Model Study on Burden Distribution in COREX Melter Gasifier
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
processes Article Model Study on Burden Distribution in COREX Melter Gasifier Haifeng Li 1,2,3,* , Zongshu Zou 1,2,3,*, Zhiguo Luo 1,3, Lei Shao 1,3 and Wenhui Liu 1,3 1 Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multi-metallic Mineral (Ministry of Education), Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, Liaoning, China; [email protected] (Z.L.); [email protected] (L.S.); [email protected] (W.L.) 2 State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, Liaoning, China 3 School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, Liaoning, China * Correspondence: [email protected] (H.L.); [email protected] (Z.Z.) Received: 21 October 2019; Accepted: 26 November 2019; Published: 1 December 2019 Abstract: COREX is one of the commercialized smelting reduction ironmaking processes. It mainly includes two reactors, i.e., a (reduction) shaft furnace (SF) and a melter gasifier (MG). In comparison with the conventional blast furnace (BF), the COREX MG is not only equipped with a more complicated top charging system consisting of one gimbal distributor for coal and eight flap distributors for direct reduction iron (DRI), but also the growth mechanism of its burden pile is in a developing phase, rather than that in a fully-developed phase in a BF. Since the distribution of charged burden plays a crucial role in determining the gas flow and thus in achieving a stable operation, it is of considerable importance to investigate the burden distribution influenced by the charging system of COREX MG. In the present work, a mathematical model is developed for predicting the burden distribution in terms of burden layer structure and radial ore/coal ratio within the COREX MG. Based on the burden pile width measured in the previous physical experiments at different ring radii on a horizontal flat surface, a new growth mechanism of burden pile is proposed. The validity of the model is demonstrated by comparing the simulated burden layer structure with the corresponding results obtained by physical experiments. Furthermore, the usefulness of the mathematical model is illustrated by performing a set of simulation cases under various charging matrixes. It is hoped that the model can be used as a what-if tool in practice for the COREX operator to gain a better understanding of burden distribution in the COREX MG. Keywords: COREX melter gasifier; mixed charging; burden layer structure; burden pile width 1. Introduction Steel is the world’s most popular construction material due to its durability, processability, and cost cheapness. However, producing steel brings high energy consumption and CO2 emissions, especially in ironmaking process. In order to minimize the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of the ironmaking process, some alternative liquid iron production technologies to blast furnace (BF), such as the COREX process and the FINEX process, have been developed [1]. The COREX process is a smelting-reduction process developed by Siemens Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau Gmbh & Co. (VAI) in the 1970s, for cost-efficient and environment-friendly production of hot metal from iron ore and non-coking coal. Eight COREX units in the world have been put into use and successfully commercialized in different areas, e.g., South Africa, India, and China; therein, two of them are the latest generation of COREX with a capacity of 1.5 million tons of liquid iron per year and were built in China at the Baosteel Luojing steel plant. Processes 2019, 7, 892; doi:10.3390/pr7120892 www.mdpi.com/journal/processes ProcessesProcessesProcesses2019 20192019,,7, 7,7, 892, xx FORFOR PEERPEER REVIEWREVIEW 222 of ofof 15 1414 InIn thethe COREXCOREX processprocess [2],[2], allall thethe metallurgicalmetallurgical reactionsreactions taketake placeplace inin twotwo separateseparate processprocess reactors,reactors,In the thethe COREX upperupper process shaftshaft furnace [furnace2], all the (SF)(SF) metallurgical forfor thethe ironiron reactions oreore pre-reductionpre-reduction take place in andand two thethe separate lowerlower process meltermelter reactors, gasifiergasifier the(MG)(MG) upper forfor final shaftfinal reductionreduction furnace (SF) andand for smelting.smelting. the iron A oreA schematicschematic pre-reduction prprocessocess and flowflow the sheet lowersheet isis melter shownshown gasifier inin FigureFigure (MG) 1.1. forIronIron final oreore reduction(lump(lump ore,ore, and pellets,pellets, smelting. oror aa mixturemixture A schematic thereof)thereof) process isis chargedcharged flow intointo sheet thethe is upperupper shown SFSF in wherewhere Figure thethe1. burdenburden Iron ore isis (lump reducedreduced ore, toto pellets,directdirect reducedreduced or