Hot Metal Process Technologies & Plant Engineering

by Reinoud Van Laar, Jacques Pilote, Koen Meijer

Publisher - Danieli Corus, The Netherlands, HIsmelt, Australia, Tata Steel, The Netherlands

Category - Engineering & IT

The blast furnace has been an efficient technology for producing hot metal using pellets, sinter, lump ore, coke, coal and natural gas. The technology has been continuously improved and a modern blast furnace can produce 1,000 to more than 10,000 tonnes hot metal per day. The liquid hot metal is normally further processed by oxygen steelmaking, but could also be charged to an electric arc furnace to reduce the scrap input. Alternatively pig iron or iron granulates can be produced at the blast furnace for storage and transportation to other places. HIsmelt is an alternative to the blast furnace for typical production levels of 1,000 – 3,000 tonnes hot metal per day. The main advantages of HIsmelt process technology are the fact that ore and coal can be directly processed without the need for pellets, sinter or coke. This introduces significant transformation cost savings, environmental benefits and a strategic advantage by its raw material flexibility. HIsmelt has been first operated at the Australian industrial demonstration plant, which is currently reconstructed in China. HIsmelt technology has been further developed and integrated with Converter Cyclone Furnace technology resulting in the HIsarna process using pure oxygen instead of heated air and using fine ore injection instead of pre-heated ore. This simplifies the flow sheet, reduces the investment costs and introduces additional transformation cost savings. The HIsarna pilot plant has been constructed in the Netherlands and the first test results have been exceeding expectations. This paper will discuss the blast furnace, HIsmelt and HIsarna process technology and plant engineering characteristics.

Please login to borrow the book.