. Ground Hoppers : 08 Nos
2. Capacity of each hopper : 65 m3
3. Disc feeders : 08 Nos
4. Capacity of disc feeders : 120 – 210 m3 /hr

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(d) Raw Materials Bins:

Functions:
1. Receiving and storing of raw materials required for base mix preparation.
2. Base mix proportioning.
3. Control center for all activities related to base mix preparation, storing of sinter, Coke
breeze, Coke and base mix, conveying raw materials to Blast Furnace and receiving
fines from Blast Furnace.
4. Centralized fire fighting control.

Main Equipment:
1. 12 Nos. of storage bins.
 Bin-1 : 130 m3 Volume (Used for storing Metallurgical waste).
 Bin-2 : 320 m3 Volume (Used for storing Sand / Quartzite).
 Bin-3 to 6 : 4 x 320 m3 Volume (Used for storing I0F)
 Bin-7 : 320 m3 Volume (used for storing Lime stone).
 Bin-8 : 320 m3 Volume (used for storing Dolomite).
 Bin-9 to 10 : 2 x 320 m3 Volume (used for storing Coke breeze)
 Bin-11 to 12 : 2 x 80 m3 Volume (used for storing Lime/Dolo fines/Dust).
2. Belt weigh feeders.
 Ore fines BWF : 400 T/hr capacity
 Sand / quartzite : 50 T/hr capacity
 Lime stone & Dolomite BWF : 200 T/hr capacity
 Coke BWF : 100 T/hr capacity
3. Automatic fire fighting pump house.
4. Conveying and the DE system equipment.

(e) Material Mixing and Distribution Plant:

Functions:
1. Base mix homogenization.
2. Junction point for materials sent to BF, Base Mix Yard and SMPP and for materials
received from BF, CO&CCP and BMY.
Main Equipment:
1. Primary Mixing Drum
 Capacity : 1200 T/hr
 Speed of rotation : 9.3 rpm
 Dimensions : 3.2 m Inner Diameter
: 12.5 m Length
 Inclination : 3°
2. Conveying and DE System equipment.

(f) Base Mix Yard:

Functions:
1. Base mix Blending.
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 2. Storage and Dispatch of Base mix, Coke, Coke breeze (from FSY) and Sinter.

Main Equipment:
1. Twin Boom Stacker
 Capacity : 1200 T/hr
 No. of Booms : 02 Nos
 Boom conveyor speed : 2.5 m/s
 Max pile length : 445 m
 Pile width : 30 m
 LT Speed : 20 m/min
2. Blender Reclaimer
 Capacity : 1200 T/hr
 No. of Bucket wheels : 02 Nos
 No. of Buckets / wheel : 10 Nos
 Bucket speed : 4.58 rpm
 V/F Drives for Long travel and cross travel mechanisms
3. Wheel on Boom Reclaimer
 Capacity (sinter / coke) : (800 / 350) T/hr
 No. of Bucket wheels : 01 No
 No of buckets : 08
4. Single Boom Stacker
 Capacity (sinter/coke) : (800/350) T/hr
 Max pile length : 440 m
 Pile width : 20 m

(g) Centralized Fire Protection System:

Functions:
1. Sensing fire presence and taking automatic fire fighting action
2. Alerting operating and central fire brigade personnel to the fire situation

Facilities:
Pump house with emergency reservoir, ring pipe line, solenoid operated sprinklers /
drenchers, heat detectors, smoke sensors and manual call points.

(B) SINTER MACHINE BUILDING

(a) Sinter Mix Secondary Mixing and Pelletizing Plant:

Functions:
1. Receiving and storing of base mix, sinter returns, crushed lime stone (-3mm) and
crushed coke (-3mm)
2. Proportioning and nodulization of sinter mix with optimum moisture content.

Main Equipment:
1. Eight storage bins for each sinter machine.

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 STORAGE BINS DETAILS
BIN No. STORAGE MATERIAL CAPACITY
1 Lime stone 550 m3
2 Coke breeze 550 m3
3&4 Sinter returns 450 m3 (Each)
5&6 Base mix 370 m3 (Each)
7&8 Base mix 250 m3 (Each)

2. Pelletizing Drum.
 Size : 24 m Length x 4.2 m Inner diameter
 Speed : Variable (4-8 rpm)
 Capacity : Up to 1050 T/hr
3. Disc feeders.
 Disc Diameter : 3.15 m
 Speed : Variable
 Capacity : 210 - 370 m3/hr
4. Belt weigh feeders & Vibro feeders.
5. Air blasters for sinter return bins.
6. Conveying & DE system equipment.

(b) Sinter Machine Building:

Functions:
1. Sinter making.
2. Crushing and cooling of hot sinter to < 100°C.
3. Screening of hot sinter.
4. Cooling and dispatch of hot sinter returns.
5. Collection and dispatch of gas collector and sinter machine spillages.

