BF 2 Accretion removal

by
CO2 activation

D. Ravichandar
Jayant Sathaye
N. Sai Rama Krishna

1
 CONTENTS

•BF # 2 at JSW Salem Works

•Introduction
•Operating parameters
•First visual inspection
•Accretion Analysis
•Possible reasons for Accretion formation
•Alkali & ZnO balance
•Actions initiated & Review
•Selection of Cardox method
•Working of Cardox system
•Execution methodology
•Post removal - Furnace Performance

2
 BF # 2 AT JSW SALEM WORKS

The Blast Furnace-2 of JSW BF 2 Main features

Salem works was Working Volume 495 M3
commissioned in July 2007 Useful volume 550 M3
No. of tuyeres 16

It is a 550m3 furnace and the Hearth dia 5900 mm
design & technology supplied
Tuyere dia 110 mm
by CERI, China.
HBP 2.10 Kg/cm2
TP 0.85 Kg/cm2

Raw material source
HBT 1075° C

Iron ore – Karnataka
Sinter 60%
(Bellary)
Stoves Top combustion

Coke – Captive &
GCP Dry type
Purchased
Charging system BLT

3
 INTRODUCTION

NORMAL PERFORMANCE

Productivity - 2.6 to 2.8 MT/M3/Day.

Average Coal injection rate 95 -100 Kg/THM in July & Aug-09.

DETERIORATED PERFORMANCE FROM SEP-09

Blast acceptance was in decreasing trend.

Furnace movement disturbed.

Top temperatures were in increasing trend.

Refractory lining temperatures were in dropping trend.

Furnace got drifted towards unstable regime of operation.

Primary reason - inferior quality sinter & coke.

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 OPERATING PARAMETERS
Production (MT)

46000
45060
43178
42000 39770
38577
38000 36110
34194 34007
34000

30000
Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10

Blast Volume (Nm3/Hr)

74000
71200 70450
70000
67249 67170 67020
66007
66000
62121
62000

58000
Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10

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 OPERATING PARAMETERS
Fuel Rate

725 709
700
675 663
650 642 648
650
625 597
592
600
575
550
Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10

PCI (Kg/THM)

125
101 96
100 83 81
71
75 62
50
50
25
0
Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10

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 OPERATING PARAMETERS
Top Gas Temp (Avg)

230 224
206
210
187 189
190
173
170 164
157
150
Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10

Refractory Temp (Avg)

330
311
310 296
286 283 286
290
270 253 249
250
230
Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10

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 FIRST VISUAL INSPECTION

• Shutdown was taken on 08.12.09 for visually inspecting the condition

inside the furnace.
• Stock level was brought down by 9 meters & shutdown was taken.
• The Furnace inspection holes at different elevations were opened.
• On inspection, huge accretion formation was noticed. The exact
location and thickness of accretion was estimated.
• The accretion build up started from 23-m elevation (Middle stack)
and extended downwards up to 20m elevation.
• It was spread between 180° to 360° with reference to tap hole at 0°.
• The accretion appeared to have blocked 25 – 30% of area.
• The size was in the order of 30 to 35 M3.

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 BLAST FURNACE 2

ACCRETION

Inspection Holes 4 X 60 mm dia

21 meter elevation

19 meter elevation

16 meter elevation

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ACCRETION IN BF 2

10
 ACCRETION ANALYSIS

High in ZnO & K2O.

Away
Near Middle
Analysis from
the wall portion

All the inputs like coke, ore, the wall
sinter, mill scale etc and Fe2O3 38.30 5.16 17.19
outputs like flue dust and GCP Al2O3 24.80 31.19 15.13
dust are normally subjected to SiO2 18.10 13.63 21.75
chemical analysis. MgO 0.65 0.92 4.55
CaO 2.30 3.34 18.43

Special analysis was carried K2O 2.36 16.50 12.22
out to identify the Zn carrying TiO2 0.92 0.90 0.48
input. P2O5 0.15 0.12 0.51
Na2O 0.09 2.06 2.60
ZnO 10.76 14.93 1.83

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POSSIBLE REASONS FOR ACCRETION FORMATION
Sinter
Higher Zn
through
Alkali purchased
accumulation Mill scale

Coke
Higher
Higher
Accretion Zn
Zn
formation through
input
coking
coal

Low level
EOF Sludge
dumping
Higher Zn
during
through
hanging /
purchased
slipping
scrap

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 ALKALI BALANCE
Very low flushing

In put Out put Flushing %

3.80 3.62 120
3.60 111
110
98 96
3.40 94 95 94 3.25 100
3.20 88
3.09 2.97 90
3.00 2.89 2.88 2.83 2.83 2.85 2.86
2.75 80
2.80 2.67 2.66
70
2.60 2.47
2.40 60
2.20 50
2.00 40
Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10

Alkali Input & Output (Kg/THM)

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 TYPICAL ZnO BALANCE

Percentage of
Input Percentage Kg/THM
Input
Coke 0.006 0.029 5.40
Sinter 0.045 0.450 94.1
Coal 0.002 0.002 0.50
Total input 0.525

Percentage of
Output Percentage Kg/THM
output
Flue dust 0.76 0.372 64
GCP dust 0.80 0.208 36
Total output 0.580
Flushing percentage 110

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 ACTIONS INITIATED

 Following operational practices were initiated:

Peripheral working was intensified,

Charging extra cokes,

Clean up charges at regular intervals,

Lower RAFT,

Low basicity of 0.90 to 0.95

Usage of BF2 flue dust in sinter plant stopped

 These actions showed some improvement but the trend of revival was
very marginal.

15
 REVIEWING THE SITUATION

On 10th Jan 2010 another

shutdown was taken.

The stock level was brought

down by 10 meters.

