Beijing Blast Furnace Seminar March 11, 2009

Business Confidential

Beijing Blast Furnace Seminar March 11, 2009

Lecture Will Cover Two Topics

Drying Out the New Lining of a Blast
Furnace
Starting Up the New Furnace

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Drying Out the Blast Furnace Lining

Why to Do It
How to Do It

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Typical Blast Furnace Lining

Material

MT

Castable
Graphite
Carbon
Ram
Cement
Firebrick

115
72
757
25
66
664

TOTAL

~ 1700

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Drying Out the Blast Furnace Lining

Some People Suggest Not To Do It !

Not Up to Operating Temperature
Drying Only Affects About 50% of the
Material Volume
Takes a Lot of Time

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Drying Out the Blast Furnace Lining

Some People Suggest Not To Do It !

Not Up to Operating Temperature
Drying Only Affects About 50% of the
Material Volume
Takes a Lot of Time

Do Not Believe Them !

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Typical Blast Furnace Lining

Calculations Have Shown That

Between 150 and 250 MT of
Water and Volatiles Are
Contained in The Lining Materials

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Drying Out the Blast Furnace Lining

Not Removing the Water (and Volatiles)

Can and Does Lead Directly to

Gas Tracking
Overheating
Explosive Spalling
and
Sometime Liquid Breakout

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Options For Drying the Blast Furnace Lining

There Are Several Options

Hot Gas Generators on Casthouse
Contractor Company
The Stove System

The Stove System Is Preferred

Helps in Heating Stoves
Tests Operation of Stove System
More Even Heating of Entire Lining

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Procedure For Drying the Blast Furnace Lining

Bleeders CLOSED
Gas System Isolated After Dustcatcher
Furnace and Top Closed
Special Technique for Stove Changes
Warm Water on Staves, Cooling Plates,
Tuyeres, Etc.

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Drying Out the Blast Furnace Lining

Bleeders
Uptake

Downcomer

Dustcatcher
Measure Humidity
Hot Blast

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Procedure For Drying the Blast Furnace Lining

Blow Ambient Air Temperature for 24 Hrs

2000 m IV, use 30,000 m/Hr

4000 m IV, use 60,000 m/Hr

After 24 Hrs, Increase Temp +20 C / Hour Up to 350 C

Hold at 350 C for 24 Hrs
Then Increase to 400 C for Further 24 Hrs
Hold 400 C Until:

T/C Under Ceramic Arrestor > 100 C, and

T/C Mid Point of Refractory Lining Also > 100 C

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Procedure For Drying the Blast Furnace Lining

Measure The Humidity of the Blast Air
Time Estimate for Equalization of Incoming and
Outgoing Humidity = ~ 7 Days, But It Can Be Up to 10
or 12 Days.

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Special Procedure For Stove Changes

For Normal Stove Changes from Bottle Up to On
Blast. The Stove is First Pressurized, then the Cold
Blast Valve is Opened, then the Hot Blast Valve, and
Lastly the Mixing Air Valve. For Dryout, and
Considering the Low Pressure and Blast Volume, the
Hot Blast Valve is Opened First, and then The Mixing Air
Valve, and Lastly the Cold Blast Valve.
The Concept is to Never Allow Blast Air Temperature to
Exceed Target Level
Under No Circumstances Is Blast Temperature to
Approach 500 C, Due to Oxidation Potential

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Very Important Reminders

During the Dryout and Blow-In, Be Sure to Drain Water

from Hearth Drains Daily
About 2 Weeks After the Blow-In, Stop the Furnace and
Grout Between Hearth Bricks and Shell, to Restore and
Insure Good Contact for Heat Transfer

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace

Once the Dryout is Completed, and All

Equipment Is Ready for Service, It is
Time to Blow In the Blast Furnace
It Seems Every Plant Has Their Own
Peculiarities Regarding How To Do This,
and That Is a Great Problem

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace

It Is a Problem Because the Technology

Does Not Seem to be Transportable
The Following Is a Compilation of More
Than 150 Blow-Ins, and Has Been
Tested and Verified on BFs as Small as
6 m H.D. and as Large as 14 m H.D.

