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HomeTechnicalRomeltProcessforIronmaking

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Mar20

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combustion
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iron
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Romeltprocess
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RomeltProcessforIronmaking
PostedbySatyendraonMar20,2017inTechnical|0comments

RomeltProcessforIronmaking

Romeltprocessforironmakingisasmeltingreductionprocessfortheproductionofhotmetal(liquidiron).The
processhasbeendevelopedbyTheNationalUniversityofScience&TechnologyMISiS,Russia(formerly
knownasMoscowInstituteofSteelandAlloys).Thedevelopmentworkoftheprocessstartedin1978whena
groupofMISiSscientistsledbyVladimirRomentsbeganworkingondesigningofthisprocess.Thefirst
patentinRussiawasobtainedin1979.

Apilotproductionplanthavingahearthareaof20sqmandwithacapacity40,000tonsofhotmetalperyear
wascommissionedin1985attheNovolipetskIronandSteelWorks(NLMK).Thepilotplantwasdesignedby
MoscowGipromez.ThedesignofthereliableVanyukovsfurnacewastakenastheprototypeforthisnew
methodofmanufacturinghotmetal.Theprocesswastestedandmasteredatthispilotplantbetween1985and
1998.Duringthisperiodfortyonecampaignswerecarriedout,eachofwhichincludedstartupandslowdown,
withfulltappingofhotmetalandslagfromthefurnace.Morethan40,000tonsofhotmetalwasproducedin
thepilotplantduringthisperiodandusedfurtherinbasicoxygenfurnace(BOF)forsteelmaking.

ThefirstindustrialplantforhotmetalproductionbasedonRomelttechnologyisbeingbuiltatMyanmar.The
planthasbeendesignedbyLeningradGipromezandbeingsuppliedbyTyazpromexport,asubsidiaryof
Rostec.Thisplanthasacapacityof200,000tonsperyearandisbasedontheprocessingofironorewithoutits
beneficiationfromPangPetoredeposit.PangPetoredepositshaveFecontentofupto29%.Theplantwill
usenoncokingcoalfromKyeTheecoalfields.ThepanoramicviewoftheRomeltplantatMyanmarisatFig
1.
 Fig1PanoramicviewofRomeltplantatMyanmar

Rawmaterialsandspecialfeaturesoftheprocess

TheironoxidefeedtoaRomeltprocesscanbeanyironcontainingmaterial,e.g.ironorefinesand
concentrates,blastfurnaceandBOFdustsandsludges,millscale,ironbearingslags,scarfingwastesand
turnings,andirondustsetc.Thewetnoncokingcoalsof15%to20%volatilematterandaround8%to10%
ashcanbeused.Thesolidfeeds(coal,ironoxides,andfluxes)arechargedbygravityinthefurnace.

ThespecialfeaturesoftheRomeltprocessinclude(i)flexibilitytousewiderangeofironbearingmaterials,(ii)
nopreparationneededfortherawmaterials,(iii)useofnoncokingcoalasfuelandasreducingagent,(iv)
supportingproductionunitssuchascokeovensandsinteringplantarenotrequired,(v)hascapacitytogenerate
sufficientpowertomeetoverallplantrequirementsincludingoxygenplant,(vi)reducesthecostofhotmetalas
comparedtoblastfurnace(BF)route,and(vii)canbeusedforwasteprocessinginwhichcasethecostofhot
metalisfurtherreduced.

Principleoftheprocess

Romeltprocessisthesinglestageliquidphaseironreductionprocess.Intheprocess,theironbearingmaterials
aresuppliedtotheslagbathbygravityandagitatedbygas.Theydissolveinslag.Ironoxidesarereducedfrom
slagwiththehelpofcoalcarbon,whichisalsosuppliedbygravityandblownintothebath.Inorderto
intensifyheatandmasstransferslagbathbubblingwithoxidizinggas,whichisinjectedunderthesurfaceof
theslag,iscarriedout.GascontainingCOandH2evolvefromthemeltedslag.Theevolvedgasiscombusted
atthetop.Theheatofthispostcombustionmostlyprovidesthermalenergyforthereactionstakingplaceinthe
slagbath.Akeyelementofeffectiveprocesstotakeplaceistheactiveheattransferbetweenthezoneofpost
combustionandslagbath.

Processdescription

Romeltprocessemployssinglestagesmeltingreductiontechnologyfortheproductionofhotmetal.The
processutilizesnoncokingcoalforthereductionofironoxidesofironoresandwastematerials.Theschematic
oftheprocessisshowninFig2.

