Title of Invention

A METHOD FOR CHARGING A MATERIAL IN A BELL-LESS BLAST FURNACE

Abstract A method for charging material in a bell-less blast furnace(6) comprises the steps of: storing coke(2) in at least one of furnace top bunkers(1a); storing ore(2) in at least one of furnace top bunkers(1b); charging the stored cokes into the blast furnace(6) while rotating a chute(5) of the bell-less charging device and varying a inclination angle(?) thereof; and charging the stored ore while rotating the chute(5) of the bell-less charging device and varying the inclination angle(?) thereof. Discharging of the stored in the at least one furnace top bunkers commences when the discharging amount of the coke stored in the at least furnace top bunker is 5 to 50 mass% relative to a coke amount of one batch. A mixed material(20) of ore and coke is stored in one of furnace top bunkers, and the mixed material stored in the furnace top bunker is charged in the blast furnace(6) while rotating the charging chute(5) and changing a inclination angle(?) of the charging chute(5).
Full Text The present invention relates to a method for charging
material into a blast furnace, in particular, a method for
charging iron ore and coke into a blast furnace by use of a
bell-less charging device.
In general, in a blast furnace that manufactures-molten
iron, from a furnace top, iron ores and coke are alternately
charged, and thereby in an upper furnace part (hereinafter,
referred to as shaft) a charged layer having a layer structure
thereof is formed. Amounts of one layer of iron ores and one
layer of coke are called one charge of iron ores and one charge
of coke, respectively. Each of the one charge of iron ores
and one charge of coke is not necessarily charged at one time
into the furnace and, in some cases, is charged into the
furnace divided into a plurality of times. The divided ores
and divided coke are respectively called as one batch of ores
and one batch of coke. Furthermore, from a furnace bottom
part of the blast furnace, air or oxygen-enriched air is blown
into the furnace to burn the coke in the furnace, and, with
a high temperature reducing gas generated by this burning,
the iron ores in the shaft (hereinafter, simply referred to
as ore) are reduced and molten. Accordingly, in order to
improve the productivity of the blast furnace, it is very
important to reduce the permeability resistance of the
charged layer of ore and coke in the shaft.
As one means effective in reducing the permeability
resistance in the shaft, so far, it is known to mix ore and
coke and pile it in the furnace. For instance, Japanese Patent
No.2820478 discloses a method in which by devising
discharging timings and amounts of ore and coke from an ore
hopper and a coke hopper, in a bell-less blast furnace, the
coke is uniformly mixed in the ore.
Furthermore, as one means for inhibiting the
permeability resistance in the blast furnace from increasing
and thereby stably maintaining a gas flow in the blast furnace,
it is known effective to charge coke in a center part of the
blast furnace so that a flow rate distribution of a gas going
up in the blast furnace may become large in the center part
(this is called center flow tendency). For instance, JP-A
No.60-56003 discloses a technology in which from 1.5 to 8%
by weight of coke that is charged in one charge is intensively
charged in the center part of a furnace. The center charge
of coke has not only an effect of reducing the permeability
resistance in the furnace but also an effect of avoiding or
reducing the deterioration of coke due to so-called solution
loss reaction in which, since ore is not so much present in
the center part of the furnace, carbon dioxide generated by
the reduction of ore oxidizes coke. Furthermore, a strength
control value of the coke itself can be lowered and thereby
enabling to use cheap and low quality coal; accordingly,
material coal for the manufacture of coke can be reduced in
cost. Still furthermore, since a particle diameter of coke
of a so-called furnace core (it is also called a dead-man)
that is formed on a furnace bed can be inhibited from being
unnecessarily reduced, it is helpful in improving the liquid
permeability of the molten iron at the furnace hearth.
Accordingly, when the above-mentioned mix charge
(hereinafter, simply referred to as mix charge) of ore and
coke and the center charge of coke are combined, a synergy
effect that the permeability resistance of the shaft part can
be more than ever reduced and the productivity can be improved
can be expected.
However, in order to combine the mix charge and the
center charge of coke in the same charge, specifically, the
discharge from a material hopper has to be carried out divided
in three batches of a batch for normal charge of coke, a batch
for center charge of coke and a batch for mix charge. This
means that when the coke for one charge is charged into the
furnace, the cokes have to be transported to a furnace top
three times. That is, a time necessary for charging the coke
for one charge becomes longer. Accordingly, even when the
productivity of the blast furnace is necessary to increase,
since the furnace top transporting capacity of material
becomes deficient to a charge amount of the material, a
situation that the material cannot be charged in time occurs.
In such a case, since the simultaneous implementation of the
center charge and the mix charge of coke has to be abandoned,
advantages due to the use of cheap material coal due to the
implementation of both cannot be enjoyed.
In addition to the above, it is difficult to maintain
various properties and states such as a particle size
distribution and a content of moisture of ores and coke used
in a blast furnace or blending ratios of ore kinds always at
constant levels. For instance, when a blending ratio of a
sticky ore in the ores varies, according to the technology
disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2820478, a behavior of a pile
charged in a furnace top bunker varies, and a blending ratio
of ore and coke in a material discharged from an outlet at
a lower portion of the furnace top bunker varies.
As one means for making a particle diameter of the
furnace core coke in the furnace bed larger and thereby
improving the liquid permeability at the furnace bed, other
than the center charge of the coke, it is considered to make
a particle diameter of coke that is charged in the center part
larger. That is, instead of inhibiting the ore from piling
in the furnace center part in the coke center charge and
thereby inhibiting the coke from being consumed owing to the
solution loss reaction in the furnace center part, when a
particle diameter of coke is made larger in the furnace center
part than in a furnace periphery part, even when the solution
loss reaction occurs, the particle diameter of coke can be
inhibited from being reduced in the furnace core of the
furnace bed. When a coke charging device dedicated to the
center charge of coke is used, by previously making larger
the particle diameter of coke being charged through the
charging device, the particle diameter of coke in such a
furnace center part can be enlarged. However, installation
of a charging device that is exclusively used for the center
charge of coke and different from an ordinary material
charging device requires large equipment expenses.
Furthermore, even in the case of the coke large in the particle
diameter being charged in the furnace center part through a
bell-less charging device, at present, the coke large in the
particle diameter is previously prepared in a batch different
from a batch of coke having a normal particle diameter
followed by transporting to a bunker disposed at the furnace
top further followed by charging in the furnace. Accordingly,
the number of batches of coke and ore that are charged in one
charge increases. An increase in the number of batches by
which material for one charge is charged in the furnace
determines a rate when the productivity is improved;
accordingly, it is a very large problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the present invention to provide
a material charging method of a bell-less blast furnace
wherein the center charge of coke and the mix charge of ore
and coke can be always smoothly carried out.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide
a material charging method of a bell-less blast furnace
wherein ore and coke can be distributed at a blast furnace
top part with a constant mixing ratio, and thereby a hot metal
temperature and quality of molten iron can be inhibited from
fluctuating, even when properties and states of various
materials used in the blast furnace vary.
