Extracting maximum value from

the existing inputs at TSL-BF

CSI workshop on benchmarking and innovation

14-Aug-2010, Dimna
 Key Issues at Blast Furnaces
A. Physical quality of raw materials C. Inconsistency in other
 Too much fines input from ore and qualities
sinter  Sinter Chemistry
 Impact of monsoon  Sinter RDI
 Wet and sticky fines in iron ore  Coke CSR/CRI
 Wet coke from stock
D. Chemistry
 Wet pyroxenite  High Al2O3 in iron ore, sinter
 Wet PCI coal  Low CaO, High SiO2 in sinter

B. Strength Issues E. Issues with auxiliaries:

 O2, N2
 Poor strength of sinter – too much
 Power dips
return fines
 Inconsistent strength of coke F. Waste disposal
 Dust, sludge,
 Granulated slag

Note: Inconsistent raw materials quality leads to abnormal furnace behaviour.

 COMPARISON WITH THE BEST IN THE WORLD

Pareameter Known world

TSL Gap Enablers
(Unit) best *
more
Size range (mm) 10 to 30 10 to 40 lump Process improvement
fraction
Iron ore
Undersize from
<3 10 7 Process improvement
mines out put (% )
Al2O3 (% ) <1 1.7 0.7 Cost
Tumbler index 80 74 (-6) Process improvement
Input Sinter Return fines (% ) 10 >20 (+10) Process improvement
B2 2.4 2.2 (-0.2) Process improvement
Ash (% ) <10 >15 (+5) Cost
CSR >70 63 (-7) Process improvement
Coke CRI <24 26 to 29 (+4) Process improvement
Undersize
5 >10 (+5) Process improvement
generation (% )
Agglomerates % 90 upto 70 (-20) Cost
Oxygen Enrichment (% ) upto 12 6 (-6) Cost
around
PCI rate (Kg/thm) >200 (-60) Process improvement
140
BF Process Differential
Bar 1.4 to 1.5 1.9 to 2.0 (+0.5) Process improvement
pressure
Eta CO % 50 to 51 46 to 47 (-4) Process improvement
Humidity Gm/Nm3 <30 40 to 50 (+10) Process improvement
Al2O3 (% ) 11 20 (+9) Cost
Slag
Rate (Kg/thm) 220 280 (+60) Cost
Out put
Si (% ) 0.3 to 0.4 0.7 to 0.9 (+0.5) Cost
HM
P (% ) <0.120 >0.180 (+0.06) No Action
* From different sources over last 10-12 years
 Action plan

• We need to develop:

– Overall operating philosophy

– Recovery plan for abnormal situations, e.g.

• Control action for loss of permeability
• Control action for fluctuations in stave temperatures
• Control action for hearth life improvement
• Managing with high alumina inputs from raw materials

– Daily management and control

 Operating Philosophy
Existing cycle at Blast Furnaces

Target setting
Past experience
Knowledge of inputs

Input of shutdown plan

Results

Improve Operation Plan

Operation plan
Daily Skill, courage
Management
New idea System Execution of
generation operation plan

Results

Data collection
Data analysis
Execution and check
Understanding
 Operating Philosophy
Handling abnormal situations at Blast Furnaces

Intention: Get back to

normal operation
Past experience
Seek help from experts
Modify action plan Information collection

Improve Operation Revise Operation Plan

to normal level Daily
Management Courage to take
hard decisions
System
Revise plan based Execute revised
on new idea operation plan

Data collection
Data analysis
Execution and
check
Understanding by
seeing “results”
Time: within 24 hrs
Example : Revised action plan for poor wind acceptance
 Managing high alumina iron ore
 Ore washing and beneficiation
 Well proven and in use at TSL
 Find ways to recover iron values from slime having ~58% Fe
 New technology development – work already in progress at R&D
 BM: 42% Fe ore beneficiated and used., (Ukraine, China)

 Optimize sinter chemistry for ensuring high strength and

low return fines
 Higher sinter basicity improves tumblet strength - fact well known
 Target higher CaO (9.5-9.8%) and lower SiO2, use dolo...
 Dunkerque : 9.5%CaO, Slag Al2O3 = 11%,
 Will cause higher slag rate ~300 kg/thm (is tolerable)
• Dunkerque: slag rate 280 kg/thm, PCI 210 kg/thm

 Optimize slag regime

 Slag Al2O3 > 21% (philosophy unique to Indian operations..)
High Al2O3 slag regime is the preferred option
for lower slag rates…
Benefit Potential:
• A 25-30 kg/thm reduction in slag rate
• Other benefits owing to lower viscosity
and liquidus achieved by lowering
alumina input
• Already experimented in GBF
Issues in implementation:
• Lowering on CaO in sinter
• Lowering of % Sinter in burden
• Increase in slag basicity
Challenges in operating
with high Alumina slag :

Low slag fluidity caused

by:
• thermal swings and
• variation in slag chemistry

Concerns:

• Std Dev of sinter CaO <0.20.

• Coke quality fluctuations
• Process interruptions at BFs
 Improve strength of sinter by increasing basicity,
thereby lower return fines….
Sinter basicity and FeO levels need to
be increased to achieve better strength
and lower return fines.

From Literature
Sinter Strength has dropped over the years……
It should be restored to reasonable levels…
 Achieve high PCI by higher O2 enrichment
High Production and lower y = 0.000255x 2 - 0.0148x + 1.9868
Coal Oxy n = 1909 std error = 0.853548
cost: Enabled by high PCI- PCI Vs O2
17.0
high O2 operation 16.0 Ref: Scunthorpe BF
15.0
14.0
Key challenges: 13.0
12.0
11.0
 Ensuring high quality and consistency

% oxy enr
10.0
9.0
in input RM, esp. coke, which is 8.0
required at high PCI-high O2 operation 7.0
6.0
5.0

 Lowering moisture load to sustain top 4.0

3.0
gas temp 2.0
1.0
 Coke drying system 0.0
 Extend the same to lump ore also 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280
PCI kg/thm

 Augment charging and drainage

capacities of BFs

 Augment PCI grinding and injection

capacities

 Operating philosophy for high

productivity operation
 Higher utilisation of wastes/reverts

• Use of BF flue dust and sludge

 Dry dust separation using bag filters in BF GCP line would enable dry flue
dust circulation in sintering or pelletising processes..
 Ref: NSC, TSTH…..

• Lower generation of sinter return fines

Technology Groups (R&D, IMTG, Automation, ITS) should involve in:
 on-line monitoring of sinter size analysis using image processing
 Study of sinter degradation during screening using high speed camera
 Pot tests with higher basicity sinters to optimise chemistry and restore strength
Thank You