Fig2SchematicsofRomeltprocess

Ironcontainingmaterials,coal,andfluxarefed,usingweighhoppers,fromrelevantbinstothecommon
conveyor.Thechargingintothefurnaceiscarriedoutthroughtheapertureinthefurnaceroof.Preliminary
mixingofchargematerialsisnotrequiredsincethematerialsafterchargingdirectlygointotheslagbathdueto
itsintensiveagitation.Sluicearrangements,usedintheunitsforotherprocessesthatoperateunderpressure,are
notneededintheRomeltfurnace.TheworkingspaceoftheRomeltfurnaceisundernegativepressureof1mm
to5mmwatercolumnwhichisensuredbyinduceddraftfan.Theschematicviewofthesmeltingfurnaceof
theRomeltfurnaceisshowninFig3.
 Fig3SchematicviewtheRomeltfurnace

Theliquidslagbathisblownwitheitheroxygenoranoxygenairmixturethroughthelowertuyereslocated
belowtheslaglayer.Thetuyereshavesimplestructureandarereliableinoperation.Theyensuretherequired
agitationoftheslagbath.Noncokingcoalpresentintheagitatedliquidslagreducesironoxidespresentinthe
ironbearingburden.Liquidironproducedbythereductionofironoxidesbecomesenrichedincarbon.Drops
ofliquidirontravelsmovestowardsthefurnacehearthbecauseofgravity.

Therearethreezonesinthesmeltingfurnace.Thefirstzoneisthezoneoftheagitatedslag.Thisisthezone
whereallthereactionstakeplace.Thesecondzoneisthebottomofthehearthwhereproducedhotmetalgets
collected.Thethirdzoneisthezoneofcalmslagandissituatedbetweenthefirstandsecondzone.Thesecond
andthethirdzoneneedtohavesufficientcapacitiestoaccommodatetheproducedhotmetalandslag.

Twolinedchambers(sumps)aresituatedeachatoneoftheendsidesofthefurnace.Theyareusedforseparate
tappingofhotmetalandliquidslag.Thesumpsareconnectedwiththeworkingspacebychannelsofdifferent
heights.Thisensuresseparatetransportationofhotmetalandliquidslagintothemetalandslagsumps.There
aretapholesfortappingofhotmetalandliquidslag,whicharelocatedatdifferentheights.Thisarrangement
ensurescontinuousandfreetappingoftheliquidproducts(hotmetalandslag)atthespeedwhichmatchesthe
furnacecapacity.

Intheslagbath,theheatneededforthemeltingandreductionoftheburdenmaterialsishigherthantheheat
availableduetotheburningofcarbonofthenoncokingcoalintoCOnearthelowertuyeres.Thus,themain
featureoftheprocessisthepostcombustionofCO,H2andthevolatilematterofthecoalevolvingfromthe
bathbytheoxygenblownthroughtheuppertuyeres.PostcombustionofthegasestoCO2andH2Oprovides
additionalheatintotheslagbathnecessaryfortomaintainprocessingofrawmaterials.

Thehearthandthelowerpartofthefurnacebath,whichcontainspermanentlyhotmetalandcalmliquidslag,
arelinedwithrefractorybricks.Inthiszonetherefractoryliningisunderfavourableconditionsconsistingof
suitabletemperatureandnonoxidizingnatureoftheatmosphere.Inthezoneofagitatedslag,thefurnacewalls
areconstructedwithwatercooledpanelsmadeofcopper.Formationoftheslagscullliningonthemreducesthe
heatlossesandremovesthepossibilityoftheirwear.Thisalsoavoidswearoftheliningintheplacesofthe
mostaggressiveattackofgasslagmetalemulsion.Abovetheslagbath,wallsaremadeofwatercooledpanels
madeofsteel.Thefurnaceroofisalsowatercooled.

Afterthepostcombustion,gasesattemperatureofupto1700degCflowthroughthewatercooledexhaust
pipeintothewasteheatboiler.Therethegasesareburnedcompletelywithnaturalairinflowandcooledto250
degCto300deg?.Oncetheenergyhasbeenrecoveredandthegasiscooled,itiscleanedinthegascleaning
systemanddesulphurizedbeforebeingdischargedintotheatmospherethroughthechimney.Fluedust
generationfromtheRomeltfurnacemeasuredintheexhaustpipeisaround3%ontheaverageoftheweightof
thechargedmaterials.

Behaviourofcoalintheslagbath

Irrespectiveofthemechanismofreduction,coalistheonlysourceofreducingagentintheprocess.Thereare
noprincipallimitationsontherangeofthecoalusedforrunningtheprocessundernormalconditions.Anyone
ofthecoalswithdifferentcontentoffixedcarbon,ashandvolatilemattercanbeusedasthereducingagent.
However,thespecificcoalandoxygenconsumptionsdependverymuchonthecompositionofthecoalused.

