Iron Making Process at New Zealand Steel

The Iron Plant at NZS

Multi-Hearth Hot Charge Melters

Raw Materials Kilns
Furnaces Transfer
Air
Slag
Coal / MHF
Limestone
Iron
Storage MHF Ladles
and
To
Blending
MHF VRU

Ironsand
MHF Slag
(PC)

Cogeneration

Cogeneration Surge
Hopper

Coal and Primary Dry Primary Reduced Primary Liquid Iron

Concentrate Mix Concentrate and Char Concentrate and (Hot Metal)
Char (RPCC)
RAW MATERIAL
Primary Concentrate

Mineral Sand: Titano-magnetitie

Fet 58 – 59%
TiO2 8%
SiO2 1.8 – 3.0%
Particle size 50 – 250 µm
 Primary Concentrate (PC) notes
• PC is the only iron ore source used at Glenbrook
• NZS uses approx 1.2Mt/a PC sourced from Waikato North Head
• PC is a titanomagnetitie (TiO2.Fe3O4) mineral sand
• The Fe content is 58 - 59.5%. It has a relatively high gangue load compared to traditional iron ore sources for
blast furnaces.
• It is not suitable as a sole ore source for blast furnace ironmaking due to the high melting point of the gangue
components in particular the TiO2
• Like most ore deposits the Waikato North Head (WNH) mine site is not homogenous, the raw sand is laid down in
different strata with varying magnetic content
• This then gives rise to variation in the PC grade (%Fe) and the composition of the gangue
• There is no blending between mining and processing in iron making, there are various stock piles with some
mixing but there is no method to produce a controlled blend, this results in variation in the gangue load through
the iron making process
• The PC is the primary source of phosphorous in the process (in fact all, with small two exceptions)
• PC also contains slimes, the bulk is removed at WNH, however, slimes are also transported and attritioned down
the slurry pipeline and must be controlled and disposed of onsite
• The PC is the source of accretion in the kilns; as loose boulder accretion, wall accretion (protective) and ring
accretion (throughput restricting)
• The gangue from the PC makes up 75-80% of the melter slag
Coal with Limestone and KOBM Slag

Coal: Sub-bituminous (high volatile)

Proximate (typical, as received)
Moisture 21%
Volatile 34%
Ash 4.5%
Fixed Carbon 40.5%
S 0.22%

Limestone blended at approx. 6%

KOBM slag addition constant amount,
based on sustainable uprisings
 Coal Notes
• The NZS Ironmaking process uses sub bituminous coal (high volatile) – the coal type used is very close to ideal
for the combination of ironmaking MHF/Kiln process
• NZS uses approx. 800 000t/a of coal
• This is a ‘charring’ type of coal. Coking (metallurgical) coals are not suitable for this process.
• The coal type used is generally classified as a Thermal Coal i.e. it is a coal type that is primarily used for steam
raising boilers e.g. coal fired power stations, and even in this application the coal used at NZS is a low calorific
coal type.
• Historically the NZS coal requirement has been supplied from the coal fields in Huntly, Waikato approx 100km
south of the mill
• This was from a single supplier (Government owned coal company) and came from two mines
• Since 2005 other coal sources have been sourced, lab tested and trialled
• Outside of the Huntly region in NZ the only readily available and comparable coal types have been from
Indonesia. There is NZ Southland coal that may be suitable (to be trialled).
• Australian coal from NSW and Queensland are not suitable for the NZS iron making process
• Collie coals from Western Australian that are used in ilmenite kilns are the ‘right type’ of coal. However, these
coals are high sulphur, have had low availability and at times higher price.
• The Kiln process is the primary reason that this type of coal is required. Most of the fixed carbon content of the
coal is used in the kiln.
• In the kiln the fixed carbon is used as an energy source and as a reductant source. The reactivity of the char
produced from this coal type is critical to the productivity of the kiln process/operation.
 Limestone Notes
• Limestone is used as a source of fluxing agent (lime) for the melter process
• Limestone is sourced from the King Country (approx 160km south of the mill) and delivered primarily by rail
• The limestone used is in chip form, this allows blending with the coal and minimises loss to the off-gas systems
through the MHFs, Kilns and Melters
• The limestone is added to the coal stockpile to build a coal/limestone blended stock pile
• The quantity of limestone is determined by the expected PC gangue load and the slag chemistry that is being
achieved and in conjunction with the quantity of KOBM slag being used
• Once constructed the limestone cannot be reduced. However, additional limestone can be added.
• The limestone is calcined through the kiln
• This process consumes some of the kiln energy and throughput capacity
• Some of the coal consumption is required for calcination
KOBM Slag Notes
• KOBM slag is used because:
• Reduces landfill (or aggregate)
• Contains CaO (43 - 45%), therefore is only heated and does not require calcination
• Contains V2O5 so increases V recovery by increasing HM V content
• Reduces limestone purchased (each 1t reduction in limestone requires approx. 1.3t KOBM slag)
• But KOBM slag:
• Increases SiO2 and other slag gangue load
• Increases P load
• Ultimately ends up in melter slag so still goes to tipping banks (land fill or aggregate)
THE MULTIHEARTH FURNACE
AND KILN PROCESSES
Multi – Hearth Furnaces (MHFs)