In the invention, a third object is to provide a material
charging method of a bell-less blast furnace. According to
the method, in center coke charge that uses a charging chute
in a bell-less blast furnace, a particle diameter of coke is
made largest at the furnace center part, thereby a gas flow
in a furnace is formed at a furnace center part, and thereby
a stable operation is enabled.
In the invention, a fourth object is to provide a
material charging method of a bell-less blast furnace.
According to the method, without separately disposing a
charging device exclusive for coke and without increasing the
number of batches of material, coke larger in the particle
diameter than one being charged in a peripheral part can be
selectively charged in a center part of the blast furnace.
In order to achieve the above objects, firstly, the
invention provides a method of charging material in a
bell-less blast furnace that is provided with a bell-less
charging device, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) storing coke in at least one of furnace top bunkers;
(b) storing ore in at least one of the furnace top
bunkers;
(c) rotating a chute of the bell-less charging device
while varying a inclination angle thereof, and thereby
charging stored coke in a radius direction in the furnace from
a furnace center part toward a furnace wall part;
(d) rotating a chute of the bell-less charging device
while varying a inclination angle thereof, and thereby
charging stored ore in a radius direction in the furnace from
a furnace center part toward a furnace wall part; and
(e) controlling so that during a discharge amount of the
coke stored in the at least one of furnace top bunkers being
between 5 to 50% by mass of a coke charge amount for one batch,
discharge of the ore stored in the at least one of furnace
top bunkers may be begun.
Secondly, the invention provides a method of charging
material in a bell-less blast furnace that is provided with
a bell-less charging device, the method comprising the steps
of:
(a) storing a mixed material in which ore and coke are
mixed in one of furnace top bunkers;
(b) charging the mixed material stored in the furnace
top bunker in the blast furnace while rotating a charging
chute about a blast furnace neutral axis and sequentially
varying a inclination angle of the charging chute; and
(c) controlling so that during at least one
reciprocation of the charging chute in a radius direction in
the blast furnace the whole of the mixed material stored in
the furnace top bunker may be charged in the blast furnace.
Thirdly, the invention provides a method of charging
material in a bell-less blast furnace that is provided with
a bell-less charging device, the method comprising the steps
of:
(a) starting charging coke by use of the charging chute
of the bell-less charging device from a radius position
corresponding to 0.1 to 0.4 relative to a dimensionless radius
with a furnace center part of the bell-less blast furnace
assigned to 0 and a furnace wall part assigned to 1; and
(b) sequentially moving a inclination angle of the
charging chute toward a furnace center part for each rotate
thereof and thereby charging coke.
Fourthly, the invention provides a method of charging
material in a bell-less blast furnace provided with a
bell-less charging device, the method including a coke
screening step where coke stored in at least two coke bins
is discharged and the discharged coke is sifted with a screen
disposed at a lower part of the bin; a weighing and storing
step where coke of plus screen is weighed with a weighing
hopper and stored in a bunker disposed at a furnace top; and
a charging step where stored coke is charged through a chute
of the bell-less charging device in a blast furnace while
rotating the chute from a furnace center part toward a furnace
wall side. The coke screening step includes a first screening
step where the coke discharged with a screen having a larger
screen mesh (A) is sifted; and a second screening step where
the coke discharged with a screen having a more finer screen
mesh (B) is sifted. In the weighing and storing step, firstly,
a definite amount of coke from the first screening step is
transferred to the weighing hopper, subsequently, coke from
the second screening step is transferred followed by weighing
coke for one batch further followed by storing in a bunker
disposed at a furnace top.
Fifthly, the invention provides a material charging
method of a bell-less blast furnace. In the method, in the
fourth material charging method of a bell-less blast furnace,
an amount of coke from the first screening step that sifts
the coke that is discharged with a screen having a larger
screen mesh (A) is in the range of 5 to 50% by mass of an amount
of coke of the batch.
Sixthly, the invention provides a material charging
method of a bell-less blast furnace provided with a bell-
less charging device, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) storing coke in at least one of furnace top bunkers;
(b) storing ore in at least one of the furnace top
bunkers;
(c) storing a mixed material obtained by mixing ore and
coke in one of the furnace top bunkers;
(d) rotating a chute of the bell-less charging device
while varying a inclination angle thereof, and thereby
charging stored coke in a radius direction in the furnace from
a furnace center part toward a furnace wall part;
(e) rotating a chute of the bell-less charging device
while varying a inclination angle thereof, and thereby
charging stored ore in a radius direction in the furnace from
a furnace center part toward a furnace wall part; and
(f) controlling so that during a discharge amount of the
coke stored in the at least one of furnace top bunkers being
between 5 to 50% by mass of a coke charge amount for one batch,
discharge of the ore stored in the at least one of furnace
top bunkers may be begun;
(g) charging the mixed material stored in the furnace
top bunker in the blast furnace while rotating the charging
chute and sequentially varying a inclination angle of the
charging chute; and
(h) controlling so that during at least one
reciprocation of the charging chute in a radius direction in
the blast furnace the whole of the mixed material stored in
the furnace top bunker may be charged in the blast furnace.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS :
Fig. 1 is a sectional view for explaining a furnace top
part of a bell-less blast furnace.
Figs.2A and 2B are conceptual diagrams for explaining
a material charging method according to embodiment 1, Fig.2A
showing a timing of charging ore, Fig.2B showing a charge
position in a blast furnace.
Fig.3 is a sectional view showing a burden distribution
in the furnace when a material charging method according to
embodiment 1 is applied.
Fig.4 is a sectional view for explaining a furnace top
part of a bell-less blast furnace according to embodiment 2.
Fig.5 is a sectional view schematically showing an
example where mixed material is charged by applying a material
charging method according to embodiment 2.
Fig.6 is a schematic diagram showing a position of a
charging chute in a bell-less blast furnace according to
embodiment 3.
Fig.7 is a schematic sectional view of a burden
distribution in the furnace charged with a charging chute
according to embodiment 3.
Fig.8 is a graph showing a distribution of the gas
utilization efficiency in a blast furnace according to
embodiment 3.
Fig.9 is a graph showing a distribution of coarse
particle ratios of center coke due to difference of charge
start positions according to embodiment 4.
Fig.10 is a diagram for explaining a material charging
method according to embodiment 4.
