BSSL

Blow-in Plan and Concepts

March 20th, 2010

2. Blow-in Overview
> Blow-in is heating up furnace and
stabilizing the process.

Two major interdependent areas:

1. Casthouse Stabilization
> Ready and tested for normal tapping
> Process Requirements
> Good slag fluidity and temperature
(low basicity IB2 0.7, > 1450 degC)
> Good iron fluidity and temperature
(HM Silicon < 2.5%, > 1450 degC)

2. Blast Furnace Process stabilization

> Stable BF process / burden
distribution
> Casthouse requirements
> Stable casting
3. Blow in steps
1. Preparation
> Charging plan
2. Light-up
3. Putting blast on furnace
> Ramp-up plan
4. Connecting the GCP
5. Drying the furnace burden,
6. Removing blow out pipes
7. First Casts
8. Separation slag/iron
9. Normalizing process, reducing [Si]
4. Other issues
> Unprepared shutdown
> Furnace parameters during blow in
> Slag chemistry
5. Preparation: Hearth heating

> Hearth and Coke in hearth is cold, must be heated

to allow good liquid drainage (especially at high
[Si])
> Wood charge, all coke passes tuyeres
> Blow out pipes
> DRI charge
> The most heat comes with the HM produced, thus
DRI is used
> High heat
> Low slag rate
6. Preparation: Concept

> Blow out pipes to bring heat from raceway into

hearth
> Dog house to protect blow out pipes
> Wood charge to hold coke blank above tuyeres.
Thus all coke passes tuyeres and is heated bringing
heat to hearth
> Coke blank to fill hearth and to provide heat to heat
hearth coke and burden materials
> First charge with high coke rate to get process
started safely
7. Preparation: BF Filling

First charge:
800 kg/thm
DRI charge: 200
ton
450 kg/thm coke

Fluxed coke:
150 ton

Coke:
350 ton

Dog house

Wood:
320 m3
Blow out pipe
x2
8. Filling

> Filling to be done according to charging plan (excel

sheet)
> Charge weights
> Chute positions
> Material gate positions
> This includes testing of bell less top trajectories
with camera
9. Lighting the furnace

> Before lighting steam/nitrogen must be on top with

bleeders open
> Unblock all tuyeres, keep back door open
> Put flares in all tuyeres, the wood will ignite with
the natural draft
10. Putting blast on the furnace
> When all tuyeres are open and burning on natural draft,
blast may be put on the furnace
> Close all tuyeres and bring blast pressure to 0.3 bar by
controlling snort valve
> Check for leakages on tuyere floor, if found fix
> Start following blast ramp up plan
> During initial stages follow hot blast pressure not flow measurement
as it is unreliable at low rate
> Hot blast temperature to be as high as possible (aim 800
degC, will probably start at 600 degC). Use the hottest
stove first
> No additional moisture
11. Connecting the GCP
> GCP can be connected when no oxygen is measured
> If no measurement when blast is > 1000 Nm3/min for > 15 min
with all tuyeres brightly alight the GCP can be connected
> Check flare is ready
> Communicate with gas net users
> Close bleeders and connect GCP (see GCP proceedure)
> Stop steam/nitrogen on top
12. Preparation for GCP and Flare
> Complete gas system to all users (or U-seals) to be
completely purged with nitrogen and kept at positive
pressure to prevent any oxygen in system
> U seals and gas drips to be running
> Flare stack should be in auto mode controlling pressure in
clean gas system
> Raw gas main goggle after dust catcher should be closed
> The RS-Elements should be in the 100 % open position to
avoid the presence of any air cushions during purging
> Purging procedure to be finalized by BSSL
> Nitrogen must remain on dust catcher venting through blast
furnace bleeders
13. GCP connection
> Check flare is ready, pilots burners are lit
> Check all users are ready (first stoves)
> Start water clarified water pump HMI, RS sump pumps will
start automatically
> Check water flow on scrubber (560 m3/h) and levels on
scrubber on HMI
> Check the top pressure set point (minimum 0.3 bar)
> Open raw gas goggle valve after dust catcher
> Bring the scrubber RS elements to 20% open in manual on
HMI
> Close blast furnace bleeders
> Put scrubber RS elements in auto mode on HMI
> Stop nitrogen purge on dust catcher and gas system
> Check control is working correctly
14. Flare and final checks
> Check flare is operating correctly
> Check flame, visually
> Check clean gas pressure control with flare is working

