Lecture-V

Extraction of Iron From their Ore

There are three routes available for extraction of Iron from their ore (Hematite, Magnetite):
A) Blast Furnace route(Conventional) - Liquid Metal;
B) DR routes( alternative routes) - Solid form
C) SR Processes(alternative routes) - Liquid Metal
Blast Furnace
➢ It is a tall cylindrical shape made from plates of mild steel.
➢ It is narrow at the top and has an arrangement for the introduction of burden
(iron Ore + Coke + LS etc.) and outlet for dust & gases.
➢ It is heated by using Hot Air Blast with coke which presents in the charged material.
➢ Hot metal (Iron) and Slag come out through bottom of the furnace.
➢ The function of a blast furnace is to reduce iron oxides and convert into liquid iron
and slag.
The furnace profile, i.e. the shape and dimension of each individual portion (ie. height,
diameter and angle with the horizontal) depends upon the working methods, blast temp, burden
varieties and others. The enlargement of the stack, belly, bosh and shaft & bosh angle must be chosen
as such that the burden descends smoothly and the ascending gases distribution uniformly as far as
possible over the entire furnace cross section.
Foundation:
It has to support nearly 10,000 ton load which rises up to 70 meters above the molten iron delivery. H
beam piles are driven to bedrock or hardpan, with the tops of the piles above 10 ft(3m) below the yard
level.
Upon the piles is placed a reinforced concrete pad some 3m thick & 20 m in diameter. The bases for the
furnace column rest on the top surface of the pad and are anchored to the concrete foundation, thereby
providing a structure that will not move or slip. The columns are protected against a furnace breakout by
a masonry sheath. A circular heat resistant concrete pad approx. 2”-3” in thickness is laid over the
concrete foundation to provide a level working support for the installation of the bottom course of the
hearth bricks.
Columns and Base plate:
The column bases are 100-150mm thick steel slabs of about 5 ft. sq. The top of each column is covered
by a steel cap that is about 50-100mm thick & approx. 4 ft. sq. The mantle rests on these caps. The
column are provided at both top & bottom with thick gusset plate that are welded to the flange of the
column and the caps & bases each furnace column is generally 350 mm H beam, piling section or 18”
plate and angle section with 2”-3” thick cover plates welded to the flanges to develop accurate stiffening
and reinforcement. The distance between the bottom of the column base & top of the column cap is
about 15 meters.
Mantle: - Mantle is a heavy horizontal steel ring 2- 4” thick resting on the column caps. It supports
the furnace shell and brickwork of the in wall or shaft so that, when necessary, the hearth and bosh
brick work may be removed without disturbing the shaft inwall brick work. It is built of heavy steel
plates that are reinforced circumferentially by circular heavy welded steel bands and by gusset plates.
Shell: - It is a welded structure. Plates used in these are ¾ to 1 1/8” and 1 1/8 to 1 ½” above the
mantle.
A typical set of dimensions of BF (2000 t pig iron per day) with effective volume 2000m 3
• Hearth diameter………….8 – 9 m (26 - 28 ft)
• Bosh Diameter…………….9 - 10 m (28 - 30 ft)
• Hearth height……………..3.0 - 3.5 m (10 - 12 ft)
• Bosh Height………………..3.0 - 4.0 m (10 - 14 ft)
• Stock line dia.(Throat)…5.5 - 6.5 m (19 - 22 ft)
• Stack height ……………….18 - 20 m (60 - 65 ft)
• Useful Height……………...30 - 32 m (~ 100 ft)
• Working Height…………..21- 24 m (70 - 80 ft)
( tuyere line to throat)
Total useful volume…………13 – 1600 m3 (45 – 55000 ft3)
Stack batter…………………….one in twelve
Selection of Refractory materials:-
The Stack:
In the stack, the brick has to withstands for,
(a) Abrasion by the burden
(b) Carbon monoxide attack
Hence, * stack brick should have high resistance to abrasion and a close texture, and
* bricks should be true to shape and size so as to reduce joints between bricks to a minimum thickness.
➔35-39% Alumina fire brick with close texture is usually advocated for this part of the furnace.
The Bosh:
In the bosh, the brickwork has to withstand:
a) High temp. condition
b) Erosion by blast (air)
c) Lime and alkali slag attack
Hence, Bricks should have high refractoriness and refractoriness under load, low thermal expansion and
resistance to chemical attack ie, lime, alkali attack. These bricks should also be resistant to carbon
monoxide attack at 500°C as carbon deposition.
➔36-40% alumina brick with a maximum iron content of 2.5% and refractoriness of cone 33.
The Hearth:-
In the hearth, high temp condition prevails but there is little indication that there is much corrosion of
the brick work by the molten iron. Breakouts, however, in this region, are a serious feature which cause
considerable trouble and loss of output.
To reduce metal penetration, the bricks used should have a low permeability and porosity. They should
have a good shape and well fired so that tight joints can be laid and maintained.
A high alumina/silica ratio is advocated.
Carbon Blocks:
*Carbon being inactive to iron already saturated with carbon, is an ideal material for the blast
furnace hearth, provided the carbon blocks are keyed into position with thinnest possible
joints.
• The normal raw material for the manufacture of carbon blocks, is a foundry coke and
either a dehydrated tar or a mixture of tar & pitch.
• Carbon is not wetted by metal or slag and also chemically inert. It retains original
contour in the furnace better than fire clay refractory.
• The breakouts could be reduced, if used carbon blocks. In early trials of carbon hearth, it
was noted that there was a tendency for the carbon block to float. This was avoided by
making a dome shape bottom.
The success of carbon linings can be attributed to their high thermal conductivity which permits
more effective water cooling and a lower surface temperature of the refractories, but carbon
also shows much greater volume stability than many fire bricks at high temp.
In the side walls high thermal conductivity of carbon and more effective water-cooling results
in a lower temp of the carbon surface, whereby a thin layer of slag and /or metal adheres to the
