SINTERMAKING UNDER PRESSURE

(OUTLINE OF THE PROCESS

AND PROPOSAL ON HOW TO USE IT)

::1::
Introduction............................................................................
1. Validity of the revolving sinter machine design for implementing
sintering-under-pressure technology

2. Laboratory-scale study of the sintering-under-pressure process ...

Production of iron-bearing flux (extra-high basicity sinter) in a revolving
machine..................................................................................

3. Production of iron Bearing flux (extra-high basicity sinster) in a revolving

machine..

4. Recycling and dezincing of dust and sludge from iron and steel making
shops .

13

4.1. Sintering under pressure as used for recycling and dezincing dust and
15
sludge from iron and steel making shops ........
4.2. Good use of iron making and steel making sludge.
17
5. Production of sinter for iron making .
19
5.1.
Sintermaking
process. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . . . ..19
5.2. Specification of the revolving sinter machine and its make-up............. 22
5.3. Sinter machine operating flow-chart............................................
24
5.4. Arrangement and layout ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ......
26
5.5. Automatic control and monitoring .....
27
5.6. Environment friendliness of the process Recycling of wastes.............. 28
5.7. Bill of main equipment
29.
Annex:
Drawings: NoNo TMI01.00.000 sheets. 1,2,3
TMI01.00.000-TX sheets. 1,2

Introduction
This technical proposal for the implementation of the sintering-under pressure
technology has been compiled by TOTEM Co Ltd.
The process for making sinter under pressure with the help of a revolving
sintering machine has been developed by TOTEM Co. Ltd. and the Central Research
Institute for Iron and Steel Industry. This proposal dwells upon three areas of
implementation of the offered design and technology:
1. Recycling of zinc-bearing dust and sludge, obtained from iron making, to make at
that
an iron-bearing modulated product (sinter) featuring low zinc content and by-product,
which would contain zinc, lead, germanium and other valuable elements in quantities,
economically sufficient for arranging their recovery afterwards.
2. Production of specific grades of sinter, such as iron-bearing flux to be used in
steelmaking, purging sinter for blast furnaces, sinter of higher strength.
3. Production of sinter for small volume blast furnaces at small-size (mini) steel
works.

1. Validity of the revolving sinter machine design for implementing

sintering-under- pressure technology.
In many countries of the world a growing production of iron and steel made it
necessary to look for better ways of recycling tens of millions of such wastes like dust
and sludge, that were generated in sintermaking, iron and steel making processes.
The content of iron in these wastes would amount to 33-70%, which makes it
possible to recover from them, if recycled, additionally about 450kg of metal.
Besides, as has been noticed, in sludge there is an elevated as compared with the
primary iron ore material, content of carbon, calcium, magnesium and manganese
oxides, that are the components needed in the production of iron and steel.
As a rule, the iron-bearing raw material is to be balled before smelting, in
conveyer-type sintering machines or roasting machines. If the scope of production of
sinter is not big or there is a necessity to recycle metallurgical wastes, such as dust
and sludge generated in iron and steel making, for the production of iron flux etc., the
efficiency of a conveyer-type machine is likely to be drastically lower both in terms of
techno- economics and in respect of pollution. This can be accounted for by
difficulties in balling highly dispersed and moist-containing material, as well as high
content in it of impurities deleterious especially for iron making, such as zinc, lead,
and alkali metals oxides. In such a case the traditional vacuum sintering technology
with the help of a conveyer-type sintering machine would be inefficient for elimination
these impurities.
As has been proved by research, this problem can be solved through the
sintering-under pressure technology, suggested here, which makes it possible to
recycle highly dispersed material, containing detrimental impurities, and make at that
a high quality iron-bearing modulated product (sinter) and by-products that contain
zinc, lead, germanium, etc., useful for steel industry. Over and above, the recycling of
the wastes that have not been utilized so far, will substantially improve the
environment-friendly situation at steel works.

The possibility to sinter a high (up to 500 mm and above) bed, using the
sintering-under pressure technology makes it possible to enhance specific
productivity of the machine and through that to decrease the production cost.
It is the revolving type of a sintering machine which is the most preferable; as it
meets the multifaceted production needs such as balling, sublimation of detrimental
elements, dust arrest. It features also good techno-economic and environmentfriendly properties.

Laboratory-scale study of the sintering-under-pressure process

Initially, the laboratory tests were carried out in a 115mm diameter sinter pot,
which was equipped with a specially designed air-heater. The schematic diagram of
the plant is shown in Figure 2.1. This design provided an opportunity to understand
the impact of cold compressed air and air heated up to 500-950C upon the sintering
process in progress.
The first series of sintering tests was carried out to see how the temperature of
compressed air fed for sintering would tell upon the techno-economics of the process
and quality of sinter.
To make the juxtaposition of the test results possible, the preparation method of
sinter mix and its components were kept the same, and the bed height also remained
the same- 300mm.In all test the sintermix was ignited under vacuum, during 1
minute. The base sintering was carried out in line with usual technology, when
suction under the grid was 10.8 kPa. The test sintering under both cold compressed
air and preheated air was
carried out with the under-bed pressure of 98 kPa.
As the test showed, an increase in cold air pressure up to 98 kPa had
resulted in a higher, more than threefold increase of specific productivity of the
machine, as compared with the base sintering. The specific productivity value came
to 4.46 tlm2 hour, with coke breeze content in sintermix being 3.3%. The sinter
strength, made under pressure, was also threefold higher than that of the sinter,
made under vacuum.
An increased temperature of air fed for sintering under elevated pressure
brought about some growth in specific productivity and enabled to decrease the coke
breeze rate in sintering, thus improving sinter strength.
At the air temperature being 600C and 2% coke breeze rate, the specific
productivity came to 4.7 tlm2 hour, and after strength tests the -5 fraction yield was
lowered by 30%, as compared with the strength of sinter made under cold
compressed air. The results of the first series of tests are given in Figures 2.2 and
2.3.
The second series of tests was used for looking into the effect of air pressure upon
the

Process indices and quality of sinter.

To investigate how the pressure alone would affect the sintering process indices the
sintering process was arranged with cold air at 19.6 kPa to 196 kPa and air
preheated up to 600C, under 49 to 196 kPa pressure. An increase of air pressure
within this range resulted in an increase in the sintering vertical velocity from 30-40
up to 80-85 mm/min. At air pressure being 196 kPa, the specific productivity, as
compared with the vacuum sintering, increased five times. The specific rate of both

cold and hot air for sintering under pressure happened to be within the range of 420530 m3/t of sinter, which is considerably less than in the case of vacuum sintering
process.
Thanks to a substantial pressure drop in the sintered layer, a higher sintering
vertical velocity under pressure makes it possible to heighten the bed manifold. The
impact of the sintered layer thickness upon the sintering process had been looked
into with the help of a specifically designed sintering pot, 1 meter in height and 0.125
mm in diameter (figure 4). As can be seen form the Figure, there are annular
manifolds 2 along the pot height, that are connected with the pot inside through 5 mm
bores. The span between the manifolds is 130 mm. To make the escape of flue gas
easier, the summary area of bores in the manifolds exceeds the cross section area of
the flue gas main. The annular manifolds are connected with each other by a
common flue gas uptake 4. If desired, they can be cut off the gas uptake with the
help of valves 3. The pot is sealed airtight by caps 1 and 7 from the top and bottom.

For tests the same composition of sintermix was used: 67% of blend of
concentrate with ore, 20% of return fines, 3.5% of coke breeze and 9.5% of
limestone, which produced sinter of 1.3 basicity. The iron ore bearing part of
sintermix consisted of concentrate from SS Beneficiation Plant (70%) and Atasuy
Mines ore (30%).
After ignition, the pot was closed airtight by cap 1 and sintering was carried
out with constantly maintained air pressure of 98 kPa above the layer.
The sintering test results are given in Table 2.1.
Table 2.1
The sintering test results (coke breeze rate in sintermix under
pressure - 3.5%, under suction - 4.0%)
Test No.

Pressure
Layer bed
Air Rate Yield
Above
Height
M 3/t
%
layer
mm/min
KPa
1
98
240
41.0
74.3
2

240
40.0
75.1
3

480
29.0
80.4
4

480
28.0
81.5
5

720
24.0
82.2
6

960
21.7
81.3
7

960
19.8
8*)

960
39.7
9*)

960
43.0
10
196
960
38.8
11
Suction
240
20.0
12

240
21.5
*) - sinter was made with annular manifolds 2 kept open (Figure 2.4).

Drum
index5mm
fraction
25
24
23
24
21
18
19
28
30

As can be seen from the table, an increase in the layer height from 240 to 960
mm was accompanied with a drop in the sintering vertical velocity (twofold). The
correlation between sintering vertical velocity and layer height is plotted in Figure 2.5.
This correlation is described by equation:
Y=,

1
a+bx

where:y - sintering vertical velocity, mm/min;

x - layer height, mm
An increase in pressure above the layer from 98 kPa to 196 kPa, with its 980 mm
height enabled to raise the sintering vertical velocity almost twofold. Based on the
data, generated by measuring pressure along the layer height, curves were plotted to
show variations of pressure in the course of sintermaking process (Figure 2.6).

The figures on curves denominate the level (horizon) of the sintered layer, in
which the temperature was measured.
A drop in pressure at the initial stage of the sintering process can be
explained by gas
dynamic resistance of the combustion zone and the inception of formation of the
excessive moisture pick-up zone, which features the lowest gas permeability. As the
formation of the excessive moisture pick-up zone was over, pressure in the lower
layers would drop to zero, because there had been a drop in gas head in the upper
layers.
The movement of the combustion Zone (sintering zone) in the course of the
process was traced by measuring temperatures layer by layer. The curve, which
characterizes the moving speed of the maximum temperature zone (full line) is
shown in Figure 2.7. The same Figure shows how isobar lines are distributed along
the layer height (dotted line). The field above the full line means finished sinter, below
- raw sintermix. As can be seen from Figure 2.7, pressure in the finished sinter layer
would be retained at 98 kPa till the end of the process, while in the sintermix layer it
would be gradually coming down to zero.
Based on the experimental data, a curve had been plotted to show the
variations in the sintering vertical velocity along the layer height (Figure 2.8). The
minimum of sintering vertical velocity (14 mm/min) was registered practically in the
middle of the layer at 450 - 550 mm distance from its top. Such a correlation can be
explained, most probably, by the impact from the excessive moisture pick-up zone.
An adverse influence of this zone is corroborated by the data, generated by
tests 8 and 9 (Table 2.1). As these tests were conducted, all the annular manifolds 2
and common flue gas uptake 4 (Figure 2.4) were kept open, which made it possible
to eliminate a considerable quantity of moisture from the drying zone, thus wording
off moisture pick-up in sintermix. As the sintering zone moved down, the manifold
opposite to this zone was closed and flue gas escaped through the next manifold. As
can be seen from Table 2.1, such a method of carrying gas off made it possible to
increase the sintering vertical velocity up to 39-43 mm/min, with 960 , mm layer,
which correlates with the velocity when 240 mm layer is sintered, using traditional
method of carrying flue gas off.
While analyzing the test results, an idea cropped up, as to how intensify the
sintering process by way of developing a new method of sintering, based on
arranging two opposite sintering zones, using compressed air under elevated
pressure.
As can be seen in Figure 2.9, there is a flow-chart of the suggested sintering
under pressure process. As it is shown, the process starts when both the top and the
bottom layers of sintermix are ignited. After ignition, compressed air is fed from above
and underneath. As it happens, flue gas is carried off into manifolds 2 through bores,
located evenly along the pot (1) height. As the sintering zones are moving towards
each other, the manifolds are closed one after another in step and by the end of the
process only one manifold would remain open, the manifold in the middle of the pot.
Thus, there will be two sintering zones, moving towards each other. Thanks to that,
the summary sintering velocity would be increased twofold and the sintering time at
that would be decreased also twofold. The number of manifolds should be chosen
depending on the layer height.

To verify this technology, a specially designed sintering pot was used (100
mm in diameter). Sintermix for experimental and reference tests consisted of 63% of
concentrate from Olenegorsk Beneficiation Plant, 13% of limestone, 4% of coke
breeze and 20% of return fines.
In all cases the layer was 400 mm in height, air pressure 147/296kPa.
The analysis of tests results testified to the fact that in comparison with the
reference single - layer tests, in case of two-layer sinterrnaking the productivity was
1.7-1.9 times higher thanks to the suggested technology.

Implementation of this technology will enable to enhance substantially

productivity of sintering machines or, neglecting increase in productivity, work under a
lower air pressure. In addition, there will be no need to set up the bed.
Simultaneously with the research work and development of the innovative
sintering process, various approaches as to how implement this technology in the
existing conveyer type sintering machines were studied.
Since it was, however, difficult to seal the working part of the machine airtight,
as to heighten air pressure above the layer while the machine is moving non-stop, it
became impossible to implement this innovative process in conveyer-type machines.

3. Production of iron-bearing flux (extra-high basicity sinter)

in a revolving machine.
As a result of the above-mentioned endeavors, it was decided to use for
sintering under pressure the machine with pots, of carousel type, as pilot units,
erected at Toulachermet Steel Plant. The schematic drawing of the machine is given
in Figure 3.1.The unit consists of a revolving platform with four pots on it, 500mm in
diameter and 800 mm in height each.

The unit was used for streamlining various modes of operation in the
production of complex iron-bearing flux from zinc-containing sludge, meant for
converters and production of iron ore sinter, meant for iron making.
The sinter mix for the production of iron-bearing flux consisted of the following
components, content in %:
sludge blend from Novo-Lipetsk Steel Works
Limestone
Dolomite
Return fines
Coke breeze

19.0-21.0
37.0-39.0
9.0-11.0
24.0-26.0
7.0-8.0

Table 3.1 shows main characteristics of the sintering process, when an

experimental batch of iron-bearing flux was made for using it in a 10-tons converter,
to see the efficiency of this material in steel making.
Table 3.1
Process indices as iron-bearing flux was sintered under pressure
Indices
Unit
Value
Layer Height
Mm
750
Pressure under the layer
Kpa
167-186
Air Rate
M 3/t of sinter
540-580
Filtration mean velocity
M/s
1.25-1.46
Sintering Time
Min
3.4-4.2
Sintering vertical velocity
Mm/min
180-210
Specific productivity
T/m 2 hour
7.5-9.4
Yield
%
69.8-72.0
It should be noted that the above-mentioned indices had been generated by selecting
optimum fuel and return fines rate in sinter mix and its moisture.

The chemical composition of iron bearing flux(%) is given in Table 3.2CA

Table 3.2
Fe total
Femet
22.6
2.1
26.0
5.4

SIO2
4.5
6.3

CaO
48.9
53.1

MgO
8.0
10.4

Al2O3
1.8
2.3

S
0.22
0.46

FeO
6.8
9.7

CaO/SiO2
10.9
8.4

As petrographic tests showed, the macrostructure of this flux was compact,

with large pores. The microstructure was fine grained, consisting mainly of calcium
ferrites.
Exactly as was expected from the previously carried theoretical work and
laboratory tests, the use of iron-bearing flux for making steel from low-manganese
hot metal in a top-blown converter accounted for a considerable economic benefit. At
iron-bearing flux rate being 45 - 50kg/t steel the lime rate fell down by 25-30 kg/t of
steel. At the same time it became possible to remove an expensive and scares
available fluorite from sinter mix.
The results thus achieved can by explained by a low melting point of flux, as it
is shown in table 3 (1300C), which would accelerate the formation of slag, reduce
loss of metal (spattering drops). Yield would increase by 0.6-1.0%
The encouraging results of research work helped to realize the proposal for
the production of the experimental batch of iron-bearing flux from zinc-containing
blast furnace sludge, obtained from Kouznetsk Steel Works. As a matter of fact, this
sludge had not been used as a component of sintermix since early forties.
Iron-bearing flux was made in a conventional 75 m2 Sinter making machine.
Iron-bearing flux was used in open-hearth heats to save lime.
The revolving sinter making machine offered here can be successfully used for
making iron-bearing flux. With sintering area being 11.1m2 and specific productivity of
7t/m2 hour such a plant can fully supersede a conveyer type 75 m2 sintering
machine, to make 650 thousand tons of such product annually.

4. Recycling and dezincing of dust and sludge from iron and steel
making shops
4.1. Sintering under pressure as used for recycling and dezincing dust and sludge
from iron and steel making shops.
The of wastes from iron and steel making that contain hazardous impurities, can be
considered at two angles:
1. Whether it is economically viable to recycle wastes with the purpose of saving
raw material;
Protection of environment from wind-dispersed hazardous fine waste when it is
transported or stored in dumps, washed out by rain, etc. Besides, an immediate inhouse recycling of waste, i.e. on the spot, where it has been generated, will make it
possible to reclaim vast areas of land, that have been occupied by dumps, settling
ponds and alike.
Over the last 10-15 years, a lot of attention used to be paid at the steel plants of the
erstwhile USSR, to the development of dust and sludge recycling methods. While
doing it, the technology when dust and sludge are returned to sintermix at sinter
plants was acknowledged as being the best.

To this end a member of rotary furnaces have-been erected at several works

for drying sludge in them- At some works they made use of the equipment meant for
injecting wet sludge into-mixing drum at sinter plant.
As of late, there has been a trend to increase the share of solid charge in
converters, using coated metallic scrap, which accounts for an increase or zinc
content in converter sludge. The recycling of this sludge in the production of sinter
through a conventional technology would result in an excessive delivery of zinc (0.3
kg/t of hot metal) into blast furnaces, which should not be allowed. Because of that
the use of this sludge in sinter making has been stopped.
In turn, it has lead to the situation where on the territories of the erstwhile
USSR more than 3.0 million tons of zinc-containing sludge is sent to dumps annually.
The necessity to assess the methods used in various countries for recycling
zinc containing wastes called for resuming research on how to use the sintering of
iron ore bearing material under air-pressure above the layer, the method which was
developed about 20 years ago in the Central Research Institute for Iron and Steel
industry.
At usual vacuum sintering of mix which contains zinc-containing waste, an
increase in fuel rate up to 25% will ensure a considerable removal of zinc from the
layer. However, at the same time, a quantity of liquid phase in the sintered layer will
be increased, which would lead to a sharp deterioration of the layer permeability and
as a result, to a slower pace of the process. Besides, the fine suspension of zinc and
lead oxides in flue gas would stick to the exhauster blades thus impairing their life.
Laboratory tests had been carried out to see how sludge could be dezinced
through sintering under pressure. The tests were made on the equipment which was
used for streamlining the sintering under-pressure technology.
Sintermix was-made of sludge blend from iron and steel making shops-of
Novolipetsk Steel Works, with 52.2% iron and 2.54% zinc. Carbon content was 9.4%/
As had been established by preliminary theoretical work on optimum
conditions of dezincing, zinc, lead alkali and other elements could be eliminated from
the layer to a greater extent if specific additions ate put into sinter mix. The additions
are envit6iiiiient friendly and do not deteriorate the quality of sinter. The extent of
dezincing, achieved in tests was 80-85%. The addition rate-at that was 10-1;%, and
coke-breeze - 6.0%.
Optimum air pressure above the layer was found out in the course of
research work. It was also found out that 1.5 size was optimum for the addition and
fuel. The size granules of sludge, which had been dehydrated in a rotary furnace,
was 5-25 mm. Before blending, sludge was crushed in a jaw crusher into less than :
3mm size. In other respects, the preparation or sintermix for desincing under
pressure did not differ from the conventional vacuum sintering technology. It should
be noted that the above mentioned degree of dezincing is a mean value for the cake.
In the layer of the cake zinc would be removed by 95%, which is explained by
the zinc elimination mechanism under sintering, which consists of the following:
zinc in the sintered zinc is reduced into metallic phase, than it starts
simmering and its vapour goes to the lower, colder layers, where zinc would be

oxidized again and settled in the form of zincite. A good deal of zinc would get settled
on the grid.
The laboratory equipment and caroussel machine, available at Toulachermet
Plant, did not have gadgets to catch sublimates, as zinc-containing mix was sintered
under pressure. In this connection a test stand of bigger size was erected in the
central research institute for iron and Steel Industry. Its sinter pots were 800 x 800 x
800mm in size.
The process was carried out in the suction-blast mode of operation. The
stand was
equipped with a standard metallic portable filter, which is used in non-ferrous
metallurgy for catching metallic and other elements sublimates.
Below there is the chemical composition of sublimates, taken from the filter of the
dezincing stand:
pb
Zn
Fe
Al2O3
CaO