TheunpreparedwetcoalinRomeltprocessisfallingfromaboveintotheslagbath.Thevolatilematteris
generatedinslagbathandhasastimulatinginfluenceontheprogressoftheprocess.Boththematerialbalance
andheatbalanceoftheprocessaredependentonhowandinwhichformvolatilematterisgeneratedandthe
roleitplaysintakingplaceofthemainprocessinthefurnace.Thatiswhythebehaviourofvolatilematterof
coalisoneofthemostcriticalpointsforRomeltprocessirrespectiveofthegradeofthecoalbeingused.

CoalrateinRomeltprocessconsistsofthetwopartsnamely(i)coalconsumptionneededforthereactionwith
theoxygeninjectedatthelowertuyerestoproduceCO,and(ii)coalconsumptionneededforthereductionof
oxides.Deficiencyofcoalcanbethereasonfortheincreaseoftheoxidizingpotentialoftheslagbath,which
canleadtotheuncontrolledboilingofthesame.However,theexcessivecoalrateinadditiontotheincreasing
thecostofhotmetalproduction,alsodeterioratesthethermalconditionsinsidetheRomeltfurnace.

Generallyitappearsthattherequiredquantityofcoaldependsonlyonthecontentoffixedcarboninthecoal.
However,inRomeltfurnacevolatilematteralsoparticipatepartiallyintheprocesseswhicharetakingplacein
theliquidslagbath.H2,COandN2ofthevolatilematterundergonochangesintheslagbathasthesegases
evolvefromthecoaltoproducethegaseousphase.However,CH4andCO2ofthevolatilematterparticipatein
thechemicalreactionsasperintheequationsCH4=C+2H2andCO2+C=2CO.IfthequantityofCO2is
smallandthesameofmethane(CH4)issubstantial,thenthesechemicaltransformationsleadtotheavailability
oftheadditionalquantityofcarbonforreductionofoxides.Carbonproducedbythedecompositionofmethane
isfinedispersedandhighlyactiveandimprovesthekineticsofreducingreactions.

IntheRomeltprocesswetcoalwithmoisturecontentofaround10%to12%isused.Inthefurnace,this
moisturegetsevaporatedandpartialdecomposedaspertheequationH2O+C=CO+H2.Thisnecessitates
needofadditionalcarbonforproceedingwiththereactionofwaterdecompositionfortheproductionofwater
gasconsistingofCOandH2.

Allthethreereactionsnamelydecompositionofmethane,reductionofCO2toCO,anddecompositionofwater
takeplaceintheslagbathsimultaneously.

Chemicalandmetallurgicalaspectsoftheprocess

Bulkofthereductionprocesstakesplaceintheagitatedslagzone.Oxygenoramixtureofoxygenandairis
blownthroughthebottomtuyerestoproducethehighlyagitatedbath.Therawmaterialsfeedfallsintothe
agitatedslagwheremeltingandreductiontakesplace.Theslagbathismaintainedataround1400degCto
1500degC.Noncokingcoalactsbothasareductantandasafuelsourceinthiszone.Thefollowingreactions
takeplaceintheagitatedslagzone.

Reductionofironoxides.xC+FeOx=xCO+Fe
Gasificationofcarbon.2C+O2=2CO
Crackingofvolatilematterincoal.2CxHy=2xC+yH2
Reductionofwater.H2O+C=CO+H2

Thereducedironformssmalldropletswhichcoalesceandseparatefromtheslagmovestothehearthofthe
furnacebelowthecalmslagzonebecauseofitshigherdensity.Interactionbetweenthemetalandtheslaginthe
agitatedandcalmslagzonesallowsthemetaltoberefinedthroughthepartitioningofminorelementsbetween
thephases.

Gasesgeneratedinthebath,predominantlyCOandH2,enterthecombustionzone.Herethegasesreactwith
theoxygenblowninthroughthetoptuyeresandliberatesenergywhichisusedforthesmeltingreactions.The
reactionsoccurringinthecombustionzoneareasgivenbelow.
 Postcombustion.CO+O2=CO2and2H2+O2=2H2O
Combustionofvolatilematterofcoal.4CxHy+(4x+y)O2=4xCO2+2yH2O

Energyliberatedfromthecombustionreactionsistransferredbacktothebath.Theheattransferisenhancedby
thehighdegreeofturbulencegeneratedintheslagbathbythelowertuyeres.Theoffgasisonlypartially
combustedinthefurnacewhichallowsfurtherrecoveryofenergyinaconventionalwasteheatboilersystem.

TheRomeltprocessisbasedmainlyontheliquidphasereductionofiron.Hencetheprocesshasabetter
balanceofthechemicalandenergyaspectsofthetworeductionstagesnamelythesolidphaseandtheliquid
phase.IntheRomeltprocess,alargepartoftheheatingandreductionistransferredtotheliquidphasestage.