> Check entire system for leakages, CO monitor

15. Drying the burden

> The coke and burden materials are wet and must
be dried and heated so the reactions can start
> The burden is dry when the top temperature starts
to move (is alive)
> To maximize drying,
> Maximize hot blast temperature
> No moisture addition to blast
> Minimize top pressure, (without too high burden DP <
1.0 bar)
16. Top pressure

> Top pressure to be kept to minimum during drying

to help drying
> Must be increased to maintain DP < 1.0 bar during
blow in
> Must not be increased too quickly to maintain
tuyere velocity > 180 m/s
17. Removal of blow out pipes

> After approx +12 hours the pipes will start to

sputter due to liquids in hearth
> When the flame is almost stopped the pipe must
be cut off and all steel lanced out of the taphole
> Blast pressure may have to be decreased to make
it easier
> After lancing a healthy flame should be in taphole
showing good connection with tuyeres
> Plug with taphole volume 1/2 stripe (30 litres)
> Repeat with other pipe when its flame has almost
stopped
18. Taphole volume

> First plugging and taps, 1 stripe

> In taphole, not next to taphole!
> After good connection increase to build mushroom
> Mud gun capacity 300 Liters
> 60 Liters per stripe

Length (m) 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

Dia (mm) Area cm2 Taphole volume, litres
40 12.6 1 2 3 3 4 4 5
45 15.9 2 2 3 4 5 6 6
50 19.6 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
55 23.8 2 4 5 6 7 8 10
60 28.3 3 4 6 7 8 10 11
80 50.3 5 8 10 13 15 18 20
100 78.6 8 12 16 20 24 27 31
120 113.1 11 17 23 28 34 40 45
19. First taps, to dry pit

> First tap on casthouse where blow out pipe was

first removed
> First tap +1hr after blow out pipe is removed
> Drill size 60 mm
> Send liquids to dry pit
> Plug with taphole volume + 15%
> Repeat with gap time of 1 hr

> Continue alternating with other casthouse

> When connection to tuyeres is stable start using
more clay to make mushroom
20. Ready for Separation

> After 2 or 3 casts from 1 taphole and when enough

hot metal is being produced a taphole is chosen to
start separation
> This taphole is to be prepared for separation (1 hr)
> Remove sand
> Heat skimmer block
> During this period tap from other taphole to dry pit
(1 taphole operation)
21. Separation

> When the casthouse is prepared and ready for

separation there can be tapped over this casthouse
> SGP status and procedures to be checked
> The next 2 to 4 casts must be on this casthouse
> When the separation and casting is going well
(after minimal 3 casts) the decision is made to
prepare the other casthouse for separation
22. SGP start-up for blow-in

1. Start wheel on HMI

2. Start granulation pumps
3. Selected casthouse for granulation to redirect
water flow on HMI
4. Start conveyor on HMI
5. Visual check on spray head, wheel and conveyor
6. Send slag to SGP
7. Visually monitor granulation
8. Divert to pit if problems
23. First casts: summary

Gap time (between taps) maximum 1 hour.

Iron and slag to pit

Iron / slag separation

Blow-in pipe removal

Enough iron prod.

≈ 12-16h

for separation ≈ 40h

Prep. Taphole A
for separation

One taphole operation

A

STABLE
B

Prep. Taphole B
For separation,
Hot standby
24. Normalizing process
> The HM Silicon becomes high (4 – 4.5%) during a blow-in
due to:
> a very high melting zone, due to high coke rate
> the low slag basicity, low pressure in furnace

> The process must be normalized as soon as possible (Si <

1.5%)
> Less work in casthouse
> Less fouling of torpedoes
> Stable furnace operation, useable hot metal
25. Normalizing process: [Si] control
> Lowering coke rate according to plan

> If HM Silicon high (>3%), HM temperature high (>1500

degC) and slag is fluid
> Increase moisture to maximum 45 gr/Nm3 (total inc. ambient)
> Decrease blast temperature to minimum 850 degC
> Maintain flame temperature > 1950 degC
26. Coke Buffer
> High initial coke rate required to dry and heat up burden
> This must be consumed to attain stable operation
> Charging less coke allows the coke buffer to be consumed