Fig.11 is a diagram showing relationship between
discharge amount (%) of coke from a bunker according to
embodiment 4 and ratio (%) of 55 or more size in a sample coke.
EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The inventors studied hard to achieve the above
respective objects and embodied fruits thereof in the present
invention.
That is, the invention is a method of charging material
in a bell-less blast furnace (embodiment 1) , the method being
characterized in that when a chute of a bell-less charging
device of a blast furnace is rotated with a inclination angle
thereof varying and thereby coke or ore stored in a plurality
of furnace top bunkers is charged from a furnace center part
toward a furnace wall part in a radius direction in the furnace,
from a predetermined time point where a discharge amount of
coke stored in one of the furnace top bunkers is between 5
to 50% by mass of a coke charge amount for one batch, ore stored
in another furnace top bunker is started to discharge, and
thereby the coke and ore are simultaneously charged.
In the embodiment 1, the chute of the bell-less charging
device of a blast furnace is rotated with a inclination angle
thereof increasing sequentially and stepwise from zero that
is a vertical state; when a discharge amount of coke stored
in one of furnace top bunkers becomes in the range of 5 to
50% by mass of a coke charge amount for one batch, discharge
of ore stored in another furnace top bunker is begun; and
thereby the coke and ore are simultaneously charged.
Accordingly, in the neighborhood of the furnace center part
only the coke is filled; and on a furnace wall side in the
surroundings thereof, a mixture of the coke and ore is filled.
As a result, the mix charge of the coke and ore, without
interrupting owing to the transporting capacity of material
of the furnace top, can be always smoothly carried out.
The present invention is a method of charging material
in a bell-less blast furnace (hereinafter referred to as
embodiment 2) , the method, in a material charging method of
a bell-less blast furnace where by use of a bell-less charging
device ore and coke as material are charged in a blast furnace,
being characterized in that a mixed material obtained by
mixing ore and coke is stored in one of furnace top bunkers;
and, by rotating a charging chute about a blast furnace
neutral axis and sequentially varying a inclination angle of
the charging chute, during at least one reciprocation of the
charging chute in a radius direction in the blast furnace,
the whole amount of the mixed material stored in the furnace
top bunker is charged in the blast furnace.
As a preferable mode in the embodiment 2, the charging
chute preferably starts charging the mixed material either
from a furnace wall side of the blast furnace or from a blast
furnace center side.
The invention is a material charging method of a
bell-less blast furnace (hereinafter referred to as
embodiment 3) , the method, in a material charging method of
a bell-less blast furnace in which ore and/or coke is charged
in a blast furnace as material by use of a bell-less charging
device, being characterized in that when coke is charged in
the center part of the bell-less blast furnace by use of a
charging chute, with respect to a dimensionless radius where
a furnace center part of the bell-less blast furnace is
assigned to zero and a furnace wall part to 1, from a radius
position corresponding to 0.1 to 0.4, the coke is begun
charging followed by continuing charging while sequentially
moving an inclination angle of the charging chute toward a
furnace center side for each rotation thereof.
The invention is a material charging method of a
bell-less blast furnace (hereinafter referred to as
embodiment 4), the method being characterized in that when
coke stored in a plurality of coke bins is discharged and
sifted with a screen disposed at a lower part of each of the
bins and coke above the screen is charged sequentially through
a weighing hopper, a bunker disposed at the furnace top and
a chute of a bell-less charging device into a blast furnace
with the chute rotating from a furnace center part toward a
furnace wall side, when screen mesh of screens disposed at
lower parts of some of the coke bins is made larger than that
of the other coke bins and the coke is transferred from these
coke bins to the weighing hopper, after, firstly, a
predetermined amount of the coke from the coke bins large in
the screen mesh is transferred to the weighing hopper,
subsequently the coke from the other coke bins is transferred
followed by weighing the coke for one batch further followed
by charging through the bunker into a blast furnace.
In this case, an amount of coke from the coke bins large
in the screen mesh is preferably in the range of 5 to 50% by
mass relative to the whole amount of coke of the batch
(hereinafter referred to as embodiment 5).
According to embodiments 4 and 5, without separately
disposing a charging device exclusive for coke but with an
existing bell-less charging device, without increasing the
number of batches of material, coke large in the particle
diameter than one that is charged in the periphery part can
be selectively charged in the center part of the blast
furnace.
Preferably, in embodiments 1 through 5, in a material
charging method of a bell-less blast furnace (hereinafter
referred to as embodiment 6), at least three of the furnace
top bunkers are disposed in parallel.
Embodiment 1
In what follows, embodiment 1 according to the present
invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.
Firstly, a longitudinal sectional view of a furnace top
part of a blast furnace provided with a bell-less charging
device is shown in Fig.1. Material 2 (ore or coke) stored
in a furnace top bunker 1 falls through a gate that is called
a flow rate control gate 3 and controls a discharge amount
with an opening thereof and is supplied through a vertical
chute 4 into a chute that can freely rotate (usually called
a charging chute 5). The charging chute 5 can rotate in a
horizontal direction about a neutral axis 7 of a blast furnace
6 and can alter a inclination angle (0) thereof relative to
the neutral axis 7. When with the charging chute 5 rotating
during charge of the material, the inclination angle 9 is
sequentially and stepwise varied, the material can be charged
in the furnace with a wide pile surface formed. Usually, as
the inclination angle 9, a large number of angles are
previously set and notch numbers are assigned to the
respective angles. Thereby, in charging the material 2 with
the charging chute 5 rotating, when from the charge start the
notches in the respective rotations are determined, the same
kind of material can be always charged at a constant position.
Furthermore, as to the furnace top bunker 1, two of la and
1b are shown in Fig.1; however, there are cases of three or
more, and in each thereof material 2 for one batch can be
transported and stored.
Embodiment 1 is a blast furnace material charging method
that uses such bell-less charging device, in the method, coke
is charged with a inclination angle sequentially varying from
a furnace center side toward a furnace wall side, and, during
the charge of the coke, also ore is simultaneously charged.
Specifically, charge periods of ore and coke are as that shown
in a conceptual diagram shown in Fig.2A. That is, coke is
discharged from a furnace top bunker (for instance, la) where
the coke is stored, and when a discharge amount of the coke
from the furnace top bunker becomes 5 to 50% by mass of a coke
charge amount for one batch stored in the furnace top bunker,
from another furnace top bunker (for instance, 1b) where ore
is stored the ore is begun discharging. Thereby, at the
beginning, the center charge of coke, and, halfway on, the
mix charge of coke and ore can be performed.
In Fig.3, an example of a burden distribution formed
when such charge is carried out in the furnace is shown. Here,
reference signs C and 0 in Fig.3, respectively, denote coke
and ore, and subscripts denote a batch number. Fig.3 shows
a case where after firstly three rotations are carried out
to charge coke, the mix charge of coke and ore is carried out.
