Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Review of computational fluid dynamics modeling of iron sintering process

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Iron ore sintering is a pretreatment step of smelting that agglomerates the iron ore using surface melting of green pellets to improve the quality of the steel product. The sintering process not only improves the quality of steel products, but also releases CO and CO2 gases, evaporates moisture, and improves the reducibility of iron ore to ensure smooth operation of the blast furnace. These factors are related with variables such as temperature and flux, so optimization is essential. However, the sintering process generates a lot of cost by consuming the second largest amount of energy in steel manufacturing and releases pollutants, so optimization through experiments is inefficient. Therefore, the various CFD models that simulate the sintering process were developed by the researchers. This paper summarizes the research that developed the iron sintering process as a CFD model. The sintering process is divided into three stages: drying process, reaction process, and cooling process, and the considerations of each study are discussed. We also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each study. Developing an iron ore sintering model has the potential to extend the application of CFD to the entire steel process, which is expected to reduce cost and environmental impact and increase efficiency.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J. I. Verdeja González, D. Fernández González and L. F. Verdeja González, Operations and Basic Processes in Ironmaking, Springer (2020).

  2. A. C. Ahindra Ghosh, Ironmaking and Steelmaking: Theory and Practice, Prentice-Hall of India Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, India (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  3. D. M. Proctor et al., Physical and chemical characteristics of blast furnace, basic oxygen furnace, and electric arc furnace steel industry slags, Environ. Sci. Technol., 34 (8) (2000) 1576–1582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. J.-Y. Lee et al., Comparing properties of concrete containing electric arc furnace slag and granulated blast furnace slag, Materials (Basel), 12 (9) (2019) 1371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. W. J. Leipoldt and J. H Zietsman, Modelling of a steel belt sintering process, The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Pyrometallurgical Modelling 2014, Muldersdrift, South Africa (2014).

  6. J. Pal et al., A comparative study for smelting of chromite ore, pellets, briquettes and sinter, Trans. Institutions Min. Metall. Sect. C Miner. Process. Extr. Metall, 117 (3) (2008) 129–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. R. Goel, Smelting technologies for ferrochromium production-recent trends, Ferro Alloy Industries in the Liberalised Economy, NML Jamshedpur (1997) 37–50.

    Google Scholar 

  8. D. Fernández-González, J. Piñuela-Noval and L. F. Verdeja, Iron ore agglomeration technologies, V. Shatokha (Editor), Iron Ores and Iron Oxide Materials, IntechOpen (2018).

  9. G. N. Banerjee, R. Dasgupta and B. K. Mishra, Sintering of chromite fines and concentrates and some design aspects, J. Mines, Met. Fuels, 58 (9) (2010) 251–254.

    Google Scholar 

  10. M. N. Rahaman, Kinetics and mechanisms of densification, Sinter. Adv. Mater. (2010) 33–64.

  11. K. Mitra and N. K. Nath, Analysis of two-layer sintering process for different bed heights by genetic algorithm, IFAC Secretariat, Prague, Czech Republic (2005) 63–68.

  12. H. Zhou et al., Experimental study and X-ray microtomography based CFD simulation for the characterization of pressure drop in sinter bed, Appl. Therm. Eng., 112 (2017) 811–819.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. N. K. Nath and K. Mitra, Mathematical modeling and optimization of two-layer sintering process for sinter quality and fuel efficiency using genetic algorithm, Mater. Manuf. Process, 20 (3) (2005) 335–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. E. Kasai et al., Design of bed structure aiming the control of void structure formed in the sinter cake, ISIJ Int., 45 (4) (2005) 538–543.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. H. Yamaoka and T. Kawaguchi, Development of a 3-D sinter process mathematical simulation model, ISIJ Int., 45 (4) (2005) 522–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. X. X. Huang et al., Optimisation model of fuel distribution in materials bed of iron ore sintering process, Ironmak. Steelmak, 46 (7) (2019) 649–655.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. M. L. Eggersdorfer et al., Multiparticle sintering dynamics: from fractal-like aggregates to compact structures, Langmuir, 27 (10) (2011) 6358–6367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. K. Cho and P. Biswas, A geometrical sintering model (GSM) to predict surface area change, J. Aerosol Sci., 37 (10) (2006) 1378–1387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. N. K. Nath and K. Mitra, Optimisation of suction pressure for iron ore sintering by genetic algorithm, Ironmak. Steelmak, 31 (3) (2004) 199–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. L. Qian et al., Emission reduction research and development of PCDD/Fs in the iron ore sintering, Process Saf. Environ. Prot., 117 (2018) 82–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. M. Wang, Q. Li and W. Liu, Temporal trends in polychlorinated naphthalene emissions from sintering plants in China between 2005 and 2015, Environ. Pollut., 255 (2019) 113096.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. H. K. Versteeg and W. Malalasekera, An Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics: The Finite Volume Method, Pearson Education Limited (2007).

  23. A. M. Nyembwe, R. D. Cromarty and A. M. Garbers-Craig, Simulation of the pressure drop across granulated mixtures using a coupled DEM — CFD model, Adv. Powder Technol., 30 (1) (2019) 85–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. J. Zietsman and W. Leipoldt, Developing a multiphysics model of the SBS process, Computational Modelling 15 (2015).

  25. J. Keihäs et al., CFD modelling of the steel belt sintering process, INFACON XI, New Delhi, India (2007).

  26. L. Hekkala, T. Fabritius and J. Härkki, Mathematical model of heat and mass transfer in the steel belt sintering process, INFACON X, Cape Town, South Africa (2004).

  27. D. Fernández-González et al., Iron ore sintering: process, Miner. Process. Extr. Metall. Rev., 38 (4) (2017) 215–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. W. Roetzel, X. Luo and D. Chen, Optimal Design of Heat Exchanger Networks, Academic Press (2020).

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the FINEX Research Group, POSCO (20213529) and the Chung-Ang University research grant in 2019 (J.Y.P.).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Korea

    Junseon Park, Seungjin Lee & Joong Yull Park

  2. Department of Intelligent Energy and Industry, Graduate School, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 6974, Korea

    Joong Yull Park

Authors
  1. Junseon Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Seungjin Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Joong Yull Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joong Yull Park.

Additional information

Junseon Park is a Ph.D. candidate of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University. His interest includes iron sintering and Microfluidic systems.

Seungjin Lee is a Ph.D. of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University. His interest includes CFD on bio-microfluidic systems.

Joong Yull Park is a Professor of School of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University. He received Ph.D. form Seoul National University in 2006. After being appointed as a Professor at Chung-Ang University in 2011, he has opened the Applied Fluid Mechanics Lab to conduct various researches on bio-microfluidic systems, turbine modeling, clean energy systems, iron ore sintering, etc.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Park, J., Lee, S. & Park, J.Y. Review of computational fluid dynamics modeling of iron sintering process. J Mech Sci Technol 36, 4501–4508 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-022-0814-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-022-0814-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation