Application of Intra-particle Combustion Model for Iron Ore Sintering Bed

Abstract

In order to quantitatively predict the behavior of the material in the packed bed, a single particle model is developed to describe the combustion and sintering process inside an individual particle composed of multiple solid material fines, including iron ore, coke and limestone, and is applied to the combustion modeling of an iron ore sintering. By analyzing three typical fuel distribution cases using the developed single particle combustion model, the effects of temperature and oxygen concentration gradient inside the particle on heat and mass transfer and the combustion behavior of the iron ore sintering process are investigated. Considering the various combustion rates which are highly dependent on the fuel distribution methods, correction factor for single particle model is also introduced and systematically analyzed. The aim of this research is to supplement particle technology to conventional approach and it is found that the oxygen concentration gradient inside the particle is significantly affected from the mixing method thereby changing the completion times of sintering process.