surface thereby protecting it from further attack and erosion.
Advantages of Carbon Lining:
• Better refractoriness and greater resistance to abrasion of carbon enables the employment of a
thinner lining than is normal with a fireclay lining.
• Carbon lining should increase the overall campaign life of the furnace.
• The construction of the furnace can be simplified as demonstrated by the successful use of
thinner bosh with a very thin lining and spray cooling.
• Carbon lined furnace should maintain cleaner lines than a fireclay furnace.
• Minimum Hearth breakouts and reduced scaffolds.
Runner Refractoriness:
• For many years, the metal and slag runners have either been constructed with sand, or cast-iron
trough lined either with sand or clay wash which have never been altogether successful.
• Use of preformed carbon as a blast furnace runner lining, which has proved highly successful.
The only trouble in using carbon is the tendency for bricks to burn when the metal or slag has
ceased to run over it, but this is only for a short period of time. This difficulty has been
overcome by brushing the brick with clay immediately the metal/slag has ceased to flow over
them. This clay wash forms a protective coating, preventing any oxidation of the brick.
• Abolition of sand has obvious adv. in addition to labor saving. It results in cleaner metal and
less scrap, even in cold casts, like a flow of mercury in sloping desk.
Methods for Protecting Lining:-
Throat Armoring: Many furnaces are now designed so that the brickwork in the throat is
protected from abrasion by steel or cast iron bars keyed into the back of the lining and hanging
down over the face of the brickwork. If these armoring bars are continued into zone of carbon
deposition, the disintegration of the lining by carbon monoxide attack may be accelerated. Iron
bars act as a catalyst.
Failure of Blast Furnace Refractory:-
Failure reasons (CO, alkali, Limy Slag, Volatiles, Abrasion, Temp., operating condition, f/c
design, Blowing in procedure etc.)
1. Carbon Monoxide Attack: - Probably the most common failure is due to the
disintegration of bricks by carbon deposition. ie. 2CO➔CO2 + C.
This reaction takes place in the upper portions of the stack. If this bricks are porous, carbon
penetration takes place, causing the brick to disintegrate.
Test: I. Expose the brick to pure CO at a temp. of 450°C and note the time necessary to cause
disintegration. If the brick will resist treatment for 200 hrs, it is considered sufficiently resistant.
II. Pass a stream of CO through a column of crushed firebrick for a period of four hours. The
weight of CO2 present in exit gases as determined by CO2 absorption train is taken as an
indication of the materials resistance to CO attack.
For good firebrick, it is needed that the original clay should be free from such ferruginous
substances as pyrites & siderite. The brick should be well burnt so as to render the iron present
innocuous.
2. Action of alkali Vapors: - The blast furnace burden consists of small amounts of
alkalis and some cyanogens is generated by the interaction of nitrogen & carbon. These alkalis
& cyanides are volatized in the hotter part of the furnace, and tend to collect in the cooler
places.
• Alkalis react and form:
Nephelite : Na2OAl2O3.2SiO2
Kaliophilite : K2O.Al2O3.2SiO2
Leucite: K2O.Al2O3.4SiO2
These vapors, particularly cyanides lead to general corrosion and modification of surface of the
lining with consequent loss of strength and refractoriness.
3. Action of Limy Slag:- The action of blast furnace slag on the refractory lining is a
function of the basicity of the slag. Since, the ash of the coke is not released until coke is burnt
in the tuyere zone, it follows that CaO/SiO2 ratio must be high in the bosh. Therefore, these
will be a tendency for these high lime slag to attack the brickwork.
4. Action of Other Volatile Materials:- These are other volatile materials, such as
Zinc & Lead, which may be included in the blast furnace burden. These metals volatilize in the
hot zone and condense in pores of the brick in the cooler parts. Their subsequent oxidation
causes a swelling of the brick which results in disintegration.
The action of blast furnace slag on the refractory lining is a function of the basicity of the slag.
Since, the ash of the coke is not released until coke is burnt in the tuyere zone, it follows that
CaO/SiO2 ratio must be high in the bosh. Therefore, these will be a tendency for these high
lime slag to attack the brickwork.
5. Abrasion by Solids, liquids, gases:- The chief abrasion occurs on the stock line as
the burden drops from large bell. To some extent the severity of the abrasion in this zone will
depend on the nature & size of the raw material. Further abrasion in the form of wall drag
takes place lower down the furnace.
6. Temperature:- This factor chiefly concerns those bricks used in the hearth and lower
parts of the bosh, where the max. temp. is attained.
7. Operating Conditions & F/c Design:-
• The modern furnaces have high driving rate. The increased production may reduce the
life of the furnace lining in length of time, but the tonnage from this lining has not been
decreased.
• Faulty distribution may accelerate the destruction of furnace lining. Accumulation of
large quantities of coarse material near the furnace side produces lanes of low
resistance to ascending gases, which results in high gas velocity and temp conditions.
This can be rectified by correct charging facilities and design of the furnace top.
8. Blowing-in procedure:-
Unless great care is taken and patience shown during the drying of the lining and blowing in of
the furnace, considerable damage in the lining may be happened. The importance of drying
the lining course by course as it is built. Any sudden evaluation of steam from the lower part of
the furnace may cause serious disruption in the upper parts.
When blast furnace is in normal production, temp. gradient are generally gradual but during
the blowing in period, wide fluctuations are possible. Care must be exercised at this period to
see that the various zones are brought up to the working temp as evenly as possible.