-24
-9,7
-10,1
-0,34
-1,06

Mgo
Si
SiO2
C
S

1,33
-0,6
-1,33
-6,1
-4,7

V20
Na2o
Cl
Mn
Ti02

6,2
0,5
-0,5
-0,17
-0,11

Ge
-0,0032
Sn
- 0,00068
As
-0,010
Loss of ig.-33,3

The test stand was operated with interruptions, and the first stage of gas
cleaning was not isolated from the sublimate catching filter. From the beginning of the
sintering process the gas which was passing through the filter, was excessively wet,
and by the end of the process, fine particles of sintered mix and even of unburned
coke breeze fell on the filter. In view of the above, a real content of lead and zinc,
caught by the filter, was 45.0 and 18.0%, respectively.
The sublimate buildup on the grid and flue gas side pipe in the immediate
vicinity of the sinter pot bottom edge contained 46.9% zinc and 38.2% lead.
Hence it follows, that the industrial scale machine design should have a
special arrangement of a valve to cut the primary gas cleaning system off the filters
for the time when wet gas is leaving the sintered layer or a possibility to put the pot
into the position when it would be connected with the filter only, as the flue gas
temperature reaches 250-350c.
4.2. Good use of iron making and steel making sludge
To estimate the economics of sludge recy"c1ing,the main attention was paid
to the
production of zinc-free sinter, because it is this production that would make the
productivity of the machine the lowest and the cost of additions into sintermix and
solid fuel would considerably excess that spent for the production of ordinary sinter.
To analyze the likely production cost of sinter, they used actual production
data from Novo-Lipetsk Steel Works, whence sludge blend was taken for testing
various dezincing technologies. On balance, the good use of dezincing technology
can be achieved thanks to the following:
-

reduced production cost, by selling by-product outside which is a zinccontaining dust, to non-ferrous industry;

reduced cost of handling and selling dehydrated sludge to other

industries, say, cement making companies;

saving of iron ore material;

enhanced availability of zinc in the domestic market.

As is known, the world-wide practice of using pyrometallurgy methods for the

dezincing of sludge, is not economically efficient, despite the high degree of
dezincing and use of dezinced product. These methods are resorted to mainly to
meet the requirements of environment protection.
Below is Table 4.2.1 there are indices of some foreign methods of dezincing and the
method in offer (sintering under pressure), from the viewpoint of energy consumption.
Table 4.2.1
Rotary furnace
Japanese
technology
Rotary furnace

Indices

Sintering under
Pressure

1. Dezincing Plant

Sintering machine

2. Output

Sinter+ zinc
containing Dust

Reduced pellets +
Iron + metallic zinc
Containing dust

80-85

95-98

60(0.06)*)

340(0.34)

100(0.1)
-

100(0.1)
-

50(0.05)
2200(0.73)

0.16

0.44

1.13

3. Dezincing
degree

Plasma
Sweden
Shaft furnace
Iron + metallic Zinc
90-100 %

4. Rate per 1t of
iron bearing
- coal (coke
breeze), kg
- sludge carbon, kg
- coke, kg
-power, kWh
- total heat
consumption eq.f.t/t

350(0.35)

*) -In brackets- equivalent fuel rate.

As can be seen from the table, the power consumption of dezincing if carried
out through sintering under pressure, will be lower than that for other technologies.
It should be noted that there are some more benefits of the described
process. First of all, it is an easy and simple method of preparing sintermix and
running the process. The temperature level of the process is conditioned by the rate
of fuel in sintermix only and vacillations within the range of. l 00-200C would not tenupon the operating time and dependability of the equipment.
At the same time it is known that such variations in temperature in the
processes that are carried out in rotary furnaces, may result in building up accretions
and/or a drop of efficiency of the process.

The sintering-under-pressure process is controlled by the temperature of flue

gas only. And at that it is not the absolute value of temperature that is the main
parameter, but the moment when it reaches its maximum and then starts falling
down, which testifies to the fact that the sintering process is over.
There is an interesting publication, which points out that Berzelius-UmwellService (BUS) Company in Germany is planning to enhance capital investment into
the development of technology for recycling zinc - containing dust from electric arc
furnaces, to recover zinc and lead and improve environment condition.
The company believes that it would be economically viable to recycle through
Waels process the dust which contains at least 15% of zinc. The recycling of such
dust is considered to be a good source for getting metallic zinc. For instance, the
recycling of 55 thousand tons of dust will bring in about 14 thousand tons of zinc thus
recovered, 2 thousand tons of lead, 2.5-3 tons of cadmium and some quantity of
copper, indium and germanium.
As a result of the expansion policy, the Company has embarked upon
recycling dust received not only from Germany, but also from Autstria, Scandinavian
countries and Belgium. And yet, due to a high content of iron and low content of zinc
(2-3%),1 million ton of converter dust and sludge a year have not been recycled.
The solve the issue for recycling dust, sludge and roll scale, BUS Company
has entered into cooperation with other companies, including Scundust from
Sweden.
Hence, it follows that so far there has been no technology developed for
dezincing sludge and dust with low zinc content.
5. Production of sinter for iron making
For the practical implementation of the iron-bearing production-underpressure technology TOTEM Co. Ltd. has designs of revolving sinter machines with 6
sinter pots (8m2 sintering area, productivity of 220 -280 thousand tons a year) and 9
sinter pots (11.1 m2 sintering area, productivity of 350- 400thousandtonsa year).
In case of "mini" steel plants, there is no need to set up blast furnace of big volumes.
Therefore, while making calculations of the required productivity of the revolving
sintering machine, a 750 m3 blast furnace was chosen, which was supposed to
produce 620 thousand tons of hot metal annually.
To determine the productivity of the machine it was estimated that the iron ore
part of sintermix should be 1600 kg per 1 ton of hot metal, including sinter (1120 kg).
So, it will be 2120 t/day of skip sinter (~700 thousand tons a year).
To ensure non-stop supply of sinter it is suggested to erect two revolving
sinter machines with 11.1m2sintering area and productivity up to 48tlhour (350-400
thousand tons a year) each.
This output can be obtained from a conventional conveyer type sinter
machine of 75 m2 sintering area. However, the suggested technology of sintering
under pressure, with two revolving sintering machines, has a number of advantages:

the weight of the process-related equipment for sintering under pressure is

considerably lower than that for vacuum sintermaking;
- Revolving sinter machine complete with electricals,

hydraulic drive, charging, and ignition devices,

lubrication system
- 75 m2 sinter machine complete with electricals,
ignition hood, distributor and lubrication system

-2 Numbers-350t
-1 Number,-550 t

possibility to make the shop lay-out rather compact. All the equipment for
preparation and sintering of mix can be accommodated in one building, which
would reduce the scope of civics, mount-work and capital cost;

it desired to erect two sinter machines, the sinter plant can be constructed by
stages.
In case of capital repair, one machine will be in reserve.

