Briquetting of Ferrous and Coal Fines – Saving Resources, Creating Value

Abstract

One of the global trends that are constantly challenging the iron and steel industry is related to the generation of fines, slurry, sludge and scales, summed up as ferrous by-products. The recycling of those by-products is commonly practiced in many steel plants. These materials normally cannot be used directly in the primary processes. The most common application is to add ferrous by-products which are suitable concerning chemical composition and grain size distribution to the sinter mix. Besides addition of fines to the sinter plant, other solutions exist. Primetals will present latest developments in the field of cold briquetting of ferrous by-products. Giving examples and results of executed project(s) of cold briquettes directly fed to the DR shaft, and other solutions for integrated steel mills. Coal briquetting on the other hand is based on coal fines which often originate from wear during coal transport from mine to plant. These fines can be used to produced briquettes designed either for the use in a smelting reduction process (COREX®/FINEX®) or for enhanced coke oven operation in the traditional blast furnace route. Primetals coal briquetting targets at the production of coal briquettes superior in mechanical properties and hot strength. Their application aims at an increase in productivity and reduction of costs. In the paper, Primetals will show different scenarios and solutions for coal briquetting technology.