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High pellets ratio operation forced by burden material The centralized gas flow principle is based on
restrictions at Kobe Steel resulted in the development of the center coke charging.3) This article overviews
a center coke charging process based on centralized the effect of centralized gas flow principle on the
gas flow principle. This methodology produced a novel enhancement of blast furnace functions,
approach to burden distribution, coal combustion and summarizes our blast furnace operations
pellets operation, in which these processes are viewed as historically and technologically, and provides a
part of a chain reaction. As a result of these view towards future blast furnace operation.
developments, furnace performance has improved
dramatically. This paper also describes future 1. Milestones of our blast furnace operation
developments in blast furnace iron making. technologies
the No. 1 blast furnace (BF) at the Kobe Works in 600 ∼ 1,000 m3 : 1959 ∼ 1970)
1959. 1) We, as latecomers, faced an issue with ● Phase II; growth (furnace volume expansion
burden materials, which forced us into high pellet period : 1970 ∼ 1978)
ratio operation requiring central gas flow. A ● Phase III; ripeness (low growth period after
reference is given in the "History of Central Gas energy crisis: 1979 ∼ 1982)
Flow Principle".2) Figure 1 shows milestones of our blast furnace
Solution loss
600
85
500
① 75
400
Gas temperature
300 ②
600
200 500
100
0 1 2 3 4 5 20 21 22 23
Center Radius (m) Wall Date
Fig. 3 Loss of central gas flow before changing of solution loss reaction
Top hopper
Center coke
Load cell
Coke charging system
Large bell Large bell Large bell
Material control Target weight
gate (MCG)
Vertical chute MCG closes
Fludized O2 Fludized O2 Center O2 Rotating
O1 and mixed charged chute Scattering Chute moves to
coke prevention
coke O1 coke O1 Center plate charging position
C2 C2 C2
charged
C1 C1 C1 coke O
MCG opens
C
Fig. 4 Progress of burden distribution control for intensive coal injection at Kobe Steel
During Phase IV (daybreak) in the bell-armor directly at the center after charging of C2 and O1
method (4 batch charge; C1 ↓ C2 ↓ O1 ↓ O2 ↓) layers and thus controls the centralized gas flow
(Figure 4 (a)) of the Kakogawa Works, the layer directly. As a result, the armors are used
thickness ratio between ore and coke (LO/LC) was dedicatedly for the peripheral control (Operation
maintained high by the push-out of the C2 armor concept I). The peripheral control by C2 and O1
so that the LO/LC at the center became relatively armors hits a limit when the peripheral thickness
low, promoting formation of fluidized coke at the of the C2 layer becomes so large that the C1 layer
center and maintaining the centralized gas flow becomes exposed. The test operation of 250
(Figure 4 (a)). In the early Phase V (reformation) a kg/thm PC rate12) described later employs a direct
ridge line (peak) of C2 layer was formed by further control of the peripheral LO/LC by the C1 armor.
push-out of the C2 armor and then the peak was In Phase IV (daybreak) the bell-less method at
scraped off by the following O1 charge by the the Kobe Works (2 batch charge; C ↓ O ↓) (Figure
push-out of O1 armor. As a result, the LO/LC 4(b)) focused on the LO/LC control at the
distribution in the intermediate to the peripheral periphery by forming a "flat" on the coke layer. In
area became uniform and the mixed layer was the early Phase V (reformation) a complex control
pushed toward the center, reinforcing the fluidized of the coke flat and ore flat was employed, as in
coke at the center. This was the beginning of the case of the bell armor, to prevent breakdown of
complex armor control (Figure 4 (b)).11) coke at the time of charging.13) The distribution
During this Phase V (reformation) the center control was aimed at the prevention of breakdown
3)
coke charging (Figure 4 (c)) has been developed as of coke and the approach may seem to be reversed
a direct controlling method that relies neither on from the one for the bell-arm method. This was
fluidized coke nor mixed layer. The method due to the fact that sintered ores used at the time
employs a special chute which charges coke made the maintenance of centralized gas flow
(a) Altenation of combustion position of (b) Double lance injection system for intensify (c) Laval type (convergent divergent)
single lance into tuyere for preventing combustion in raceway tuyere with double lance system
from back pressure for high volume blasting
Fig. 5 Progress of coal injection system for inensive coal injection at Kobe Steel
Ore Cohesive
Coke zone
Cohesive
Coke zone
Axis of symmetry
Ore
Wall (slip)
Wall (slip)
Axis of symmetry
εk (%) εk (%)
0.5 0.5
1.5 1.5
2.5 2.5
εk Max. εk Max.