Blow in Stable operation

Si > 2.5% Si < 1.0%

Large Coke Buffer Normal Coke Buffer

≈ 6 - 10 m ≈ 2-3 m
≈ 300 ton ≈100 ton
27. Furnace parameters during blow in
> Stockline
> Maintain normal stockline level during all stages of blow in
> This has little effect on drying and gives a buffer should there be
charging delays
> Top pressure
> Top pressure to be kept to minimum during drying to help drying
> Must be increased to maintain DP < 1.0 bar during blow in
> Must not be increased too quickly to maintain high tuyere velocity
> Tuyere velocity
> Maintain high given furnace parameters (aim > 180 m/s < 220
m/s). Top pressure should not be too high
> Flame temperature
> Maintain between 1950 and 2300 degC
28. Slag chemistry
> The slag chemistry is chosen for good fluid slag at the
expected high expected silicon at the start of the blow in
> A chemical buffer is used by choosing a low baciocity slag
such that high hot metal silicon and low hot temperatures
will still give a fluid slag
> Chemistry
> Al2O3 < 17%
> MgO 7 to 9%
> IB2 initially 0.8

> The basicity can only be increased when the hot metal
silicon is low and in control ([Si] < 1.5%)
> The maximum IB2 is to be 0.9 during the first weeks due to
the high chance of an unplanned shutdown
29. Slag basicity and liquidus temperature
SiO 2
1300°C
80
10 1400°C
70 1500°C
15% Al 2O3 20
60 1600°C
30
1800°C
50
40
IB2 0.7
40
50 1.0
1.2 30
60
20
70
10
80

CaO 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 MgO

> The lower the basicity the lower the liquidus temperature
> IB2 0.7 = 1300 degC, IB2 1.2 = 1480 degC.
> Slag analysis of every cast is essential
30. Forced shutdown
> Burdening of the furnace is designed to always be able to
shutdown furnace
> Major risk during a shutdown is loss of connection between
tuyere and taphole
> If the furnace has to shutdown the following step
> Tap furnace empty, both tapholes if possible
> Test connection between taphole and tuyere after

> Consider extra coke depending on conditions

31. Unplanned shutdown

> If the heath is not sufficiency hot and the furnace

is stopped the slag and HM can freeze under the
tuyeres
> This can lead to a loss of connection between the
tuyeres and the taphole

New liquid cannot

reach taphole

Frozen slag / HM
due to cold hearth

Long and expensive

recovery process
32. Loss of connection - prevention

> No shutdown possible until hearth is hot

> If a shutdown occurs is must be as short as
possible
> Multiple short shutdowns also create problems

> Start with high coke rate, 800 kg/thm

> Start with low slag basicity, IB2 = 0.7
33. Blast and Production plan

Hot Blast Temperature (C) Production thm/d Hot Blast Volume (Nm3/min)

2,600
First Target,
2,400 DRI charge ≈ 2000 tpd
2,200
2,000
1,800
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
0 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96
Hours

First good cast

Slag/Iron separation

Blow-in pipe removal

34. Liquids in hearth

Liquids in Hearth (m3) Slag in hearth m3

HM in hearth m3 Hearth + sump vol. (ε 30%)

140
Sump vol. (ε 30%)

120

100

80

60

40

20

0
0 8 16 24
Hours

First good cast,

Blow-in pipe removal

35. Coke rate and silicon

[Si] that results in IB2 = 1.

Safety in [Si] for fluid slag.

Silicon % HM Si (IB2=1) %

7.0

6.0

5.0
Predicted [Si]
4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0
0 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96
Hours
36. Coke rate

Coke rate kg/thm Slag rate kg/thm

1,000
900 Quick drop in coke rate to
800 stabilize [Si]
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
0 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96
Hours

Final coke rate still to be

Low initial slag rate due decided
to DRI (CR 300 kg/thm)
37. Coke rate and silicon
Burden pressure drop (bar) Toppressure (bar) Blast pressure (bar)

2.5

Maintain low DP
2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5
Only increase top pressure after top
temperature is alive
0.0
0 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96
Hours

Tuyere velocity (m/s)

250
200
150
Tuyere velocity > 150 m/s,
100 aim 180 – 220 m/s
50
0 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96
Hours