The End
Lecture-VI
Distribution of Burden in the blast Furnace
• The blast furnace is essentially a furnace working on the principle of counter-current.
• The descending solid charge meets a current of ascending gases , and reduction of iron ore
along with its progressive heating have to take place during this passage.
• All the reactions taking place inside the blast furnace, for reduction of iron ore is the most
important and most difficult one also.
• The production rate of the blast furnace is directly determined by two important factors: viz.
i)The rate of reduction of iron ore;
ii)The rate of heating of the burden.

These two factors are not independent but are related to the quantity of blast that goes through
the furnace (driving rate). The efficiency with which both of the above functions are met in the furnace
stack predominantly determines the furnace productivity.

• The stack is essentially a diffusion controlled counter–current gas- solid reactor in which the
ascending hot reducing gases reduce the iron oxide and heat up the descending burden.
• The rate of reduction and heating of the burden depends upon the degree and time of contact
of gases with the burden.
• The burden inside the furnace should have uniform and good bulk permeability.
• The uniformity of distribution of reducing gases throughout the horizontal and the vertical
cross-sections of the furnace is an essential feature for the efficient reduction and heating of
the burden.
• The gases are passing through the furnace at a tremendous speed the only way of achieving
uniform gas-solid contact is by obtaining uniform resistance of the charge to the ascending
gases over the entire cross-sections of the burden.
• In practice this can only be achieved by obtaining a uniformly permeable burden inside the
furnace. This also allows more amount of blast to be forced through the furnace.
• The gas utilization, in other words the coke rate, is a function of burden distribution. It has been
found that additional each percent of CO utilized for reduction means a saving of ~7 kg of coke
per tonne of iron produced.
• The distribution of charge materials plays a very important role in deciding the performance of a
furnace.
• Burden distribution is a generic term used to denote radial ore/ coke distribution as well as the
particle size distribution in a blast furnace.
• Blast furnace were provided with double bell charging system at the top. The most popular
design in this is the McKee revolving top. In this, the materials are first charged in the closed
small bell hopper, i.e. on the small bell which is then lowered to allow the material to drop on
the closed big bell. Then big bell is lowered to drop the charge inside the furnace.
Elements of distribution:-
A mass of material consisting of varying sizes, shapes and densities fall inside the furnace with various
trajectories of individual particles. In general dense, small and irregular particles remain substantially
where they fall, building ridges/piles/peak, whilst light, large and smooth particles roll into troughs. It is
shown in fig.

