Skip to main content

Effect of Mixed Charging of Nut Coke and Sinter on Hydrogen-Rich Smelting Process of Blast Furnace

Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy volume 9, pages 280–293 (2023)Cite this article

Abstract

With the increasing demand for low-carbon metallurgy, large-scale hydrogen-rich smelting has become an effective way to realize low-carbon ironmaking. The injection of hydrogen-rich fuel into blast furnace changed the reduced atmosphere, affecting the reaction behavior and structure of the burden. Production practice has proved that the use of nut coke is an important measure for alleviating the increasingly tense relationship between coke supply and realizing low reducing agent ironmaking. In this paper, the effect of mixed charging of nut coke and sinter on reduction and softening-melting properties in the hydrogen-rich smelting process of blast furnace is studied. The results showed that the close contact between nut coke and sinter promoted carbon dissolution and water–gas reaction to generate more CO and H2, thus increasing the reduction potential in the gas mixture. With the increase of nut coke and hydrogen-rich ratio, the softening–melting properties of the burden were improved. This change narrowed and lowered down the position of cohesive zone, triggering to an enlargement of indirect reduction zone, which was conducive to strengthening blast-furnace smelting and saving coke. The permeability resistance of the burden bed was reduced, which was beneficial to the good airflow distribution and the gas utilization rate. There was a slag layer between nut coke and metal iron phase in the softening–melting process, and the slag could quickly fuse with the ash distributed on the nut coke surface to dissolve it, thus promoting the occurrence of carburizing reaction and improving the dripping behavior of the burden.

Graphical Abstract

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

References

  1. Ma KH, Deng JY, Wang G, Zhou Q, Xu J (2021) Utilization and impacts of hydrogen in the ironmaking processes: a review from lab-scale basics to industrial practices. Int J Hydrogen Energy 46:26646–26664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.05.095

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Zhang B, Guo JZ, Zhang HW, Mao JJ, Li QJ, Wang DY, Hong X (2012) Experimental investigation on optimal carbon/hydrogen ratio for developing iron bath reactor with H2-C mixture reduction. Steel Res Int 83:175–180. https://doi.org/10.1002/srin.201100201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Wang DD, Xu J, Ma KH, Xu Y, Dang J, Kou MY, Lv XW (2017) Innovative evaluation of CO-H2 interaction during gaseous wustite reduction controlled by external gas diffusion. Int J Hydrogen Energy 42:14047–14057. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.04.065

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Chen YB, Zuo HB (2021) Review of hydrogen-rich ironmaking technology in blast furnace. Ironmak Steelmak 48:749–768. https://doi.org/10.1080/03019233.2021.1909992

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bilík J, Pustejovska P, Brozova S, Jursova S (2013) Efficiency of hydrogen utilization in reduction processes in ferrous metallurgy. Sci Iran 20:337–342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scient.2012.12.028

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Chu MS, Guo XZ, Shen FM, Yagi JI (2007) Numerical simulation of innovative ironmaking technologies applied in blast furnace process. J Northeastern Univ 28:829–834

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Can Y, Jens W, Thomas T (2017) Modeling and simulation of hydrogen injection into a blast furnace to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. J Clean Prod 154:488–501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.03.162

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Elsayed AM, Alexander B, Dieter S (2011) Effect of nut coke-sinter mixture on the blast furnace performance. ISIJ Int 51:350–358. https://doi.org/10.2355/isijinternational.51.350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Kashihara Y, Sawa Y, Sato M (2012) Effect of hydrogen addition on reduction behavior of ore layer mixed with coke. ISIJ Int 52:1979–1985. https://doi.org/10.2355/isijinternational.52.1979

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kashihara Y, Iwai Y, Sato T (2015) Effect of unconsumed mixed small coke on permeability in lower part of blast furnace. ISIJ Int 55:1237–1244. https://doi.org/10.2355/isijinternational.55.1237

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gavel DJ, Adema A, Van Der STELJ (2019) Effect of nut coke addition on physicochemical behaviour of pellet bed in ironmaking blast furnace. ISIJ Int 59:778–786. https://doi.org/10.2355/isijinternational.ISIJINT-2018-580

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Chang ZY, Wang P, Zhang JL, Jiao KX, Zhang YQ, Liu ZJ (2018) Effect of CO2 and H2O on gasification dissolution and deep reaction of coke. Int J Min Met Mater 25:1402–1411. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-018-1694-4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Nishioka K, Ujisawa Y, Tonomura S (2019) Sustainable aspects of CO2 ultimate reduction in the steelmaking process (COURSE50 Project), Part 1: hydrogen reduction in the blast furnace. J Sustain Metall 2:200–208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-016-0061-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Tang J, Chu MS, Li F, Feng C, Liu ZG, Zhou YS (2020) Development and progress on hydrogen metallurgy. Int J Min Met Mater 27:713–723. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-020-2021-4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Liu YL, Wang JS, Zhang HJ, Liu JL, She XF, Xue QG (2015) Reduction behaviour of ferrous burden under simulated oxygen blast furnace conditions. Ironmak Steelmak 42:358–365. https://doi.org/10.1179/1743281214Y.0000000238