10.1% 10.1%
Fig. 6 Calculated results in total hold up of unburnt char around cohesive zone
5. Action and achievement of the centralized gas production level. Increase of TiO2 in the charge and
flow principle in the longer operating life and choking of tuyere affects the full scale production.
restart operation Repair of the shaft is based on the guideline for
shaft repair20), which is derived from solid flow
Our operation is based on the centralized gas flow analysis. Blow-in TiO2 from the tuyere21) is used
control by center coke charge, which reduces heat for localized melt-down at the furnace bottom. The
load and its variation to the furnace and ensures furnace bottom determines the life of the furnace
stable operation with prolonged operation life. because of its difficulty of repair.
Figure 7 shows countermeasures and repair for Figure 8 shows comparisons of hearth profiles
extending furnace life. At the hearth bottom, in before blow-in and after blow-out. The Kakogawa
addition to the maintenance of deadman cokes for #2 BF (second), which blew out in 1996, operated
higher liquid and gas permeability, the depth of at a low coke rate of 330 kg/thm (PC rate 150
the tap hole has to be maintained to prevent kg/thm, mort coke rate 55 kg/thm) even right
circumferential flow of hot metal caused by the before the blow-out. The minimum wall thickness
free-space formation behavior.19) Reduction of of the #2 BF (second) was 1,000 mm with good
production and cessation of blowing are the most condition of the bottom and thicker than that of
effective measure; however they impact on the the Kakogawa #3 BF (first) which was 835 mm.
-Upper shaft
・Gas flow distribution
(Gunning, Cooling pipe)
3 dimensional solid flow
-Lower shaft effected by wall profile
・Gas flow distribution
(Gunning, Grouting)
-Hearth
・Maintenance of tap hole length 3 dimensional liquid flow
・Cooling efficiency effected by hearth profile and also
(Curtailment, Blinding tuyere, effected by coke free space
TiO2 charging or injection)
Fig. 7 Countermeasures and repair for elongating furnace life taken by Kobe Steel
Production 13,207 kt (3,430 t/m3 ) 28,998 kt (6,444 t/m3 ) 41,790 kt (10,855 t/m3 )
SiC
Initial Chamotte Chamotte Chamotte
1,600
2,130
2,000
hearth
profile
Fragile layer OT
Mud Coke
Slag+Metal Slag+Metal Most of OT
TH TH Coke+Metal
Hearth Graphite Slag
profile Most of Coke+Slag
Coke Slag TH
blown Coke+Metal
Coke Metal Metal
out Metal Slag
Metal+Slag
Metal
Chamotte penetrated Fragile layer Coke+Metal
Fragile layer by metal Carbon brick
penetrated by metal
Minimum
500 mm 835 mm 1,000 mm
wall thickness
There was no damage to the cooling pipes of the characteristic of a burden is to have agglomerate
stave indicating the advantage of center coke packing up to higher temperatures and to have a
charging.22) narrow temperature zone between the beginning of
The restart of the Kobe #3 BF after the softening and melting. Pellets have undesirable
unexpected shutdown by the Great Hanshin-Awaji softening behaviors due to reduction retardation.