In this case, immediately after the coke charge, only the coke
is charged on a furnace center side; accordingly, a deposit
layer C2 made only of coke is formed in the furnace center part.
Thereafter, ore is charged together with the coke;
accordingly, a mixed layer C2 + O1 of the coke and ore is formed.
In this case, the coke charged in advance piles up in heap
in the furnace center part, and thereafter a mixture of the
coke and ore is charged to a more furnace wall side than that;
accordingly, the mixture later charged does not flow on the
heap of the coke in the furnace center part. Thereby, in the
furnace center part, a center coke layer where only coke piles
up is formed. Furthermore, the ore later charged piles up
outside (on furnace wall side) of the center coke layer
simultaneously with the coke; accordingly, in a predetermined
position in a radius direction in the furnace, a mixed layer
C2 + O1 having a predetermined thickness is formed.
In embodiment 1, the opening of the flow rate control
gate 3 is preferably controlled so that the respective
discharges of coke and ore may come to completion
simultaneously. However, since the discharge times of the
coke and ore from the furnace top bunker 1 vary depending on
the respective particle diameters and moisture contents, the
opening control of the flow rate control gate 3 may be
appropriately carried out.
In an example shown in Fig.3, coke and ore are
respectively divided into two batches, a second batch of the
coke and a first batch of the ore are partially simultaneously
discharged, and thereby the center coke and the mixed layer
are formed. However, in the invention, without restricting
to the above, when the respective one charges of coke and ore
are charged into the furnace without dividing into batches,
a charging method in which a layer of coke alone is formed
in the furnace center part and in the surroundings thereof
a mixed layer is formed may be adopted. Furthermore, a
charging method where coke is divided into two batches, one
batch of coke alone C1 is charged over an entirety in the
furnace, and thereafter from halfway of the second batch of
the coke, ore for one charge is mixed and charged can be
adopted.
Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, a timing of starting
discharging ore that is mixed with coke from the furnace top
bunker is set at during a period from a time when the discharge
of coke alone from another furnace top bunker is started to
a time when coke corresponding to 5 to 50% by mass of an amount
of coke that is charged in the batch is discharged. The reason
for this is as follows.
When an amount of discharge of coke alone is less than
5% by mass, since an amount of coke that is piled up in the
furnace center part is excessively slight, the mixture of coke
and ore that is charged later is mingled with a coke layer
in the furnace center part; accordingly, an effect of the coke
center charge cannot be obtained. Furthermore, when after
coke alone is charged exceeding 50% by mass, the mixture of
coke and ore is started charging, since an amount of coke in
the mixture cannot be sufficiently increased, an effect of
the mix charge is difficult to obtain. Still furthermore,
in this case, in a wide range in the furnace center part, a
portion where ore is not present is generated, that is, the
inside of the furnace cannot be effectively used, on the
contrary, the productivity cannot be improved.
Embodiment 2
Fig.4 is a sectional view schematically showing a
furnace top part of a blast furnace (hereinafter, referred
to as bell-less blast furnace) provided with a bell-less
charging device. In Fig.4, an angle that a blast furnace
neutral axis and a rotation chute form (hereinafter referred
to as inclination angle) is expressed with 9.
A bell-less blast furnace is provided with two or more
furnace top bunkers 1, and in one of the furnace top bunkers
1 a mixed material 20 obtained by mixing coke and ore is stored.
The mixed material 20 is discharged from a lower part of the
furnace top bunker 1, controlled to a predetermined flow rate
when passing through a flow rate control gate 3, and
thereafter supplied through a vertical chute 4 to a charging
chute 5.
With the charging chute 5 rotating about a blast furnace
neutral axis and a inclination angle 9 varying, the mixed
material 20 is charged into the blast furnace 6. An arrow
mark a in Fig.4 denotes the rotation of the charging chute
5 and an arrow mark b denotes a fall of the mixed material
20.
When the mixed material 20 is thus charged into the blast
furnace 6, by rotating the charging chute 5 and sequentially
varying the inclination angle 9, over a wide range on a
material pile surface 8 at a furnace top part of a blast
furnace 7, the mixed material 20 can be charged.
In Fig.4, a bell-less blast furnace provided with two
furnace top bunkers 1 is shown; however, embodiment 2 can be
applied also to a bell-less blast furnace provided with three
or more furnace top bunkers 1.
In the present invention 2, a method of storing the mixed
material 20 of ore and coke in the furnace top bunker 1 is
not restricted to a particular method. For instance, a so
far known method in which from a weighing hopper of ore (not
shown in the drawing) and a weighing hopper of coke (not shown
in the drawing) , respectively, ore and coke are
simultaneously discharged at a predetermined ratio and
transferred through charge conveyers (not shown in the
drawing) to the furnace top bunker 1 can be used.
However, owing to the difference of the characteristics
of ore and coke, the mixed material 20 in the furnace top
bunker 1 cannot be avoided from locally varying in the mixing
ratio. That is, while an average particle diameter of ore
is such small as substantially 15 mm, an average particle
diameter of coke is such large as substantially 50 mm;
accordingly, when the mixed material 20 is thrown into the
furnace top bunker 1, coke relatively large in the particle
diameter rolls toward a wall side of the furnace top bunker
1 and ore relatively small in the particle diameter tends to
pile up at a position where it is thrown in.
Furthermore, when the mixed material 20 is discharged
from a lower part of the furnace top bunker 1, of the mixed
material 20 stored in the furnace top bunker 1, the mixed
material 20 distributed in a vertical direction from a lower
layer part positioned immediately above a discharge outlet
to a surface part is predominantly discharged, on a portion
immediately above the discharge outlet where a pile level is
lowered, the mixed material 20 flows in from the surroundings
thereof (so-called funnel flow), and thereby the discharge
proceeds.
As a result, although, when the mixed material 20 is put
in the furnace top bunker 1, ore and coke are previously mixed
at a predetermined ratio, when the mixed material 20 is
discharged from the furnace top bunker 1, the mixing ratio
of the ore and coke varies. That is, at an initial stage of
the discharge, the ratio of the ore increases and at the later
stage of the discharge, the ratio of the coke increases. Thus,
the mixing ratio cannot be avoided from varying when the mixed
material 20 is thus discharged from the furnace top bunker
1.
Since the mixing ratio varies thus while the mixed
material 20 is discharged from the furnace top bunker 1, when
the mixed material 20 is charged through the charging chute
5 into the blast furnace 6, the ore and coke in the mixed
material 20 cannot be uniformly distributed on a material pile
surface 6, resulting in causing segregation in a particular
region.