5.1. Sinter making process

A flow-chart for making sinter in the revolving machine is shown in Figure 5.1 It
includes the following:
- Storage of sinter mix components;
- Crushing of flux and fuel;
- Weighing and portioning of components;
- Blending and balling of sinternix;
- Bed formation and charging in sinter pots;
- Sinter mix ignition;
- Baking of sinter mix in blast;
- Cooling of the cake (optional);
- Crushing
- Screening (separating into yield, bed and return fines)
The offered process can produce sinter of any desired grade, depending on needs
and
actual situation.
5.1.1. Storage and preparation of sintermix.
All components of sintermix are to be stored and piled separately. The quantity of
material thus accumulated, should be sufficient for 5-10 days of operation.
The prime material size distribution:
coke, flux
-25 mm maximum
iron bearing material
-8 mm maximum
Crushing and milling of flux and fuel:
flux additions are to be crushed into size
solid fuel

- less than 2 mm;

- less than 3 mm

Before crushing, coke is to be classified by an unbalanced-throw screen. Coarse

lumps of
coke (the oversize of 12-15 mm) is to be crushed in a roll crusher, and then the
material and undersize are to be milled in a mill into desired size.
Portioning of the sintermix components
Sintermix components are portioned from the hoppers through weighers, component
after
component. Returns thus generated ~re to be added to sintermix before the mixer.
There is a provision of automatic portioning, with the help of belt-conveyer weighers
with vybro-funnels (AO TOCHMASH design).

Sintermix blend
One mixing drum will be needed for the blending and balling of sintermix.
Mixing drum:
- Diameter
- 2.8 m
- Length

- 6.0m

Mixing drum operating parameters:

- Output
- 150 t/hour
-RPM
- 6-9
- Filling ratio
- 10%
The bed and layer are shaped up by a specific charging device:
- Bed height
- Size distribution in bed
- Sintermix height (without bed)

- 100mm
- 16-25mm
- 500 mm

5.1.2. Ignition and finished sinter

Sintermix is ignited with the help of an ignition hood, which would light up the
top layer under air-pressure and at 1350C temperature.
Baking takes place under blast at air pressure of
Air pressure for sintering
Air rate (positions 4-9)
Suction in wind-box
Flue gas volume

- 30-150kPa.
- 30-150kPa
- 20000-25000 m3/hour
- 0.1-0.5 kPa
- 19000-2000 m3/hour.

As cake is to be discharged periodically and its size is up to 1300 mm, it

seems that the best way of doing it would be to unload it first on a breaking slab.
After that sinter goes to the apron conveyer first and then to a belt conveyer to be
delivered to the crusher and then screen.
The estimated temperature of finished sinter is likely to be 200-300C
maximum.
If there is a need to make cold sinter, one can use a line cooler, which may be
installed immediately after the machine, on the discharge route.
The primary screening provides three fractions: +25 mm, 16-25 mm, -16 mm
+ 25 mm fraction is a finished sinter. Fraction 16-25 mm goes to the bottom layer
(bed), and its surplus is added to the finished sinter.
Fraction -16 mm is screened on the secondary screen into two fractions: 5-26
mm one goes to the finished sinter, and -55 mm one together with dust from filters
goes to the return fines hopper.
The finished sinter is sent to the user on a belt conveyer with weighing scales, to the
finished sinter bins.
The sinter bulk density is 1.6-2.2 t/m3.
5.1.3. Gas flows arrangement
The sinter machine design and its performance are based on the following gas flow
circuits:
1). Ignition circuit consists of gas feed system, compressed air feed, ignition hood,
wind box, gas uptakes and fan.
The ignition temperature is 1300-1350C.
At the moment of ignition, suction in wind-box is 4-6 kPa. The sucked gas
temperature is
20-30C.
2) Sintering circuit consists of a blower, air pipes, pot caps, wind-boxes, exhauster,
gas cleaning cyclones.
Dust content in flue gas is 3-4 g/m3
5.2. Specification of the revolving sinter machine and its make-up
The general view of the revolving machine for sintering under pressure in shown in
Drawing N. TM101.00.000, sheet 1,2,3.

