The use of prototype pelletizer for iron ore preparation

Abstract

In this research, a pelletizer was designed and fabricated as a prototype machine to make iron ore pellets to be used as a blast furnace burden. During the iron manufacturing process, iron ore powder of specified particle size distribution is mixed with a binder, coke powder and calcium carbonate. The raw materials are intimately mixed and thereafter treated with a critical amount of water while the pelletizing is taking place. During the pelletizing process the ore particles are subjected to horizontal and vertical forces applied mechanically coupled with the adhesive forces created by water molecules. The forces acting on iron ore particles would facilitate by bringing the particles together and thereby giving uniformity to the pellet. The addition of water has to be carried out carefully as it is a critical parameter. After careful drying, firstly in air and thereafter in an oven at HOC for 2 hours, the green pellets thus obtained were sintered to produce the final pellet to be used in the blast furnace.