a mixture ironiron thereof) (DRI)(DRI) byby is thethe charged reductionreduction into the gasgas upper arisingarising SF fromfrom where thethe the lowerlower burden MG.MG. is reducedDischargeDischarge to screws directscrews reduced conveyconvey ironthethe DRIDRI (DRI) fromfrom by the the SF reductionSF intointo thethe gas MGMG arising wherewhere fromfinalfinal reductio thereductio lowernn and MG.and meltingmelting Discharge taketake screws placeplace inin convey additionaddition the toto DRI allall fromotherother themetallurgicalmetallurgical SF into the reactions.reactions. MG where InIn final comparisoncomparison reduction withwith and aa melting coconventionalnventional take place BF,BF, COREXCOREX in addition MGMG to isis allequippedequipped other metallurgical withwith aa moremore reactions.complicatedcomplicated In comparisontoptop chargingcharging with systemsystem a conventional consistingconsisting BF, ofof COREX oneone gimbalgimbal MG is distributordistributor equipped with forfor coal acoal more andand complicated eighteight flapflap topdistributorsdistributors charging forfor system DRI.DRI. consisting of one gimbal distributor for coal and eight flap distributors for DRI. FigureFigureFigure 1. 1.1. Schematic SchematicSchematic flowflowflow sheet sheetsheet of ofof COREX COREXCOREX process. process.process. TheTheThe BF BFBF concept conceptconcept is isis used, used,used, but butbut the thethe BF BFBF is isis virtually virtuallyvirtually split splitsplit into intointo two twotwo parts partsparts at atat the thethe cohesive cohesivecohesive zone zonezone interface interfaceinterface (cf.(cf.(cf. FigureFigureFigure2 2))2) in inin a aa COREX COREXCOREX process. process.process. Compared ComparedCompared with withwith the thethe conventional conventionalconventional BF BFBF route, route,route, non-coking non-cokingnon-coking coal coalcoal can cancan be bebe directlydirectlydirectly used usedused for forfor ore oreore reduction reductionreduction and andand smelting smeltingsmelting in inin a aa COREX COREXCOREX process, process,process, which whichwhich eliminates eliminateseliminates the thethe need needneed for forfor coke cokecoke makingmakingmaking units. units.units. The TheThe use useuse of ofof lumplump ore oreore or oror pellets pellets also alsoalso dispenses didispensesspenses with withwith the thethe need needneed of ofof sinter sintersinter plants. plants.plants. SinceSince coking cokingcoking andandand sintering sinteringsintering plants plantsplants are areare not notnot required requiredrequired for forfor the thethe COREX COREXCOREX process, process,process, substantial substantialsubstantial cost costcost savings savingssavings of up ofof to upup 20% toto 20% can20% becancan achieved bebe achievedachieved in the ininproduction thethe productionproduction of hot ofof metal, hothot metal,metal, of a grade ofof aa gradegrade similar similarsimilar to that toto ofthatthat the ofof blast thethe blastblast furnace furnacefurnace [3]. [3].[3]. FigureFigureFigure 2. 2.2. Comparison Comparison ofof conceptsconcepts betweenbetweenbetween blast blastblast furnace furnacefurnace (BF) (BF)(BF) route routeroute and andand COREX COREXCOREX route. route.route. SinceSinceSince the thethe distribution distributiondistribution of ofof charged chargedcharged burden burdenburden plays playsplays a crucial aa crucialcrucial role rolerole in determining inin determiningdetermining the gas thethe flow gasgas flow andflow thus andand inthusthus achieving inin achievingachieving a stable aa stablestable operation operationoperation in BF and inin BFBF SF, andand it is SF,SF, of considerableitit isis ofof considerableconsiderable importance importanceimportance to investigate toto investigateinvestigate the burden thethe distributionburdenburden distributiondistribution influenced influencedinfluenced by the complicated byby thethe complicatedcomplicated charging chargingcharging system of systemsystem COREX ofof COREX MG.COREX The MG.MG. top The chargingThe toptop chargingcharging system systemsystem ofof COREXCOREX MGMG consistsconsists ofof oneone coal-gimbalcoal-gimbal distributordistributor andand eighteight DRI-flapDRI-flap distributors.distributors. TheThe Processes 2019, 7, 892 3 of 15 of COREX MG consists of one coal-gimbal distributor and eight DRI-flap distributors. The gimbal distributor distributes the coal to different radial positions in the furnace by adjusting the angle of the chute. The DRI-flap distributors can charge DRI into the furnace by changing the angle of the flap. The burden distribution is affected by many factors, such as loading equipment and charging patterns. However, as a closed high-temperature reactor, it is difficult to observe directly the burden surface profile and internal structure in the COREX MG. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a