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Bai MH, Long H, Ren SB, Liu D, Zhao CF (2018) Reduction behavior and kinetics of iron ore pellets under H2–N2 atmosphere. ISIJ Int 58:1034–1041. https://doi.org/10.2355/isijinternational.ISIJINT-2017-739

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. An XW, Wang JS, Lan RZ, Han YH, Xue QG (2013) Softening and melting behavior of mixed burden for oxygen blast furnace. J Iron Steel Res Int 20:11–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1006-706X(13)60090-4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Wang HT, Zhao W, Chu MS, Wang R, Liu ZG (2017) Effect and function mechanism of sinter basicity on softening-melting behaviors of mixed burden made from chromium-bearing vanadium-titanium magnetite. J Cent South Univ 24:39–47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-017-3406-z

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Wang HT, Chu MS, Wang ZH, Zhao W, Liu ZG, Tang J (2018) Research on the post-reaction strength of iron coke hot briquette under different conditions. JOM 70:1929–1936. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-018-3036-4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Bernasowski M (2014) Theoretical study of the hydrogen influence on iron oxides reduction at the blast furnace process. Steel Res Int 85:670–678. https://doi.org/10.1002/srin.201300141

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Lu F, Wen LY, Zhao Y, Zhong H, Xu J, Zhang SF (2019) The competitive adsorption behavior of CO and H2 molecules on FeO surface in the reduction process. Int J Hydrogen Energy 44:6427–6436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.01.173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Natsui S, Shibasaki R, Kon T, Ueda S (2013) Effect of high reactivity coke for mixed charge in ore layer on reaction behavior of each particle in blast furnace. ISIJ Int 53:1770–1778. https://doi.org/10.2355/isijinternational.53.1770

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Mousa EA, Senk D, Babich A (2010) Influence of nut coke on iron ore sinter reducibility under simulated blast furnace conditions. Ironmak Steelmak 37:219–228. https://doi.org/10.1179/030192309X12506804200906

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Qie Y, Lyu Q, Liu XJ, Li JP, Lan CC, Zhang SH, Yan CJ (2018) Effect of hydrogen addition on softening and melting reduction behaviors of ferrous burden in gas-injection blast furnace. Metall Mater Trans B 49:2622–2632. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-018-1299-3

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lan CC, Zhang SH, Liu XJ, Lyu Q (2020) Change and mechanism analysis of the softening-melting behavior of the iron-bearing burden in a hydrogen-rich blast furnace. Int J Hydrogen Energ 45:14255–14265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.03.143

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Pan YZ, Zuo HB, Wang JS, Xue QG, Wang G (2020) Review on improving gas permeability of blast furnace. J Iron Steel Res Int 27:121–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42243-019-00321-y

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Du CB, Liu ZJ, Zhang JL, Wang YZ, Niu LL (2018) Effect of hydrogen content on reduction and softening-melting properties of iron bearing charges. China Metallurgy 28:19–23. https://doi.org/10.13228/j.boyuan.issn1006-9356.20180158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Ueda S, Kon T, Miki T, Kim SJ, Nogami H (2016) Effects of Al2O3 and MgO on softening, melting, and permeation properties of CaO-FeO-SiO2 on a coke bed. Metall Mater Trans B 47:2371–2377. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-016-0683-0

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Liu Y, Xue Q, Guo W (2016) The dynamic dissolution of coke with slag in melting and dropping zone: 7th International Symposium on High-Temperature Metallurgical Processing. Springer

  30. Pan Y, Zuo HB, Wang BX, Wang JS, Wang G, Liu YY (2018) Effect of reduction degree on cohesive zone and permeability of mixed burden. Ironmak Steelmak 47:322–327. https://doi.org/10.1080/03019233.2018.1493762

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Shin M, Oh JS, Lee J (2015) Carburization, melting and dripping of iron through coke bed. ISIJ Int 55:2056–2063. https://doi.org/10.2355/isijinternational.ISIJINT-2015-115

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U1960205) and China Minmetals Corporation (2020ZXA01).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallurgy, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Yanbiao Chen, Yuanhao Yu, Jingsong Wang, Qingguo Xue & Haibin Zuo

  2. Qinhuangdao Xinte Technology Co., Ltd, Qinhuangdao, 066000, China

    Yan Gao

Authors
  1. Yanbiao Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yuanhao Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yan Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jingsong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Qingguo Xue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Haibin Zuo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Haibin Zuo.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

The contributing editor for this article was Veena Sahajwalla.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chen, Y., Yu, Y., Gao, Y. et al. Effect of Mixed Charging of Nut Coke and Sinter on Hydrogen-Rich Smelting Process of Blast Furnace. J. Sustain. Metall. 9, 280–293 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-022-00645-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-022-00645-2

Keywords

  • Hydrogen-rich blast furnace
  • Nut coke
  • Reduction
  • Softening-melting properties