The Design of Raw Materials Receiving, Storage and Blending Facilities for Sintering
Sintering is an agglomeration process used to create products from iron ore fines. Throughout this process, iron ore fines are blended with additives, charged onto sinter strand, and then ignited. The sinter strand is then cooled to form a porous mass, also known as a sinter cake, which is then crushed and screened in preparation for use as a feedstock in blast furnaces. The quality of the sinter cake produced will depend largely on the raw materials used in the sintering process and the design of the sinter machine. The design of the raw materials receiving, storage and blending facilities is critical to the successful operation of a sinter plant.
Raw material storage should be designed according to the capacity of the storage equipment and requirements of the sinter machine. The quantity of material stored should be minimized to maintain material quality and prevent contamination. Raw materials should be stored in separate silos, bins or hoppers for each material and screened for size, since the particle size of the raw material affects the reduction rate during sintering. For designing an efficient and safe raw material handling system, adequate material handling equipment should be incorporated into the design. This can include conveyors, elevators and bucket wheels.
The quantity of raw materials delivered to the sinter plant should be controlled through a weighing system to ensure accurate measurements of raw material inputs. The weighing system should allow for precise measurements of individual materials and the total weight of raw material inputs. The layout of the weighing system should also be designed with safety in mind. In order to ensure the accuracy of the weighing system, the weighing mechanism should be regularly calibrated and the system should be given regular maintenance.
Raw materials should be blended using mixing equipment that is suitable for the type of raw material being used. The blender should also be designed to ensure that the required percentage of each raw material is blended to provide an optimal mix. Blended raw materials should be homogenized to ensure uniformity. This is accomplished by using screeners, blenders, grinders and pugmills to ensure consistent particle size and homogeneity.
It is also important to consider dust control when designing a raw material handling system. Dust control is necessary to prevent the spread of large amounts of dust particles, which can cause respiratory problems in workers. Dust control is typically accomplished by using wet dust collectors, exhaust fans and pneumatically charged baghouses.
The design of raw materials receiving, storage and blending facilities is critical to the successful operation of a sinter plant. An efficient and effective raw material handling system should be designed to ensure that raw materials receive and blend properly, while also taking safety into consideration. Properly designed raw materials receiving, storage and blending facilities will provide the necessary inputs for a successful sinter plant operation.