In this connection, in the present invention 2, in order
to inhibit the segregation on the material pile surface 8 from
occurring, during from the start of the charge of the mixed
material 20 stored in one furnace top bunker 1 to the
completion of the charge of the whole amount thereof, the
charging chute 5 is rotated about the blast furnace neutral
axis and the inclination angle 9 is sequentially varied, and
thereby the charging chute 5 is reciprocated at least once
in a radius direction in the furnace. When the inclination
angle 9 is varied, at each of the inclination angles the
charging chute 5 is rotated once.
That is, at a predetermined inclination angle 9, the
charging chute 5 is rotated once about the blast furnace
neutral axis to charge the mixed material 20, thereafter the
inclination angle 9 is varied and the mixed material 20 is
charged. This is repeated until the charge of the whole amount
of the mixed material 20 in the furnace top bunker 1 comes
to completion, and, during this period, the charging chute
5 is reciprocated at least once in a radius direction in the
blast furnace. Accordingly, during the charge of the whole
amount of the mixed material 20 stored in one furnace top
bunker 1, on an arbitrary position on the material pile
surface 8, the mixed material 20 is charged twice or more.
In the operation of the bell-less blast furnace, usually,
the inclination angle 9 of the charging chute 5 is set at
several steps and each of the steps is assigned to a number
(hereinafter referred to as notch number). Accordingly,
after the charging chute 5 is rotated once at a predetermined
notch number and the mixed material 20 is charged, the notch
number is changed to the subsequent notch number followed by
continuing the charge of the mixed material 20, and thereby
the embodiment 2 can be applied to an existing bell-less blast
furnace.
Fig.5 is a sectional view schematically showing an
example where the embodiment 2 is applied to charge a mixed
material. In Fig.5, an example in which the charge of the
mixed material 20 is begun from a furnace wall side, the mixed
material 20 is continued charging with the inclination angle
9 sequentially reducing, and, after the mixed material 20 is
charged in the center part of the blast furnace, the mixed
material 20 is charged with the inclination angle 9
sequentially increasing is shown. Accordingly, in Fig.5, a
mixed material 20a that was charged at the first rotation
(hereinafter referred to as the first rotation) of the
charging chute 5 that began charging the mixed material 20
stored in the furnace top bunker 1 locates on a blast furnace
wall side on a material pile surface 6, and a mixed material
20b charged at the twelfth rotation (hereinafter referred to
as the twelfth rotation) of the charging chute 5 locates on
the mixed material 20a charged at the first rotation.
Fig.5 shows a state when the charge of the whole amount
of the mixed material 20 came to completion at the twelfth
rotation. The charging chute 5 rotates once at a
predetermined inclination angle 9 about the blast furnace
neutral axis; accordingly, in Fig.5, the mixed material 20
is charged on both sides of the blast furnace neutral axis.
However, in Fig.5, only one side is shown.
In Fig. 5, an example in which while the whole amount of
the mixed material 20 stored in the furnace top bunker 1 is
charged, the charging chute 5 is rotated twelve times is
shown; however, in the embodiment 2, the number of rotation
of the charging chute 5 is not restricted to a particular
numerical value.
Furthermore, in Fig.5, an example in which while the
whole amount of the mixed material 20 stored in the furnace
top bunker 1 is charged, the charging chute 5 reciprocates
once in a radius direction in the blast furnace is shown; in
the embodiment 2, the charging chute 5 need only reciprocate
at least once in a radius direction of the blast furnace.
Accordingly, while the whole amount of the mixed material 20
stored in the furnace top bunker 1 is charged, the charging
chute 5, after one reciprocation in a radius direction of the
blast furnace, may rotate further several times, or may
reciprocate tow or more times.
That is, during the whole amount of the mixed material
20 stored in the furnace top bunker 1 being charged, the number
of times of rotations of the charging chute 5 about a blast
furnace neutral axis and the number of times of reciprocations
of the charging chute 5 in a radius direction of the blast
furnace may be appropriately set. The flow rate of the mixed
material 20 discharged from the furnace top bunker 1 is
controlled with the flow rate control gate 3.
In Fig. 5, an example where the charge of the mixed
material 20 is started from a blast furnace wall side is shown.
However, the charge of the mixed material 20 may be started
from the blast furnace center side and continued with the
inclination angle 6 sequentially increasing, and, after the
mixed material 20 is charged on the blast furnace wall part,
the mixed material 20 may be charged with the inclination
angle 8 sequentially diminishing.
When, during the whole amount of the mixed material 20
stored in the furnace top bunker 1 being thus charged, the
mixed material 20 is charged twice or more on an arbitrary
position on the material pile surface 6, even when the mixing
ratio of the mixed material 20 at the first charge varies (an
increase in the ratio of, for instance, ore), in the charge
at second time and after, the mixing ratio exhibits a reverse
behavior (an increase in the ratio of, for instance, coke).
Accordingly, the ore and coke can be distributed on the
material pile surface 8 with a definite mixing ratio. As a
result, the gas permeability of a cohesive zone can be
improved, a temperature fluctuation of the hot pig iron can
be inhibited from occurring, and thereby the hot pig iron
having uniform quality can be obtained.
In actuality, when the charge at a predetermined notch
number is carried out once, the mixed material 20 piles up
on the material pile surface 8 spreading in a radius
direction; accordingly, when the charging chute 5 is
reciprocated in a radius direction, there is no need of
reciprocating at the same notch number. At a predetermined
width in a radius direction, the charging chute 5 need only
reciprocate at least once.
Embodiment 3
As shown in Fig.6, in a bell-less blast furnace 6 that
has a charging chute 5, material such as ore and coke is
charged from a furnace top through a charging chute 5, and
thereby a burden distribution in the furnace 14 is formed.
The charging chute 5 is controlled so as to be 9 in the
inclination angle with respect to the furnace neutral axis
in a furnace center part 6a and charges the material while
rotating about the furnace neutral axis. Thereby, a material
deposit surface having the point symmetry with the furnace
center part 6a as a center is formed. Furthermore, the
material being charged, when an angle of the charging chute
is varied, can be put on an arbitrary position on a furnace
top surface.
A charge position in a radius direction in the furnace
can be controlled by controlling the inclination angle 9 of
the charging chute 5. Usually, in advance, corresponding
notch numbers are assigned to predetermined inclination
angles. When the material is charged while rotating about
the furnace neutral axis, the notch number is previously
determined for each rotation of the charging chute from the
charge start of the material. When a pattern of the notch
numbers is controlled, the charge control by which a pattern
of the material charge into the furnace can be controlled is
performed.
