MODELING OF A PILOT-SCALE IRON-ORE PELLET INDURATION FURNACE

In this work, a mathematical model of the pilot scale iron ore pellet induration furnace is presented. The validity of the model has been ve rified by performing separate experiments of subprocesses: drying, fir ing and cooling. The experiments were performed in such a way that the phenomena of heat transfer, drying and coke combustion could be studi ed separately. To do this, the green pellets were first dried, then he ated to elevated temperatures at which the coke combustion commences a nd the pellet strength begins to increase. Finally, the pellets were c ooled by passing ambient air across the bed. The pellet induration mod el is based on the equations describing the phenomena of heat and mass transfer, gas flow, drying and combustion of coke. The experiments an d the pellet induration cycle were simulated by solving the differenti al equations. The pellet bed was divided into differential height elem ents and the phenomenological equations were solved by numerical metho ds. This type of model is very useful in many applications such as des igning of new plants, evaluating the effectiveness of different proces s parameters and training the operators and engineers. In addition, it can also serve as a module for on-line control of the moving grate fu rnace operations.