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ITmk3 Technology

1.0 Introduction

ITmk3 “Iron Making Technology Mark Three” is a unique technology developed


and owned by Kobe Steel Limited, Japan for smelting iron ore fines using non-
coking coal to produce iron in the form of nuggets. It may be considered as a
new source of iron particularly, for Electric Arc Furnace steel making. Kobe Steel,
who developed this process, views ITmk3 as a third generation ironmaking
technology: Mark 1, the first generation, being blast furnace ironmaking, gas-
based direct reduction being Mark 2.

2.0 The Process:

The heart of the ITmk3 process is the Rotary Hearth Furnace (RHF) where iron
ore fines is reduces and smelted using pulverized coal. The process flow sheet
below depicts various units and sub-units used in the ITmk3 process:

The steps of iron ore reduction and smelting in the ITmk3 process are given
below:

• Iron ore fines, Flux and pulverized coal are mixed in a mixer.

• Mixed inputs are converted into carbon composite green pellets in a


pelletizer.

• Pellets are dried at a temperature of around 180o C using preheated air which
is heated by exhaust gas of the furnace. Pellets are fed to RHF

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• In the RHF, the carbon bearing composite pellets are gradually heated up
using natural gas. The smelting reduction process involving reduction and
smelting takes place in stages. In the last zone, the temperature is raised to
1350-1450oC, thereby melting the iron and its easy separation from the
gangue in the form of slag.

• A series of reactions which take place in the RHF are completed in around 10
minutes. To begin with (after approx. 3 minutes), pellets are converted into
DRI with unreacted core which later ( after 5 minutes) convert into a dense
metallic iron shell containing molten slag and large void space. Immediately
thereafter, the metallic iron melts and starts separating out from slag and by
around 9 minutes, there is complete separation of iron and slag.

• In the last two minutes of the process of the RHF, the molten iron and slag
are cooled. The solidified iron nuggets are separated from the slag with the
help of a magnetic separator.

• The sensible heat of the off gas from the RHF is substantially recovered by a
recuperator thereby heating the air for combustion of natural gas used in the
process. The hot air is also utilized for drying the green pellets.

Pelletizing Drum Rotary Hearth Furnace

Nuggets

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3.0 Input Raw Material

The three main inputs are iron ore fines (< 44 micron), non-coking coal
and fluxes. Coal is the reductant for conversion of iron ore into iron and
also serves as the main source of heat. The quality and quantity of flux is
determined based on the nature of iron ore and coal. Besides coal, natural
gas is another heat source, which is burnt in the RHF to heat up the
pellets.

4.0 Features of Iron Nuggets

• Iron nuggets are slag-free, high-purity iron having a metallic iron


content of 96% to 97%.

• Iron nuggets improve the productivity and energy efficiency of


electric arc furnaces (EAF) as due to higher sp. Gravity the nuggets sink
down in the metal pool. With better meltability than blast-furnace pig
iron, iron nuggets can be continuously fed into EAF.

• Iron nuggets are easy to transport and handle. High in density, they
do not readily re-oxidize or generate fines.

5.0 Advantages of ITmk3 process

• The process can utilise very fine iron ore particles (Less than 44
microns), and non coking thermal grade coal apart from other steel plant iron
bearing dust.

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• In comparison to pig iron produced in a blast furnace, the production of
iron nuggets using the ITmk3 Process emits about 20% less carbon dioxide due
to its good energy efficiency.
• Raw material pre-treatment facilities (coke ovens, sintering plants and
pellet plants) are unnecessary.
• ITmk3 is highly suitable for mining sites and can be profitable for even
small mines.
• Operation is easy and production adjustments are also easy.
• The operations can be scaled up by increasing the Hearth area of the
RHF.

Kobe steel has installed a 0.5 million tonne commercial plant at Minnesota, USA
and this plant has been commissioned in 2010.

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