Model Predictions of Important Bed and Gas Properties during Iron Ore Sintering

A new numerical iron ore sintering model was developed recently. It takes into account most of the significant physico-chemical processes in sintering. In this study results from the model are compared with experimental results from twenty five sinter pot tests. Results indicate that the model can simulate the iron ore sintering process, as reasonable correlations between predicted and measured results were obtained in many areas. The good comparisons also indicate that the key sub-models, which have significant effects on results, viz., coke combustion, fluxes calcination, drying and condensation as well as heat and mass transfer, describe the sub-processes well. The phenomena of steady-state waste gas composition (SSWGC) and steady-state waste gas temperature (SSWGT) were simulated and analyzed by the model. A total of nine important input variables were identified and their influence on sintering time and three critical parameters which determine heat transfer during sintering were considered in the sensitivity studies. Results showed that bed bulk density, solid and gas thermal capacities, coke level and diameter and post-ignition airflow rate have the greatest influences on sintering time and the temperature profile parameters. This paper also gives suggestions on how the model can be improved.