Falling positions of the material corresponding to the
inclination angles of the charging chute are previously
investigated when prior to the start of operation of a blast
furnace material filling in the furnace is investigated.
Alternatively, by mechanically calculating a dropping
trajectory of the material by taking the centrifugal force
and the gravity when the material flows down above the
rotating charging chute, and an ascending flow of gas in the
furnace into consideration, a charging position of the
material can be obtained.
When the charge of the center coke is considered, when
the coke is charged by diminishing the inclination angle for
each rotation from the beginning of charge, as shown in Fig. 7 ,
a charge position of coke at the second rotation comes more
toward the furnace center part than that of the first rotation.
When the center coke is charged like this, the coke at the
second rotation, after falling on the furnace center side more
than the coke at the first rotation, flows into the furnace
center side. At this time, among the coke at the second
rotation, relatively coarser particles flow toward the
furnace center side.
That is, when, as the rotation proceeds, the falling
position of the coke is moved toward the furnace center side,
the fallen coke flows from the falling position along an
inclined plane toward the furnace center side; accordingly,
the coarsest particles of the charged coke pile up at the
furnace center part.
At this time, when the falling positions at the first
and second rotations are the same, the coke at the second
rotation flows divided in the furnace center side and the
furnace wall side; accordingly, coarse particles of coke
partially at the second rotation flow toward the furnace wall
side and cause a problem. However, as in the embodiment 3,
when, as the rotation proceeds, the falling position of the
coke is moved toward the furnace center side, all of the coarse
particles flow into the furnace center side. It is effective
in view of the intensification of the segregation of the
coarse coke at the furnace center part.
Furthermore, in the Embodiment 3, the charge start
position of the center coke is preferably set at a radius
position corresponding to 0.1 to 0.4 relative to a
dimensionless radius with the furnace center part of the blast
furnace assigned to 0 and the furnace wall part assigned to
1. When the charge start position is larger than 0.4, since
when the charge of the center coke is begun, an amount of coke
charged by one rotation becomes slight, the coke does not flow
in the neighborhood of the furnace center part, resulting in
less effective in the effect of charging coarser particles
in the furnace center part. Still furthermore, when the
charge start position is less than 0.1, since a distance
through which the charged coke flows in becomes short, the
effect of causing the particle segregation becomes less.
In order to examine a preferable range of the charge
start position of the center coke, one-fifth scale model
experiment of a furnace top charging device of a blast furnace
having a furnace capacity of 5000 m3 was conducted and
relationship between the ratio of coarse coke in a radius
direction and the charge start position of the center coke
was investigated. Results are shown in Fig.9. Here, the
coarse coke particle ratio is defined as follows. That is,
after the charge experiment was over, at each of the
respective dimensionless radius positions, a predetermined
amount was sampled and a particle size distribution of the
coke was measured, and, with particles having particle
diameter larger than a median diameter of the charged coke
as coarse particles, a ratio of the coarse particles in each
of the samples is obtained as the coarse coke particle ratio.
In each of the experiments, the coke was charged by 5
rotations. Here, in the case of the charge start positions
being 0.05 and 0.1, after one rotation, the charge position
was moved toward the furnace center side by 0.01 in terms of
dimensionless radius to charge. Furthermore, in the case of
the charge start position being 0.4 and 0.45, after one
rotation, the charge position was moved toward the furnace
center side by 0.05 in terms of the dimensionless radius to
charge.
In the case of the charge start position being 0.05 in
terms of dimensionless radius, since the coke after the second
rotation overflowed on the contrary from the furnace center
part toward the furnace wall part and piled up, in essence,
there is no large difference from the case of direct charge
to the furnace center part. Also in the particle size
measurement, the coarse particle ratio results in increasing
toward the furnace wall side rather than toward the furnace
center side.
Furthermore, in the case of the charge start position
being 0.45 in terms of the dimensionless radius, in the range
of 0 to 0.3 in terms of the dimensionless radius, the coarse
coke particle ratio does not so much vary, resulting in there
being no large segregation. On the other hand, in the case
of the charge start position being in the range of 0.1 to 0.4,
in the range of 0 to 0.2 in terms of the dimensionless radius,
70% or more of the coke becomes coarse particles; that is,
it is found that the segregation of the coarse particles in
the neighborhood of the center part is intensified.
Subsequently, embodiments 4 and 5 will be explained.
The present inventors found that when material is charged in
a blast furnace by use of a bell-less charging device, as shown
in Fig.1, material discharged from a furnace top bunker 1,
when a charging chute 5 is rotated about a furnace neutral
axis and an angle (6) between the charging chute and the
furnace neutral axis is altered for each rotation, can be
charged uniformly in a furnace periphery direction and at an
arbitrary position in a radius direction in the furnace. That
is, when the charge of coke is started from a state where a
inclination angle (9) is almost zero, that is, the charging
chute is almost vertical and 9 is increased stepwise for each
rotation, coke being piled up in the furnace can be piled up
in the furnace center part at the charge start time and, with
time, toward the furnace wall side. When this charge method
is applied, when, of the coke for one batch that is discharged
from the furnace top bunker into the furnace, the coke large
in the particle diameter can be selectively discharged at the
start of the discharge, the coke large in the particle
diameter can be selectively charged in the center part in the
blast furnace.
In order to make the particle diameter of the coke that
is charged at the beginning of one batch larger than that of
the coke that is subsequently charged, it need only do as
follows.
Usually, to each of lower parts of a plurality of coke
bins where blast furnace coke is stored, a screen 21 is
disposed, and a screen mesh thereof is set at 35 mm. Here,
the screen mesh of part of the coke bins is set at for instance
55 mm that is larger than that of the other coke bins. When
thus disposed, as shown in Fig. 10, when coke is transferred
from these coke bins 22 to the weighing hopper 23, when,
firstly, only a definite amount of coke 24a from the coke bin
22a that has the larger screen mesh is transferred to the
weighing hopper 23, and subsequently, coke 24b from the other
coke bin is transferred, in the weighing hopper 23, on a lower
side, the coke 24a having a particle diameter of 55 mm or more,
thereon the coke 24b having a particle diameter of 35 mm or
more, in total for one batch of coke, can be piled.
Subsequently, after weighing the coke for this one batch, the
coke is discharged from a lower part of the hopper 3 and
transferred to a bunker 1 at the furnace top. Even at this
time, in the bunker 1, similarly to the above, on a lower side,
the coke 24a having a particle diameter of 55 mm or more.
thereon the coke 24b having a particle diameter of 35 ram or
more, in total for one batch of coke, are piled. Here, as
shown in Fig.1, when these cokes are charged from a furnace
center part toward a furnace wall part, while reversely
tilting, from the bunker 1 through the chute 5, the particle
diameter of the coke piled up in the blast furnace becomes
larger in average in the center part than in the periphery
part.