• Purpose
–Dry raw materials
–Devolatilise coal
–Preheat for kiln (600C)
–Offgas to electric power co-generation

–No reduction
–No calcination
 Feed Bins

Coal PC
The Multi-Hearth Furnaces…
Weigh Feeders

Conveyor
Gas Seal
Valves
Zones
Offgas to Cogen
Rabble Arms
1. Drying
Dust
Cyclone
Burner
Air
Supply Feed to Kiln 2. Combustion

Hot Pan 3. Control

Conveyor

Rotary Shaft
Air cooled
 MHF Notes
• Primary function is to char the coal
• Increases the productivity (throughput) of the kiln by removing a significant off gas load (moisture and coal
volatiles) – this is a huge benefit compared to like kiln operations without a MHF
• However, a MHF introduces additional complexity and maintenance issues
– It is difficult to maintain the ideal temperature profile
– Can only really measure the gas space temp rather than the solids/bed temp. The gas space based TCs are
susceptible to accretion which then reads lower than actual gas space temp
– MHF is very susceptible to uneven gas flow distribution as drop holes get blocked
– The air addition can also be uneven due to the relatively low flow/pressure distribution around the air ring main
– The air addition is through ports, it is not a controlled burner which ratios fuel to air
– Uneven and high temperatures can thermally and mechanically stress the rabble arms
– Uneven and high temperatures cause accretion formation within the MHF, this can restrict flow or break away
and put mechanical stress on rabble arms that lead to breakage
– There are a lot of connections within the MHF between the central shaft and the rabble arms (12 x 4 = 48)
which all have the potential for uncontrolled air leakage into the MHF that results in burning in undesirable
areas
– The off-gas is a dirty, low calorific gas, while this is combustible it can be difficult to sustain and monitor the
flame in the afterburner. Changes in coal type can have a significant effect on the volume and CV of the off-
gas.
– MHF off-gas capacity can be throughput limiting for the operation
Rotary Kilns

• Reduction of ironsand to ~78% metallisation

• Calcination of the limestone
• Hot charge of product to the next process
• Offgas to electric power co-generation
 INFORMATION
Size:
65m x 4.6m
The Reduction Kilns… Lining
250 mm
Feed
From
Explosion Nom speed:
Hatch
MHF 0.5 rev/min
Offgas
Slope: 1.5%
to Kiln Dust Feed
Cogen
Nine Shell Air Fans Kiln Discharge

Startup
Burner
Dust Drop-
Out Box Drive units Grizzly
Support Rollers

Volumetric Hopper

To Water Treatment
Hot Container Accretions
Transport
Overall, what happens?
Feeds: (all but air are dried and preheated to 600ºC)
• Ironsand (titanomagnetite, plus gangue) Key
• Coal char (10%VM) Fe3O4 = Magnetite
• Limestone FeO = Wüstite
• Air (from 9 SAFs)
CaCO3 = Limestone
Process:
CaO = Lime
• Retention time (12 h at 30 t/h PC feed; 8 h at 38 t/h)
• Temperatures (solids: up to 1000ºC; gases: up to 1500ºC)
Product (Reduced Primary Concentrate and Char, RPCC):
• Sponge iron (RPC) with unreduced FeO and gangue
• Char and ash
• Lime (with absorbed S, etc)
• Accretions
• Off gases (N2, CO, CO2)  Electricity (Kiln Cogen)
Kiln Notes
What’s needed for reduction of ironsand to metallic iron?

HEAT
• To raise the temperature to achieve sufficient speed of reaction
(14 h at 600ºC, 10 min at 1400ºC)
• To maintain reaction temperature, i.e. compensate for endothermic
reactions

REDUCTANT
• In this case, CO gas is the reductant (not char directly)
The main reactions…
Bed Reactions
Overall reduction reaction…
0.7 Fe3O4 + 0.3 Fe2TiO4 + 1.7 C = 2.7 Fe + 1.7 CO2 + 0.3 TiO2
__________________________________

Char gasification…the “Boudouard Reaction” “KEY REACTION”

Temperature CO2 + C = 2 CO for the Kiln
must be > 850ºC Highly Endothermic

Iron oxide reduction…

Weakly Endothermic
Fe3O4 + 3 CO = 3 FeO + 3 CO2
FeO + CO = Fe + CO2 Moderately Exothermic

Fe2TiO4 + 2 CO = 2 Fe + 2 CO2 + TiO2

The main reactions (continued)…

Gas Space Reactions

Oxygen from the SAFs reacts… Main oxidising
O2 + 2 CO = 2 CO2 reaction
Highly Exothermic
And, to a lesser extent…
O2 + C (dust) = CO2
CO2 + C (dust) = 2 CO

And don’t forget hydrogen…

H2O (humidity) + C (dust or bed) = H2 + CO
H2 also reduces FeOx
 Temperatures and compositions…

Kiln Reduction Process

1600 90
Preheating Zone Reduction Zone
1400 80

1200 70
Gas
Temperature (C)

Met and C (%)

Temp 60
1000
50
800 Bed
Temp Metallisation 40
600
30
400 20
Carbon
200 10
0 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Distance from Inlet (m)
Detailed Reaction Zones…..