Main Equipment:
1. Sinter machine.
 No. of pallets : 135 Nos
 Grate area : 312 m2
 Ignition Furnace : 17.44 m length
 No. of wind boxes : 26 Nos
 Bed Height : 500 mm
 Speed : Variable (0 – 8 m/min)
 Capacity : Up to 450 T/hr
2. Sinter cooler (SLC).
 Cooling area : 420 m2
 Angle of inclination : 6°
 No. of blowers : 08 Nos
 Capacity of each blower : 280,000 m3/hr
3. Hot screen.
 Capacity : 600 T/hr
 Screening surface : 3000 mm Width
: 6800 mm Length
4. Single roll crusher.
 Capacity : 800 – 900 T/hr
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  Rotor size : 4.2 m length x 1.3 m Dia.
5. Drum cooler.
 Capacity : 250 T/hr
 Drum size : 10 m length x 2.8 M Dia.
 Speed : 6.25 rpm

(c) Sinter Screening Plant:

Functions:
1. Receiving and screening of cooled sinter from sinter cooler.
2. Separation and dispatch of bed material (10 -20 mm sinter).
3. Separation and dispatch of sinter returns (-5 mm sinter).
4. Separation and dispatch of BF grade sinter (+5 mm to -50 mm sinter).

Main Equipment:
1. Sinter Returns Screen.
 Screening surface : 2000 m width x 4960 mm length
 Sieve size : 5 mm slot
 Motors : 2 x 22 KW
 Inclination : 0°
2. TRUFLO Screen.
 Capacity : 620 T/hr
 Motor : 50 Hp
 Top deck slot : 22 mm
 Bottom deck slot : 11 mm
3. Conveying and DE system (connected to ACP equipment)

(d) Fan Building:

Functions:
Driving the main exhaust fan to generate suction and aid in sintering.
Main Equipment:
1. Exhausters : 04 Nos
 Capacity : 15000 m3/min (Each exhauster)
 Drift pressure : 1500 mm wg
 Drift Temperature : 150°C
 Motor capacity : 5600 KW
 Motor speed : 1000 rpm

(e) Gas Cleaning Plant:

Functions:
Cleaning of exhaust gas from sinter machine and dispatch of collected dust to
screw mixer.

Main Equipment:
1. Electro Static Precipitators – 04 Nos
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  Section area / each ESP : 246.6 m2
 Collecting electrodes : 312 Nos
 Discharging electrodes : 304 Nos
 Feed voltage : 50 - 60 KV

(f) Air Cleaning Plant:

Functions:
1. Area de-dusting.
2. Cleaning of dusty air.
3. Collection and dispatch of collected dust.

Main Equipment:
1. Electro Static Precipitators.
 Quantity : 246 m2 x 02 Nos
: 97.4 m2 x 02 Nos
2. Exhauster fans (For hot chamber).
 Capacity : 473000 m3/hr
 Head : 4000 pa
 Motor capacity : 1000 kw
 Speed : 750 rpm
3. Exhauster fans (For cold chamber).
 Capacity : 3, 65,000 m3/hr
 Head : 5450 pa
 Motor capacity : 1000 kw
 Speed : 750 rpm
4. Scraper chain conveyors and rotary air lock valves.

(g) Slime Dewatering Pump House:

Functions:
1. De sliming of dirty waters collected from gallery / washing dust catchers.
2. Pumping of clarified water to different sections in sinter plant.

Main Equipment:
1. Thickeners: 03 Nos
 Nominal tank Diameter : 30 m
2. Double spiral clarifiers – 02 Nos.
 Spiral dia : 2000 mm
 Spiral length : 12500 mm
3. Disc vacuum filter.
 Filtering area : 68 m2
 Disc dia : 2.5 m
 No. of Discs : 8 Nos
4. Hydro cyclones, vacuum pumps, compressors, pumps for slime and clarified water
pumping.

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(C) UTILITIES & OTHER USEFUL FACILITIES PROVIDED IN SINTER PLANT:
Sinter plant is provided with centralized oxygen and compressed air supply lines through
out the shop and tapping points are given in various floors as per maintenance and operation
requirement. Compressed air is used for equipment cleaning, for agitation of dirty water sumps
and for pneumatic transport of lime fines. Oxygen and LPG are used for gas cutting application.
LPG is brought in cylinders for this purpose. Nitrogen and steam lines are provided for purging
of mixed gas pipe lines during shut downs. Chilled water is supplied to air conditioning units
provided for the two main control rooms and some control pulpits.
Recirculating pump house (PH-5) caters to various clean water process applications in
drum coolers and pelletizers. It also supplies water for equipment cooling purpose in hammer
crushers, ACP exhaust fans and main exhaust fans of sinter machine. The hot water from the
equipments is re-circulated to the pump house for cooling it before pumping in the circuit.
Centralized fire protection system is equipped with fire signaling desk in RMB control room
with zone wise fire annunciation along with audible alarm. On getting the fire signal, the system
automatically sprays water in the zone of fire along with shutting off ventilation motors. And a fire
signaling siren is blown locally along with transmission of fire signal to the central fire station.
Important facilities in this system are fire fighting pump house with emergency reservoir, ring
pipeline, solenoid operated sprinklers, heat detectors, smoke sensors, main and distribution pipe
lines and manual call points. Portable fire extinguishers of different types are kept in reserve in
fire prone zones and are monitored regularly.

XIII) PLANT PERFORMANCE:

Sinter plant has so far produced over 92 million tons of sinter since inception. The plant
performance has been maintained above the rated capacity with sustained efforts in maintaining
ageing equipment, by various in house modifications and by infusion of new technologies where
ever required. Some of the best production figures realized is given below.

Yearly sinter production – 5.891 million tons (2005-06)

Monthly sinter production – 526526 tons (March’2006)
Specific power consumption – 45.95 Kwh / ton (2009-10)

--o.§.o--

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