EUROPEAN STEEL TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATION DAYS 2017 - ESTAD 2017

Ignition of sinter raw mix has a major influence on the efficiency and productivity of the sintering process. Basically, the operation of an ignition hood consists in setting hood temperature and controlling lambda ratio so as to adjust oxygen content in exhaust gas and ensure an efficient ignition of the solid fuel contained in the raw mix. Operators are facing the problems of generation of sinter fines due to a non-even temperature and oxygen profiles along hood width as well as reduction of permeability due to slagging phenomena. These potential problems can be limited during design of ignition hood, arrangement of burners and their technology. Additionally, avoidance of dust projections is an important point to be taken into account at the hood design stage, in order to limit maintenance works during plant shut-downs and extend burners and refractory lining lifetimes. Thus a study has been carried out by PW in order to characterize the effect of both horizontal and vertical burners’ arrangements on sintering process. During this study, pilot tests of an industrial burner have been performed at different operating parameters such as air-gas ratios, gas composition and power ratios for establishing and calibrating a CFD model of the burner. This model has then been integrated into a CFD calculation simulating the entire ignition hood with the target to compare both horizontal and vertical burner arrangements. This paper will describe overall results of burner tests at pilot facility and highlight differences between both burners arrangements by analysing CFD calculations. Key words: Sintering, ignition hood, burners, low calorific value