Specification of the machine:

Productivity, t/hour
Sintering area, m 2
Operating duty
Cake discharge-to-discharge time,
Number of mobile sinter pots:
- on the mix preparation platform
- on sintering platform
- total number of sinter pots that are
in operation at a time
Sinter pot diameter, mm
Components weight in sinter pot, kg
Platform turning mechanism
Layer surface smoothing device
Ignition hood travel, mm
Pusher travel, mm
Pusher moving speed, m/sec
Pushing force, kgs
Lock throw, mm

- 48
- 11.1
-nonstop
- up to 2 minutes
3
6
9
1300
~1600
-hydraulic
- electro-mechanic
- 70
- 2955
- 0.112
- 600
- 100

The sintering machine consists of the following subassemblies:

. Charging device;
. Sintermix preparation platform
. Sintering platform
. Mobile sinter pot (9 numbers)
. Ignition device
. Sinter pots pusher
. Cap take-off device
. Discharge device
. Gas uptakes
. Platform turning drive
. Platform position catches]
. Gantry (support struts, maintenance platforms, etc.)
The charging device consists of a bed hopper, sintermix hopper, two chutes, bed
drum and sintermix drum.
The sintermix preparation platform is a steel structure, which rests on 8 support
wheels.
The platform has a central thrust bearer, which takes side loads and serves as a
pivot.
The sintering platform is designed in the same manner; it is a steel structure, which
rests on 12 support wheels and is located in the center of the thrust bearer.
The mobile sinter pot in assembly is a 4-wheel trolley with a pot on it.
The pusher is a steel structure on wheels.
It is moved by an electro-mechanical drive. The pusher has an electric
magnet driven grip for securing rigid contact with the pot trolley, when pot is being
delivered from the preparation platform to the sintering platform and back.

The ignition device consists of a hearth, related structure, lifting hydrocylinder, air and fuel feed pipes.
The discharge device consists of a hydraulic rack-and-gear drive, at the end
of its shaft there is a lever to handle sinter pots.
The cap take-off device consists of a supporting gantry, which is mounted on
the
sintering platform, 6 caps, that are suspended on the gantry by means of spring
jacks, hydraulic cylinder to lift the caps, 6 air feed pipes. The device to feed air into
the pot inside consists of a support, which is mounted on the sintering platform. It
bears a manifold with six air mains connected with air feed pipes and caps.
The sintermix preparation gas uptake consists of pipelines to take dustcontaining gas away from hoppers in the ignition device zone and finished cake
discharge zone. To control the flow there is a provision of throttles.
The sintering platform gas uptake arrangement consists of a steel structure,
which creates an annular housing which binds the blast zone.
The annular housing is made airtight with the help of mobile rubber seals.
The gantry is a steel structure, which includes decks, maintenance platforms,
charging device support struts, ignition device struts, hydraulic system actuators
struts, guides for the pusher.
The sintermix preparation and sintering platforms turning drives have twospeed electric motors, capable of decreasing inertia forces of the drives and thus to
slow down the platform turning speed as they are coming to a stop.
The platform position catches are a steel structure with a locking lever, which
is driven by a hydraulic cylinder.
5.3. Sinter machine operating flow-chart
Figures in the schematic diagram of the sinter-under-pressure machine'
(Figure 5.2) denote the process positions that are sequentially taken by sinter pots.
The dotted line shows the positions of wind-boxes. Arrows show the platforms
revolving direction, when they are moved from one platform to another. There is a
provision of 9 mobile sinter pots.
At position 1, sinter pots are charged sequentially with bed and preliminary
prepared sintermix. First comes the portion of bed (screened-off 15-20 mm size
sinter), then if necessary, a smoothing device is put on, to level the surface of the
charge. Next comes the portion of basic product (sintermix), which is to be smoothed
also.
At position 2, the mix top layer is ignited.
Position 3 is an auxiliary one, it is used for moving sinter pots from the mix
preparation platform to the sintering platform and back. It is done with the help of a
pusher.
At position 4, sinter pots are received on the sintering platform from the mix
preparation platform. There mix is sintered, as each pot is traveling from position 4 to
position 5, When the sintering process is over, a sinter pot is delivered from position
4, over position 3 to position 10, where cake is discharged. Then by a conveyer, cake
is sent to the crusher.

The following operations on the mix preparation platfon11 can be fit i11totwo
minutes period.

1. At position "discharge", a sinter pot with finished cake is unloaded. After that the
pot waits for being turned into the charging position.
2. At position "charge", pot is charged with bed and sintermix.
3. At position of ignition, the following operations take place: hood is lowered and
pressed down then ignition takes place, holding and hood is lifted up.
4. Pusher moves the sinter pot from the mix preparation platform to the sintering
platform.
Pots are shoved off when the pusher emphasizes on the pot platform but end.
While approaching, the pusher relieves the pot from the catch by means of a special
pressing cleat. After rolling the sinterpot over to the sintering platform, the pusher
comes back to its initial position on the sintering platform.
5. At the beginning of charge, the sintering platform is in a situation where position 4
is free for receiving sinter pot from the mix preparation platform. The cap is lifted and
hanged above this position. As it happens, the throttle of air feed into the pot inside is
closed.