• This results in non-uniform permeability in the bed. The areas containing the coarser materials
offer less resistance to the passage of the furnace gases resulting in higher temperature and
better reduction in these areas tends to descend faster than areas containing finer particles
inside the furnace.
• As far as possible iron ore should be present in the areas of maximum gas flow for efficient
reduction. The system of charging, the level of the charge and the size of the charge are to be
selected so as to have maximum utilization of gases, subject to ensuring smooth performance of
the blast furnace.
Factor Affecting Distribution:-
A number of factors affect the distribution inside the furnace and their careful control can minimize the
unevenness of gas flow and lead to a more uniform temperature and rate of reduction of the charge.
The factors that affect the distribution of charge inside the furnace have been summarized as below:

Factors Affecting Distribution Inside the Furnace

Design of the BF and its a) Angle and size of Big Bell

charging device b) Additional mechanical device used for obtaining better distribution.
(effect of these factors is c) Speed of lowering of large Bell
constant)

Inconsistency in physical a) Size range of various charge materials.

properties of charge materials( b) Angle of repose of raw materials and other physical characteristics of
deficiencies caused by this charge.
should be eliminated by c) Density of charge materials
improving quality of the
burden).

Level, system and sequence of a) Distribution of charge on the big bell.

charging, programme of b) Height of the big bell from the stock-line, i.e. charge level in the
revolving of distributor furnace throat.
(conditions determining major c) Order and proportion of charging of various raw materials.
means of BF process control
from top)
a)Angle and Size of the Big Bell:-
The angle and the size of the big bell are of considerable importance. From the operational results it is
generally agreed that an angle of 50-53° from the horizontal should be maintained. It allows rapid
discharge from the bell, minimizing the possibility of buildup of wet materials on the bell and its
consequent interference with regular distribution. The size of the bell should be viewed in relation to
the throat diameter of the furnace. The way of distribution is affected by the clearance between the
bell and the furnace wall is shown in fig. The V and M type contour formations at the stock line, which
are also called as hoppers, depend upon the bell clearance from the wall.

b) Stock line Level:-

The behavior of particles immediately after their impact on the stock line, to a large extent, controls the
nature of segregation( uniformity of permeability) in the furnace burden. The behavior depends upon
the angle of the bell and the height of the fall of material from the bell on the stock line, ie. the height
of the big bell from the stock line.
c) Speed of Lowering the Big Bell:-
The speed of lowering and raising of the large bell is of considerable importance, since the faster rate of
drop tends to throw the materials towards the wall and thereby alters the contour as well as
distribution. The speed of lowering should be maximum as far as possible because slower speed tends
to segregate the fines. The speed of raising the bell back to its seat is relevant only to the extent that it
should not strike the seating too hard. This problem is aggravated in high top pressure operation.
d) Density of charge materials:
The density of three important raw materials, Viz. the iron ore, coke and limestone are quite different.
The heaviest is iron ore (ρ 5-6 g/cc), the lightest is coke (ρ 1.5 g/cc) and limestone (ρ 3.0-3.5 g/cc). It
means that the rolling tendency of coke particles is maximum when iron ore has minimum. Since the
density values can not be altered, the sizes may be so chosen that their differential rolling tendencies
are offset to some extent.
The problem of very dense ores is serious from the point of view of their sluggish reduction rates rather
than their tendency towards segregation. Such ores are therefore invariably crushed and sintered to
obtained more porous agglomerates before charging these in the furnace.