In the Embodiments 4 and 5, an amount of the coke 24a
that has a particle diameter of 55 mm or more is empirically
inferred from a pile height in the weighing hopper 23.
Furthermore, an amount thereof in one batch is preferably in
the range of 5 to 50% by mass. When it is less than 5% by
mass, since an amount of the coke that has a larger particle
diameter is less in the furnace center part, it is
insufficient for coke having an ordinary particle diameter
to flow in the furnace center part to form a strong center
flow. On the other hand, when it is more than 50% by mass,
although it is sufficient to form a strong center flow, an
amount of coke of minus screen that cannot be used increases,
resulting in causing inconvenience.
The present invention exhibits effects in each of the
above-explained embodiments 1 through 5. However, when these
are combined, the distribution of the charge in the blast
furnace can be more effectively optimized. For instance, in
Fig. 3, the embodiment 4 can be applied to the C1 layer; the
embodiment 3 to the C2 layer; the embodiment 1 to the C2 + O1
layer; and the embodiment 2 to the O2 layer.
Examples
(Example 1}
With a blast furnace that has a furnace capacity of 5000
m3 and is equipped with a bell-less charging device,
experimental operations were carried out to improve the
productivity thereof. In the blast furnace, the inclination
angles of the charging chute, as shown in Table 3, correspond
to the notch numbers. The larger the notch number is, the
smaller is set the inclination angle. Accordingly,
immediately after the start of the charge, the charging chute
is at 20th notch and in an almost vertical state, thereafter,
with the inclination angle gradually increasing, the charge
is carried out.
Furthermore, in the experimental operations, by setting
the productivity, a target in such blast furnace, of molten
iron at three levels of 1.8, 2.0 and 2.1 (cases 1 through 3) ,
an amount of production was sequentially increased. In the
operations of the productivity of 1.8 and 2.0, a conventional
charging method of material was adopted; and in the operation
of the productivity of 2.1, a charging method according to
the invention of material was adopted. Here, the productivity
of molten iron denotes a numerical value obtained by dividing
a tapping amount a day of the blast furnace (t/d) with a
furnace capacity (m3). The larger productivity means an
operation that intends a larger amount of production. Charge
conditions of coke and ore in the experimental operations
(kind of batch, charge amount of batch, the notch numbers of
the charging chute and furnace top bunker used) are
collectively shown in Table 1.
Firstly, in case 1, an operation with the productivity
of 1.8, only coke was charged as C1, thereafter coke for center
charge was charged as C2, and further thereafter coke of C3
and ore of O1 that were previously mixed and stored in a mixed
state in. a furnace top bunker were simultaneously charged to
form a mixed layer. Thereafter, only ore was charged as O2
on a furnace wall side and thereby a layer made of ore alone
was formed. As the ore of O2, one having smaller particle
diameter of the ores was charged particularly on the furnace
wall side. With the sequence of operations as one charge,
the charges were repeated. This operation is a conventional
technology and corresponds to one in which the center charge
of coke and the mix charge are separately carried out.
In order to increase the amount of production of the hot
pig iron in the case 1, with an intension of increasing the
productivity up to 2.0, an operation in which a blast volume
to the blast furnace is increased to increase a reduced amount
of ore per unit time was carried out. However, in the
operation, since it took a long time to divide coke and ore
for one charge into 5 batches each and to transport to the
furnace top bunkers, material supply for keeping a pile
surface in the furnace at a substantially constant level
became difficult, resulting in necessity of shortening the
transporting time.
As a result, the formation of the mixed layer due to the
simultaneous charge of the coke and ore that are mixed in
advance was abandoned; as case 2, an operation in which 4
batches are transported for one charge was adopted.
Furthermore, at this time, as a countermeasure for improving
the productivity, it was necessary to raise an agglomerated
ore ratio (a ratio of sintered ore in ore) to 82% by mass to
improve the reduction in the furnace.
An operation situation of case 2 is shown in Table 2.
Although, in order to improve the productivity, the mix charge
of case 1 was given up and the agglomerated ore ratio was
raised, the permeability resistance index in the furnace rose
from 1.05 to 1.17, that is, the gas permeability was more
deteriorated than the case 1.
There, by applying the material charging method
according to the invention, coke was charged as C2 from the
furnace center part to a furnace middle part during 13
rotations of the charging chute and from 6th rotations of 13
rotations and on ore was simultaneously charged. This means
that at a time point when substantially 40% by mass of a total
amount of charged coke of C2 is charged, the mix charge of the
coke and ore was begun. Operation results of the case 3 are
shown in the Table 2 together with the case 1 and case 2.
In Table 2, the coke ratio and pulverized coal ratio,
respectively, denote amounts (kg) of coke and pulverized coal
used to produce 1 ton of molten iron. The agglomerated ore
ratio is a numeral value that shows a mass ratio of sintered
ore in ore and so on that are charged from the furnace top
in terms of percentage. The coke strength TI is a tumbler
index. The permeability resistance index can be expressed
with the following equation.
[{(BP/98.0665 + 1.033) X 10000}2 - {(TP/98.0665 + 1.033) X
10000}2]/(1.033 X 10000 X LSLOT)/(BGV/SAVE)1.7 X 273/{(SGT +
273)/2 + 273}
In the above equation,
BP: blast pressure [kPa]
TP: furnace top pressure [kPa]
LSLOT: distance between stockline and tuyere [m]
BGV: bosh gas volume [Nm3/min]
SAVE: average sectional area in blast furnace [m2]
SGT: gas temperature typical in shaft part: 1000 degree
centigrade.
From Table 2, it is obvious that according to the
invention, the productivity could be raised to 2.1. In this
case, without interrupting the mix charge halfway, the coke
center charge and the mix charge could be simultaneously
carried out, and the permeability resistance index was also
reduced to the level the same as case 1.
(Example 2)
In an operation where an ore layer and a coke layer are
alternately formed in a bell-less blast furnace (furnace
capacity of 5000 m3) , in forming an ore layer, as shown in Fig. 5,
a mixed material 20 in which coke is mixed in ore in advance
was stored in one of furnace top bunkers 1. An amount of coke
in the mixed material 20 was set at 16% by mass with respect
to an amount of total coke for one cycle of the ore layer and
coke layer.
In charging the mixed material 20 through a charging
chute 5, in order that the whole amount of the mixed material
20 in the furnace top bunker 1 may be charged during twelve
rotations of the charging chute 5, a flow rate of the mixed
material 20 that is discharged from the furnace top bunker
1 was adjusted with a flow rate control gate 3. That is, as
shown in Fig. 5, the charge was begun from a blast furnace wall
side (that is, the mixed material 20a charged at the first
rotation) , the mixed material 2 was charged with a inclination
angle 9 sequentially diminishing, after the mixed material 20
was charged up to a predetermined inclination angle in a blast
furnace center direction, with the inclination angle 9
sequentially increasing the mixed material 20 was charged.