Oxidising Zones
O2 + CO = CO2

Reducing Zone

Reducing Zone Reducing Zone

Heat Transfer…

Key
1. Gas to bed (R & Conv)
2. Gas to wall (R & Conv)
2 3. Wall to bed (R)
3 4. Wall to wall (R)
1 5. Wall to bed (Cond)
6. Shell heat loss (Conv)
R = radiation
Conv = convection
Cond = conduction
5
 How the Kilns process magnifies raw
Carbon in Carbon
Coal (FC) After Kiln materials variability….
Variability

KILN %C VARIABILITY
12

10

8
%C in RPCC

Safety
4 Margin

2
OSE - Kiln Accretion Min %C

0
60 65 70 75 80 85 90

% Metallisation
THE MELTER PROCESS
What it’s like inside the Melters… Electrically smelt Kiln
product to produce
hot metal and slag
INFORMATION
Size:
26m x 8m
Electrodes:
6 x Söderberg
Power:
42 MW
Feed:
RPCC, 700ºC
Iron:
3.2 - 3.5% C,1490ºC
Slag:
1530 – 1550ºC
Production:
Iron: 1000t/day
 Melter Layout…..
Load cells on RPCC bins Electrode
RPCC Transfer container

Charging car floor (20.8M) Load cells

Correction Materials Bin
Electrode Service RPCC
Platform (16.8M) Bin
Rod gates on all RPCC bins
Transformer
Mezzanine floor (17.2M)

Variable Screw Feeder

Screw feeder floor (13.5M) Venturi Scrubber

Melter Smoke Hood
Roof Seals
Feed
Tube
Correction Materials Clean Gas to MHF Afterburner
Control room floor (9.5M) Slag Charging Tube
Feed Bath
Piles Slag Taphole
Metal tapping floor height Metal Taphole
Metal Bath Slag tapping floor height
Refractories

Iron
Slag
Ladle
Bowl
 Melter Roof and Launders Layout

Off gas port

Electrode
port
Feed
port
Rock drill and Mudgun Rockdrill
carriage

Launder
s

Iron Iron Slag

tapholes Slag Side
side
tapholes

Iron Ladles

Slag
bowl
S

Mudgun
E W Rock drill and Mudgun
carriage

N Explosion
hatch
Melter inspections…
Normal

Open

Closed
Melter chemistry…
Reduction of remaining FeO in RPCC by C (char)
FeO + C (char) = Fe + CO (melter gas) Highly Endothermic
Carburisation of the iron
Fe + C (char) = Fe (2.8~3.5%C)
More
Reduction of metalloids… electrical
power
SiO2 + 2C = Si + 2CO
TiO2 + 2C = Ti + 2CO, etc
Consumption of excess char
Fe3O4(PC) + 4C = 3Fe + 4CO Highly Endothermic

Slag-metal equilibrium
• High slag basicity (CaO/SiO2) removes S and Si from the metal
Hot Metal Quality and Melter Control Levers…
• char load
C • oxidation state
>3.0
• slag basicity
Control Levers:
• Electrical Power (CRUNCH) Si • oxidation state
0.25 • slag basicity
• Oxidation state (PC addition)
• Slag Basicity (limestone)
Ti • oxidation state
0.30

• S load (coal)
S • slag basicity
<0.035
Mn • temperature
0.45
Determined
V principally by Temp
0.49 1490
raw materials • throughput
P Super • oxidation state
<0.06
180
 Carbon Transfer
into Iron… Char

1. By direct contact 3Fe(s) + C(s) = Fe3C(s) or

at molten or
near-molten C(s) = [C]
temperatures
RPC

Slag
2. By reduction
of FeO in slag (FeO) + C(s) = Fe(l, sat 5%) + CO(g)

Iron
Droplets
Carbon Transfer
from Iron…

By contact with
basic slag (FeO) + [C] = Fe(l) + CO(g)
(SiO2) + 2[C] = [Si] + 2CO(g)
(TiO2) + 2[C] = [Ti] + 2CO(g)
(MnO) + [C] = [Mn] + CO(g)
(V2O3) + 3[C] = 2[V] + 3CO(g)
(P2O5) + 5[C] = 2[P] + 5CO(g)
Lessons on hot metal carbon…

• It’s hard to get into the iron

• It’s relatively easy to remove
Thank you

谢谢