e) Angle of repose and shape of particles:-

When a multi-particle material is allowed to gently fall on a horizontal plane, it tends to form a conical
heap. The base angle of this cone is known as angle of repose of that material. The angle depends on
the particle size, it surface characteristics, moisture content, shape, size distribution etc. Example:
( Bell Angel➔ 50 - 53° ).
Iron ore Coke Sinter Pellet

Angle of repose (°) 30-35 35-40 31-34 26-28

Mean Size (mm) 18 45 20 11
Size Range (mm) 10-30 25-75 5-30 8-14

f) Size of charge particles:-

The packing density or bulk density increases and correspondingly the permeability decreases with
increase in the range of sizes of particles in a bed. The following size ranges, as charged in the furnace,
are typical of modern practice:
More reducible ore = +10 -37 mm
Less reducible ore = +10 -25 mm
Sinter = + 5 -50 mm
Pellets = + 9 -16 mm
With -5 mm fraction in burden as maximum of 5% . Control of this one single factor has improved the
burden distribution and thereby the production much more than by any other factor.
g) Distribution of charge on Big Bell:-
The McKee revolving distributor as shown in fig. is most popular and continue to be used even today in
most of the old furnaces.
 Rourkela Steel Plant

The charging is carried out in the sequence CCOO (that is two skips of coke followed by two skips of
ore and then the small bell is lowered) and the hopper is rotated through 60° after every skip is
dumped on the small bell, which is lowered after every four skips to dump the charge on the big bell.
When eight such charges i,.e. 32 skips are charged the big bell is lowered to allow the whole charge to
fall in the furnace. The distribution of charge consisting of 32 skips as would prevail on the big bell is
shown in Fig.. It is clear that vertically there will be alternate layers of coke and ore in the charge on the
big bell. The mixing would improve further when it drops inside the furnace.

h) Additional Mechanical Devices:-

• The use of several types of deflectors and distributers in the form of rings located immediately
below the large bell have been suggested in an effort to obtain better distribution in the
furnace.
• The superiority of the Paul-Wurth-Belless Top (PW-BLT) has been universally established now
and is being used on almost all blast furnaces constructed in recent times. The well known
McKee Top may be seen on old furnaces hereafter.
Charging Cycle in B/F:-
Normal Filling:
In this type, the ore is placed first in the big bell and coke comes over it. As already Indicated, this
helps the periphery to retain the ore and coke travels to the axis which is thus loosened.
The charge is expressed as: OOLCCC/ or OOCC/ OLCC/.
This charge is desirable if the amount of fines is small and hence their nearness to the wall will not cause
formation of accretions on the wall. A lower coke rate is obtained because of better peripheral
utilization of CO.
Reverse Filling:-
Coke is placed first in the big bell, ie. CCOOL. Hence, the coke falling ahead of ore forms a slope and the
ore rolls to the center, loosening the periphery.
This filling makes the inwall hotter because of specific heat of coke and results in higher coke
rate(inferior utilization of CO). However, This filling can be used in charge where they tends to form
accretions on the wall. So, occasional charge over from normal to the reverse helps in cleaning up the
inwall.
Mixed Filling:-
As for example: OCOL/CLCOC/,. It is suitable for ore or sinter having a lot of fines. It helps in the
distribution of ore both in periphery as well as in the centre. Some of the fines are also carried to the
centre along with the rolling coke.
Separate Filling:-
ie. OOL/CCC/
Only part of the charge is brought in the big bell and then lowered. The time interval between the two
dumping is smaller, the stock slope remains steeper and more of the ore moves to the centre. It helps
loosening of the periphery. This filling is very suitable for closing graded material because size
segregation is promoted in this method.
The charge weight is directly related with blast volume, burden permeability and furnace cross-section.
A big charge results in a more uniform burden distribution over the furnace cross-section and better
utilization of the reducing gases.
Advantages of BLT:-
• Small dia. of seal valves results into easy maintenance.
• Near perfect sealing provided by adequate packing.
• Shut down needed to change big bell every 3-5 yrs is avoided.
• Maintenance of BLT system needs 24hrs. Which is done from outside.
• Provides better safety and easy control over varying charging pattern.
• Maintenance expense are 50% less as compared to conventional system.
• High reliability & low maintenance, lower shut down period gives high production.
• It can be fitted on existing B/F with minor structural modification.
• The total overall height of the top can be much lesser than conventional.
• Substantial reduction in investment for top construction.

The End