Sponge iron dust control

Is the stuff at all magnetic? A good electromagnet might help if so. Somehow I doubt this would have been overlooked by the pros, but ya never know...

Techno had some good information and the people that wrote those regs have had experiences in the DR field. Some of the facts about dust in DR plants are: dust materials from feed circuits of course will be non-magnetic iron ore dust of less than 10 microns, mostly. Dust from the product side will be smaller and lighter and will contain some carbon along with reduced iron. It will also be explosive about the same as carbon dust in the same concentrations and it will re-oxidize in normal atmospheres, causing fires if left to accumalate and stack up. DR dust is mostly magnetic so can be picked up by magnets in an open area like roadways. This is being done in some cleanup methods of plants and vacuum trucks are used as well. Wash down may be used if it can be quickly saturated so the DR dust material is overwelmed by flooding.

It is very difficult to handle the DR dust after collection as it is all less than 8 microns with not many facets to allow briquetting without massive binder use unless you use a ram briquettor method (T.C.Inc. patent)

The only effective method of dust collection for DR dust has been a higher than normal design of increased velocity of air flow, to keep it in suspension or it will settle in pipes. You can install all collection ductwork in a vertical mode to keep the dust from settling. The settling dust will possibly re-oxidize in any pipe and again can cause fires.

It is also good to consider adding to any dust collection system or having available inert gas like nitrogen to keep the gas oxygen down below 13% if any problems exist with re-oxidation of the DR dust, & to prevent an explosive mixture. This inert gas should be available also for any collection tank or bin in handling DRI.

We have spent almost 40 years in DRI developement and handling. Any further comments or questions please contact us at T.C.Inc., USA, tele: 503-630-6759, email: tcinc002@aol.com

Dear Sir,

Please send me more information on this subject. I am DR Plant Manager for Middle East Steel Mills. If it is interesting we can call you for the meeting.

My email add : majidshaik@hotmail.com

Best wishes,

Majid Shaik

Dear Majid Shaik,

Thanks for the response to sponge iron dust control, through the CR4 thread on the subject. There are many aspects of dust collection for iron ore and sponge iron that go against the grain from normal design paprameters. Some of these differences have been used in coal handling to restrict potential of explosions in the pipe lines. As I have said there are similarities in handling both from a chemical perspective, but disimilar from a physical perspective.

I don't know what specific problems you are having so I can't rightly say much at this point. I suspect you are operating a Midrex or an HYL unit? Or both? If this is the case then your DRI is of a higher quality than a product from a rotary kiln and therefore higher in potential of fires and explosion potential due to the nature of the sponge iron and possibibly higher yet if it is an HYL plant from reduction with hydrogen rather than hydrogen and carbon monoxide from a Midrex plant.

I do know that what ever your problems are they can be resolved with a bit of common sense in design of the dust collection system and further handling of the fines and recovery of dust with the T.C.Inc. RBI process. This system can also recover all of your in plant and steel mill waste iron units and other materials and make the plant 100% waste free and fullfill requirements of the carbon footprint in a "Green Plant".

I will not use this medium for a sales tool but will discuss it further directly if interested at: tcinc002@aol.com

Regards

T.J.Coyne,Jr., President, T.C.Inc.

Please let me know of your whereabouts (what country, etc.) Our experience exists with the following:

T.C.Inc. Associates

T.C.Inc. as an international engineering and consulting firm, has put together a group of associates for the execution of projects in the iron and steel sector of industry to handle any potential upcoming project or to participate in ongoing concerns of an existing one. From the original conceptual idea of beginning a project to the operation, our consultants are experienced and professional individuals that have worked in the following areas:

Mining

-mine setup and evaluations for production for consistency in QM

-material evaluations and analysis for pelletizing and direct reduction

-mathematical modeling

Beneficiation

-equipment selection and process evaluation for pelletizing

Pelletizing

-selection of pelletizing process

-experience with straight grate, grate kiln and shaft furnaces.

-mathematical modeling and simulation for process optimization

Direct Reduction

-experiences with Midrex, HYL, Corex shaft furnace technologies

-experiences with ACCAR, SLRN and Krupp rotary kiln technologies

-experiences with Midrex, Zia, Inmetco and MR&E rotary hearth technologies

-experiences with Exon, Iron Carbide fluid bed technologies

-selection of DR process

Steel Making

-experiences with conventional to the latest steel making technologies and equipment

-use of DRI in steel making

-ferro-alloy production

-stainless steel making

Other specialty areas

-environmental sciences

-mathematical modeling

-waste recovery of total iron units

-agglomeration, briquetting.