Thereductionofironfromitsoxidesinslagiscarriedoutbycoalparticlesandbycarbondissolvedinmetal
inclusionsintheslag.Therearethefollowingtwowayswhichindicatetheinvolvementofcoalinthereduction
ofironoxidesinthefurnace.

Reductionoccurringonthesurfaceofgasbubbleswhichcontaincoalparticles.Theroleofthese
particlesistoregeneratethereducingatmosphereinthebubbles(thethermodynamicconditionswhich
existintheprocessmakeitdifficultforgasbubbleswhichdonotcontaincoalparticlestoreducetheiron
oxides).
Reductionoccurringwiththecoalparticlesindirectrandomcontactwiththeslag.Here,reductiontakes
placeunderconditionssimilartothosewhichexistwhenironisreducedbyarotatingcarbonbearing
materialandgasbubblesareforciblyremovedfromthematerialssurface.

ReductionintheRomeltfurnacetakesplace(i)whenthecoalparticlesareindirectcontactwiththeslag(60%
to80%),(ii)whencarbonisindirectcontactwiththemetaldrops(10%to15%),and(iii)atthegasslag
interface(10%to25%).Typically,85%to90%oftheironisreducedwiththedirectparticipationofthecoal
particles.ThisdifferentiatestheliquidphasereductionwhichoccursintheRomeltprocessfromothersmelting
reductionprocessesinwhichcarbondissolvedinthemetalplaysasubstantialrole(DIOS)orthemainrole
(Hlsmelt)inthereductionoperation.

IntheRomeltprocess,therearecertainoptimumvaluesforthecontentofcoalparticlesintheslagbath,
althoughthisparametercanvarywithinabroadrangeofvalues.TheRomeltfurnacecannotbeoverloadedor
underloadedwithcoal.Chargingofasuboptimalamountofcoalleadstooveroxidationoftheslagmeltandits
uncontrollablefrothing.Thus,coalinexcessofthecalculatedamountisoftenchargedintothefurnaceto
preventoveroxidation,andthishelpssometimesinthestabilizationoftheprocess.However,thereisalimitfor
theexcessamountofcoalparticlesinslag.Thislimitcanalsocausedisruptionsintheprocesssuchasa
decreaseinthetemperatureoftheslagbath,anincreaseinthecontentofironoxidesintheslag,areductionin
thedegreeofsecondarycombustionoftheoutgoinggases,andthereleaseofmoreheatinthewasteheatboiler.

Feedingofadditionaloxygenintothefurnacedoesnotpromotesecondarycombustionbecausetheoxygendoes
notcompletelyreactwiththecoalfloatingonthesurfaceoftheslag.Thisdenselayerofcoalisformedasa
resultofoverchargingofcoalorunderchargingoftheoxidebearingrawmaterial.Thepresenceofthelayer
suppressessprayingandadhesionoftheslagtothewalls,whichadverselyaffectsthetransferofheatfromthe
primarygascombustionzonetotheslagbathsincetheheattransfertakesplacemainlythroughdropsofslag
andaslagfilmwhichflowsdownthewallsinthesecondarycombustionzone.

ItisseenthatinaRomeltfurnace,ifthecoalcontentofthesurfacelayeroftheslagisaround20%to30%,the
processtransittoanundesirableregimeinwhichcoalblocksheattransferfromthesecondarycombustionzone
tothebath.Theoccurrenceofthisregimedependsnotontheamountandcompositionofcoalwhichhas
accumulatedintheslag,butalsoontherateofturbulentcirculationoftheslagsincethisturbulencedetermines
theefficiencywithwhichcoalismixedwithothercomponentsoftheslagmelt.

Productcharacteristicsandspecificconsumptions

TypicalanalysisofhotmetalfromtheRomeltprocessconsistsofcarbon4.5%,silicon0.1%,manganese
0.08%,sulphur0.05%,andphosphorus0.1%.

TypicalanalysisofslagfromRomeltprocessconsistsofCaO39%,MgO7%,SiO236%,Al2O311%,
FeO3.0%,MnO3%,TiO20.1%,andS0.04%.
Typicalspecificconsumptionfiguresinpertonofhotmetalarearound940kg1200kgfordrynoncoking
coal,and750Ncumto850Ncumforoxygen.

AdvantagesofRomeltprocess

ThefollowingaretheadvantagesoftheRomeltprocess.

Lowcapitalcostduetolowpressureoperationanduseofconventionalancillaryequipment.
Norequirementforcokeorcokingcoalshenceloweroperationalcost.
Canprocessanyironcontainingmaterialsincludingmetallurgicalwastes,withoutanypretreatment.
Norequirementtoagglomerateironoxide.
Hasahighrateofironrecovery.
Allowstheestablishmentofeffectivesmallscalehotmetalsourceforsmallerplants.
Environmentfriendlybecauseofeliminationofcokeovensandagglomeration(sinteringandpelletizing)
plants.

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