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace

Fundamentals
Burdening
Start Up Procedure

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Fundamentals

Planning and Mental Discipline

Simplicity
High Slag Fluidity
Arrival at 110% of Normal Reductant
Consumption After 1.0 1.5 Times
Working Volume Charged After Initial Fill
Focus on Development of Connection
Between Tuyeres and Taphole

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Burdening

Key Principles
Initial Fill
Subsequent Filling

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Burdening

Key Principles
Optimize Coke Particle Size and Quality
50 mm Minimum Size For All Coke Portion
on Initial Fill. Best Quality Available
40 mm Bottom Size for Rest of Blow In
Optimize Melting Properties of Other
Materials Where Choice Exists
For Ex. Silicious Ore vs Silica Gravel

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Burdening

Initial Fill
Fill BF to Centerline of Tuyeres with Coke
Add +15% W.V. Coke
Add + 25% W.V. Fluxed Coke
Aim 1.27 B/S in Slag, H.M. Si 3.00%

Four Blocks of 12% W.V. each

Block 1 C.R. 1600 kg/tHM

Block 2 C.R. 1200 hg/tHM
Block 3 C. R. 1000 kg/tHM
Block 4 C. R. 900 kg/tHM

Slag Volume Results from B/S Calculation and

Fluidity Targets

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Burdening

Subsequent Filling
10 Blocks of 10% - 15% W.V. each
Coke Rate
kg/tHM

Block 1
Block 2
Block 3
Block 4
Block 5
Block 6
Block 7
Block 8
Block 9
Block 10

900
860
815
770
725
680
635
590
545
500

Slag
B/S
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.27

Vol
1.5 x Normal
1.5 x Normal
1.25 x Normal
1.25 x Normal

Normal
Normal
Normal
Normal
Normal
Normal

Iron
% Si
2.50
2.50
2.00
2.00
1.75
1.75
1.50
1.50
1.25
1.00

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Start Up Procedure

Key Principles
Drying the Burden
Light Off
Schedule for Blast Volume, Blast
Temperature, and Tuyere Opening
Casting

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Start Up Procedure

Key Principles
Firmly Establish Gas and Liquid Connection
Between Tuyeres and Taphole(s)
Air Injection (Durfee Pipe)
Gas Burner
Allowing Long Time Blow

Gradual Increases in Blast Volume, Burden

Ratio, Hot Blast Temperature
Hot Metal Silicon Content <1.0% Within 36 48 Hours from First Cast
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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Start Up Procedure

Drying the Burden

Start at 300 C for 4 Hrs

Then to 400 C for 4 Hrs
Then to 500 C for 4 Hrs
Then + 50 C per Hour until Ignition

Light Off Occurs Automatically by the Hot Blast

~ 550 C
After Ignition, Move Immediately to 600 C Hot
Blast Temperature. Then Hold for 2 Hours

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Start Up Procedure

Schedule for Blast Volume

Start Burden Drying at 33% of Normal Wind

At Ignition Move Immediately to 50%
+ 3% Every 2 Hrs, Means ~33 Hours Until Full Wind

Schedule for Blast Temperature

After 2 Hour Hold, +100 C Every 2 Hrs Until 80% of Normal

After 24 Hrs, +100 C Every 2 Hrs Until 90% of Normal
Reserve Last 10% HBT for Cold Furnace Issues. and Later
Blast Moisture for RAFT Control

Schedule for Tuyere Opening

Use Tuyere Inserts Equal to 50% Tuyere Cross Section

Break Inserts as Blast Volume Increases to Maintain Tuyere
Velocity
Keep Blast Balanced Around Furnace

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Start Up Procedure

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Start Up Procedure

Casting
During Burden Drying, Tapholes Are Open
After Ignition, Tapholes Are Kept Open as
Long as Possible, Even Using heavy
Equipment to Clean Main Trough

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Start Up Procedure

Dog House

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Start Up Procedure

Casting
Once Tapholes Are Closed, Wait 8 12
Hours to make First Cast
Then Finish Subsequent Casts Every 3
3.5 Hours

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Start Up Procedure

The Procedure Review

Start All Tuyeres Open with Inserts, and
Dry Burden 12 Hrs. 1/3 Normal Blast
Volume, HBT 300 C, Increasing by
Schedule
After Drying Burden, Gradually Move to
Ignition
After Ignition, Allow the Taphole(s) to Blow
Hot Gas as Long as Possible

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Start Up Procedure

The Procedure Review (Contd)

Close Taphole(s), and wait 8 12 Hrs to
Make First Cast
After First Cast, Subsequent Casts Finish at
3 3.5 Hr Intervals
Burden Ratio, Blast Volume, Hot Blast
Temperature Increase by Pre-arranged
Schedules

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Blowing In the Blast Furnace Start Up Procedure

The Procedure Review (Contd)

As Blast Volume Increases, Break Inserts
to Increase Tuyere Area by Calculation to
Maintain Tuyere Velocity

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Summary

Planning and Mental Discipline are the

Keys to Success
Pay Close Attention to Details

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This presentation and its guidelines are to be used for illustrative purposes only, and
are not intended to replace individual assessments. Each plant, blast furnace, and
operation is unique and adjustments need to be made to suit local conditions.
GrafTech makes no warranties, express or implied, as to these guidelines and
assumes no liability arising out of its use. The information contained in this
presentation should not be used as the sole basis of proper blast furnace procedures.
GrafTechs liability to purchasers is expressly limited to the terms and conditions of
sale.

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