Visual inspection carried out.

REVIEW FINDINGS

Not much change in the Accretion size.

Conventional method could take much longer time to
normalize the furnace operation.

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VARIOUS OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR ACCRETION DISLODGING

Coke bunches charging along with Clean up charges

Furnace has to run consistently.

Higher silicon to be maintained.

Difficult to dislodge the accretion if it is located in granular
zone.

It may take much longer time for normailising the furnace.

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VARIOUS OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR ACCRETION DISLODGING

Controlled Blasting

Faster recovery compared to other methods.

Holes to be drilled through shell & lining.

Requires expert blasters.

Blasting effect on lining unpredictable.

Temperature where Explosive to be placed shall be maximum 40°C.

Personal & equipment safety is a key factor.

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VARIOUS OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR ACCRETION DISLODGING

Blowing down the furnace & manual breaking

Furnace to be blown down up to tuyere level.

Inside atmosphere shall be suitable for people to enter
inside the furnace.

Personal safety is a key factor.

Time consuming and startup will be slow.

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 SELECTION OF CARDOX METHOD FOR ACCRETION REMOVAL

Available options Constraints Search

Coke bunches
Longer time for for
charging along with normalising the new
Clean up charges furnace Methods

More coke

Controlled Blasting consumption _____________

Personal risk

Blowing down the
Potential risk of Cardox
furnace & manual damage to method
breaking equipment / (Liquid CO2
refractory Activation)

Expertise
requirement

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 THE WORKING OF CARDOX SYSTEM

Cardox consists of a high strength reusable steel tube filled with liquid
carbon dioxide, a chemical heater and a rupture disc.

When energised by the application of a small electrical charge, the

chemical heater instantly converts the liquid carbon dioxide to a gas.

This conversion expands the CO2 volume and builds up pressure inside
the tube until it causes the rupture disc at the end of the tube to burst.

This releases the CO2 - now 600 times the original volume - through a
special discharge nozzle to create a powerful heaving force, at pressures
up to 40,000 psi (3,000bar).

This all takes place in milliseconds.

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 THE WORKING OF CARDOX SYSTEM

Before : Cardox tube is After: The tube is

Socket welded in to placed in the tube removed and system
hole provided in the holder, inserted and is ready for use
shell then secured in the
socket. The tube is
then activated.

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THE WORKING OF CARDOX SYSTEM

CARDOX TUBE

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 EXECUTION METHODOLOGY

• On 02.02.10, burden level was lowered by 10 meters and shut down

taken.

• Accretion was from 23 meter elevation (Middle stack) and extended

downwards up to 20 meter elevation.

24
 EXECUTION METHODOLOGY

• In four identified locations at 21

meter elevation, Shell plate was cut
by gas cutting

• In those locations, four holes of 75

mm dia were drilled by core drilling
machine

• Special stainless steel sockets with

locking arrangement were welded
inside the holes.

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EXECUTION METHODOLOGY

• Cardox tubes were filled with

liquid CO2 from cryogenic
cylinders using Cryogenic
pump .

• Actual quantity of CO2 filled

was measured by weighing the
tube before and after filling.

Safety locking system for

Cardox tube

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 EXECUTION METHODOLOGY

• Cardox tubes were fixed in the

sockets and locked.

• Liquid CO2 activation was

initiated.

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 LIQUID CO2 ACTIVATION

Liquid
No. of CO2
Activation tubes Quantity Location Observation
used filled in
each tube
1st stage 2 720 grams 21 mtrs elevation Not much impact
activation at 236°, 245°
holes
2nd stage 1 720 grams 21 mtrs elevation Internal cracks
activation at 245° hole observed
3rd stage 2 780 grams 21 mtrs elevation Accretion dislodged
activation at 332°,245° holes

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 LIQUID CO2 ACTIVATION – ACTIVITY CHART
Activity Time (minutes)
Shell plate cutting 120
Core drilling machine fixing 15
Core drilling -2 holes in 180 minutes 360
Socket welding (Liquid CO2 filling parallel activity) 120
Inserting the Cardox tubes in the socket 15
1st stage Activation & Observation 20
2nd stage activation & observation 20
Liquid CO2 filling in tubes 45
3rd stage activation & observation 20
Sockets removal 45
Refractory fill up in the holes 25
Shell plate welding 220
Total time taken 1025
(17 hours)
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 FURNACE PARAMETERS - BEFORE & AFTER ACCRETION REMOVAL

Blast Volume Nm3/Hr

Before After
75053 75122
73778 73814 73407
74000 72400 72840
71200 70450
70000 67170
67249 67020
66007
66000
62121
62000

58000
Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10 5-Feb 6-Feb 7-Feb 8-Feb 9-Feb 10-Feb 11-Feb

Blast Volume (Before & after accretion removal)

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FURNACE PARAMETERS - BEFORE & AFTER ACCRETION REMOVAL

Fuel Rate Kg/THM

Before After
700
663
675
650 648
650 642

625 615 616

607 602
597 600
600 592 592 591

575

550
Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10 5-Feb 6-Feb 7-Feb 8-Feb 9-Feb 10-Feb 11-Feb

Fuel Rate (Before & after accretion removal)

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FURNACE PARAMETERS - BEFORE & AFTER ACCRETION REMOVAL

Productivity (on WV) MT/M3/Day

Before After

3.25 3.18 3.13

3.12 3.10 3.12
2.98
3.00 2.86 2.84
2.75 2.63 2.56
2.53
2.47
2.50
2.34
2.25
2.25

2.00
Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10 5-Feb 6-Feb 7-Feb 8-Feb 9-Feb 10-Feb 11-Feb

Productivity (Before & after accretion removal)

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THANK YOU

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