Earthquake in 1995 is still fresh in our memory. We have developed dolomite-fluxed pellets with
Since there had been no precedent for restarting a improved high temperature characteristics. 24) In
blast furnace once shut, the restart provided a big order to maintain agglomerate packing of ores,
challenge to our technical group. The furnace was 1,100 ℃ reduction contraction under load is applied
established for center coke charge by bell-less for the control of hot pellet conditions.
method in Aug. 1993. The operation after the Figure 9 shows the correlation between
restart went smoothly and operation at low coke
rate continued. In Oct. 1995, seven month after the
2.5
restart, the BF achieved a domestic record of 296 Olivine Dolomite-fluxed
kg/thm which was renewed by the same BF to 290 2.0
K
MgO (%)
Sin
charging. The reduction retardation phenomena Llanwern
ter
20
can be improved by the formation of thermal Gary 13
(%
Inland
)
reserve zones in the periphery as a result of center AK
10 USS Kobe
coke charge allowing central gas flow and PC Breme Inland 5-6
Lulea
injection lowering the heat flow ratio. The shape 50 60 70 80 90 100 Oxelosund
Plombino
control of cohesive zone by centralized gas flow 50%
50 Ore Kobe 3 Pellets
Pellet
can accept the reduction retardation phenomenon
Fig.10 Transition of Kobe No.3 blast furnace on ferrous
which is an inferiority of pellets, by enhancing the burden constitution in selected blast furnaces from
reductive reaction by the thermal reserve zones in Europe, Japan and USA
the periphery (Operation concept III).
The Kobe #3 BF (third) (furnace volume 1,845 furnaces from Europe, Japan and USA. The Kobe
3
m , blow-in April 5, 1983) after the restart from the #3 BF has shifted to all-pellets operation
earthquake recovery in 1995 started to use successfully while maintaining low sintered ore
outsourced pre-treated ores and pellet, because of constitution. The transition to all-pellets operation
the shut-down of the sintering factory in May 1999. has been ensured by the developments of the
The BF started all-pellets operation (pellet 73%, ore center coke charging and operation technologies
agglomerate 27%)27) in Sept. 2001. The increased by grades of pellet. The stable operation of the
amount of pellets reduces the decline angle of ores furnace and its environment-conscious nature are
and a greater amount of ore flows to the furnace highly evaluated.28)
center, suppressing the centralized gas flow. The
reduced decline angle also reduces the flat area of 7. Future blast furnace operation technology
ore stack in the periphery obstructing the based on the centralized gas flow principle
descending action. The inversed V shape of
cohesive zone in the all-pellets operation has been The following two points are the subjects in our
maintained by the increased amount of center coke blast furnace operation.
charging and maintenance of flat area of ore and Firstly, the currently operating Kakogawa #1
coke stack in the periphery. BF (third) has been operating under the PCI since
In the all-pellets operation, it is also necessary to early days after the blow-in and local damages of
prevent the enlargement of the root of cohesive stave pipes in the bosh (B2) and lower shaft have
zone which is caused by the mixed use of pellets become noticeable since 1999.29) This is considered
with low alkalinity. To improve the reduction to be due to the increased heat burden of the shaft
retardation phenomenon by center coke as caused by the up-rise of the cohesive zone level
described above, it is required to keep the pellets and to the increased sensitivity (instability) of gas
concentration in the periphery below 30% in case flow to the variation of the burden material grain
up to 50% pellets ratio and the acid pellets sizes. More precise control of peripheral flow will
concentration in the periphery below 30% in case be required for this.
above 50% pellets ratio form the softening and Secondly, the coke utilization has to be
melting characteristics of the pellets. This concept tightened for the lower reductant ratio operation in
has led to the development of the pellets time- the future. Figure 11 shows the effect of coke and
series discharge control.27) coal rate on solution loss reaction load (coke
Figure 10 shows the transition of Kobe #3 BF on reaction load) and coke fine generation in deadman
ferrous burden constitution in selected blast of blast furnace.12) Although the deterioration of
0.12
(a) (b)
0.10
10 20 30 40 250 300 350
Fine ratio (−3 mm) in deadman (%) Coke rate (kg/thm)
Fig.11 Effect of coke and coal rate on solution loss reaction load and coke fine generation in deadman of blast furnace