Having moved the pot by the pusher from the mix preparation platform to the
sintering platform the cap is lowered to close the pot. As it happens the cap lifting
hydraulic cylinder remains in the lower position together with the catching clamp,
waiting for the next cap closed pot.
As the cap goes down, the throttle is opened and the air purging of the pot
begins. The purging starts and keeps going as the sintering platform is turning, after
that the pot which has been sintered, is put into the conveying position. The other
pots remain in the sintering cycle positions.
6. Further, the pusher moves the sinter pot from the sintering platform to the mix
preparation platform. It is done with the help of a special catch on the pusher.
The mix preparation and sintering platforms are turned by cycles,
independently from each other, but only after the operations at each position are
over.
5.4. Arrangement and layout
~
The arrangement of material storage, how and where to do it, how to prepare
sinter mix are to be decided by the Customer.
Drawing TM10l.00.000-TX sheet 1 shows the process flow-chart.
Drawing TMI 01.00.000-TX sheet 2 shows an approximate layout of the equipment
and Space for the sintering-under-pressure machine.
Sinter mix components (iron-bearing raw material, fuel, flux and other
additions) are delivered either by road or by rail to the store.
There must be stock sufficient for 5-10 days of operation, depending upon the
type and source of transportation.
It should be an indoor raw-material storage, unheated, with a grab crane.
Material is kept in stockpiles.
Stock can be unloaded from trucks directly into the receiving hoppers and
from there delivered by a conveyer to the shop bins.
All equipment for mix preparation, sintering and further treatment of cake
should be installed in one and the same building.
Solid fuel and flux from the receiving hoppers are sent to crushers. After that,
from the shop bins, through weighers, the desired quantity of fuel and flux is sent to
the sintermix hopper.
The prepared stock is delivered by a pneumatic system to the sintermix
hoppers, therefrom together with return fines and additions it goes to a mixing drum.
Then sintermix is sent to the revolving sinter machines and charged into sinter pots
to be sintered under pressure.
The sintering process proceeds as per the flow-chart, described earlier.
If there is a need, it will be possible to install a second balling drum after the
mixing drum.
Dust from cyclones and gas uptakes goes to the belt conveyers and then to
the return fines conveyer.

It zinc-containing sludge is used for sinter, dust from special precipitators will
be sent to the user for further processing.
There are the following rooms and bays in the main building: operators
station, maintenance and repair bay, electro-technical rooms with respective
equipment, pluming fixtures
5.5. Automatic control and monitoring
There is a provision of automatic control system to control the process (ACS),
which consists of two, upper and lower levels.
The lower level of ACS is capable of controlling automatically the following
systems:
milling of the mix components;
portioning;
mixing and balling;
charging of sinter pots;
sintering;
cooling of cake and its crushing.
This systems are equipped with sensors, primary control means ,
microprocessor controllers.
The basic parameters under control are as follows:
raw material consumption;
quality of sinter; .
height of the mix in a sinter pot;
temperature in the ignition hood; .

process parameters of suction and pressure in the hood and gas

uptakes;
flue gas temperature; .
dust content in emission after the sintermaking processed.
The upper level of ACS is responsible for collecting and primary processing of
parameters under control, as well as monitoring of equipment condition, consumption
of raw material and power, formation and supply of information to the operating
personnel.
There is an informative subsystem of control at this level.
These subsystems are realized through PCS. To control the sinter machine
and conveyance facilities there is an operators desk, equipped with computers and
allied equipment, means of communication and annunciation.
5.6. Environment friendliness of the process. Recycling of wastes.
The basic most harmful aspects of the sintering process are: heat and dust
emission during classification and loading of sinter and dust, at junctions.
There is a provision in the sinter machine design for keeping all the dust
generating points in proper places, with facilities to arrest and clean dusty air in
cyclones.
There is a provision of aeration to fight heat emission.
As to volume of such emissions like oxides of sulfur, nitrogen, carbon is rather
small, there is no provision for cleaning process gas.

Dust from process gas, spillage, aspirator dust are brought back to the
process together with return fines.
If zinc-containing dust and sludge are used in sintering, it is necessary to
install additionally special precipitators before cyclones as to catch sublimates that
are generated in the course of the process. The temperature of flue gas at that
should be higher than dew point.
5.7. Bill of main equipment
Pos no.
ITEMS
1

Belt conveyer, B-650 mm, N=

14kWh 1 18.0

TOTAL WEIGHT
(APPROX)
18.0

Discharger, B=650 mm,

N=3kW 1 3.0
Revolving sinter machine
Mixing drum, 2.8x8.0
One-roll crusher
One-deck unbalanced-throw
screen
Double-deck unbalanced-throw
screen
Lift, H=14. m, N=15 kW
Crusher, N=211 kW
Separator
Cyclone, 15-700-4UP
Cyclone, 15-500-4UP
Classificator
Bag filter
Screw conveyer, N=2.2 kW
Lock feeder, N=1.1 kW
Lock feeder, N=1.1 kW
. Fan, N=30 kW
Fan, N=l1 kW
Pneumatic screw pump, 75 kW
Electric hoist, cap. 1t
. Electric hoist, cap., 0.5t
Blower, N=400 kW
Exhauster, N=75 kW
Fan, N=90 kW
Cyclone.
Weigher
Electric traveling crane, cap. 5t,
L=27.5
Electric hoist cap=3.2t
Conveyer, B=500mm, N=7kW
Conveyer, B=500mm,
N=4.57kW
Conveyer, B=500mm, N=7kW
Conveyer, B=500mm, N=ll kW
Belt conveyer, B=800mm, N=7
kW
Belt conveyer, B=800mm,
N=7.5 kW
Apron conveyer, B=1000mm

3.0

2
1
1
1

300.0
29.0
22.5
2.5

3.5

2
2
2
2
2
4
6

5.0
5.5

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36

QUANTITY

2.5
2.5

5
1
2
2
2
8
6
1

3.0
1.0
0.3
0.20
0.7
0.5
2.50
0.40
0.08
20.0
4.0
6.6
2.0
2.5
18.0

2
3
6

5.0
33.0
35.0

2
2
2

16.7
4.5
2.0

12.0

15.0

2
2
2

REMARKS

CRUSHING
BAY

37
38

Sintermix hopper
Bed hopper

1
1