Thus, the charge was begun from the blast furnace wall side,
the charging chute 5 reciprocated once in the radius direction
in the blast furnace followed by charging again on the blast
furnace wall side (that is, the mixed material 20b charged
at the twelfth rotation) , and thereby the charge of the whole
amount of the mixed material 20 in the furnace top bunker 1
came to completion. This is an inventive example.
On the other hand, as a comparative example, in charging
the mixed material 20 similarly to the inventive example, a
flow rate control gate 3 was controlled so that the whole
amount of the mixed material 20 in the furnace top bunker 1
may be charged during twelve rotations of the charging chute
5. The charge was begun from a blast furnace wall side, the
mixed material 20 was charged with a inclination angle 9
sequentially diminishing, and the charge of the whole amount
of the mixed material 20 in the furnace top bunker 1 came to
completion on the furnace center side.
The bell-less blast furnace used here is operated with
the inclination angle 9 of the charging chute 5 set with the
notch number. The correspondence between the notch numbers
and the inclination angles 8's is the same as that shown in
Table 3.
Furthermore, the setting of the notch numbers when the
mixed material 20 was charged is shown in Table 5. The setting
of the notch numbers in Table 5 denotes that the charging chute
5 made one rotation at each of the notch numbers. For instance,
in the comparative example, the notch number [5] is written
consecutively twice. This means that after the charging chute
5 was rotated twice at the notch number [5] , the charging chute
5 was rotated at the subsequent notch number [6].
When the coke layer is formed, in both the inventive
example and the comparative example, an amount corresponding
to 10% by mass relative to the whole amount of coke for one
cycle was charged to the blast furnace center part (so-called
center coke) , and remaining coke is evenly charged in a radius
direction in the blast furnace. That is, the charge sequence
was three-batch charge of coke-coke-ore (mixed material 20) .
The inventive example and the comparative example,
respectively, were operated for 5 days, and the coke ratio,
pulverized coal ratio, blast temperature, hot metal
temperature, and tap Si concentration were measured. Results
thereof are shown together in Table 2. The coke ratio and
the pulverized coal ratio in Table 4 , respectively, are ratios
of a total amount of used coke and a total amount of used
pulverized coal to a total tapping amount of molten iron for
5 days. Furthermore, the blast temperature, hot metal
temperature and Si concentration in the molten iron are
average values of measurements obtained by periodically
measuring (6 to 7 times a day) . For the hot metal temperature
and Si concentration in the molten iron, the dispersions of
the measurements are also shown.
As obvious from Table 4, according to the inventive
example, the dispersions of the hot metal temperatures and
Si concentrations in the molten iron were reduced in
comparison with that of the comparative examples.
Accordingly, in the inventive example, even when the blast
temperature was lowered by 30 degree centigrade in comparison
with the comparative example, the stable operation was
performed with the equivalent hot metal temperature
maintained.
(Example 3)
In a large blast furnace having a furnace capacity of
5000 m3, an operation was carried out under the operation
conditions shown in Table 5. Here, in the comparative example,
in charging the center coke, the charging chute was set at
the inclination angle of 0° and thereby concentrated charge
to the furnace center was performed. On the other hand, in
the inventive example, the charge start position was set at
0.3 in terms of the dimensionless radius, and the charge
position was moved toward the furnace center side by 0.03 in
terms of the dimensionless radius for each rotation to charge
the center coke.
During the respective operations, with a sonde disposed
at a level 5 m below from a furnace top pile surface of a blast
furnace shaft part feeding in a radius direction in the
furnace, a gas in the furnace at each of the respective
positions from the furnace wall to the furnace center part
was sampled. These sampled gases were analyzed of CO gas and
CO2 gas. From their volume percents, the gas utilization
efficiency was calculated.
The gas utilization efficiency is a value calculated
from the following equation.
Gas utilization efficiency (%) = {CO2 (volume %)}/{C0
(volume %) + CO2 (volume %) } x 100
In the blast furnace, it is considered that at a portion
where the gas utilization efficiency is large, a ratio of ore
becomes relatively high.
Calculation results of the gas utilization efficiency
are shown in Fig.8.
As shown in Fig. 8, in the comparative example, the gas
utilization efficiency at the furnace center part is higher
than that in the periphery thereof (up to a position of
substantially 0.2 in terms of dimensionless radius). This
is considered that as a result of the center coke being charged
concentrated at the furnace center part, coarser particles
in the coke flowed in the periphery part of the furnace center,
thereby the gas flow in the furnace in this part was
intensified and ore charged in this part was blown up, and
thereby an ore layer was collapsed and flowed in the furnace
center part.
As a result thereof, in the operation of comparative
example, the gas flow in the furnace center part became
unstable, resulting in the fuel ratio of substantially 507
kg/t (molten iron).
On the other hand, in the inventive example, it is found
that since the gas utilization efficiency at the furnace
center part is such low as substantially 15%, a strong gas
flow is formed in the furnace center part. Owing to the charge
in the furnace being stably distributed, even when the fuel
ratio is lowered to substantially 498 kg/t (molten iron) , the
production the same as that of comparative example or more
can be achieved.
Furthermore, as obvious also from Table 5, in the
inventive example, since pulverized coal less expensive in
the cost in comparison with comparative example could be used
much, and furthermore the total fuel ratio also could be
reduced.
(Example 4)
With a test blast furnace that has a furnace capacity
of substantially 10 m3 and is provided with a bell-less
charging device, a charge test of material was conducted. As
materials being charged, sintered ore was used as iron ore
(sign 0) and blast furnace coke that is usually used was used
as coke (sign C) . At this time, a mass ratio of ore to coke
(0/C) was 3.2, 1 charge of ore was charged by one batch, and
1 charge of coke was charged by one batch. The charge of coke
was carried out in two ways; that is, one is due to a material
charging method involving the aforementioned present
invention and the other one is due to a conventional material
charging method (all screen mesh of coke bins was set at 35
mm) .
The coke falling from the chute when the coke was charged
was captured with a sampler at a definite time interval
followed by measuring a particle diameter of the obtained
sample. In Fig. 11, a horizontal axis shows an amount of coke
discharged from a bunker in terms of % (a total amount is
assigned to 100 %) and a vertical axis shows a ratio (%) of
55 or more in a sampled coke. From Fig. 11, it is obvious that
according to the present invention, a particle diameter of
coke that piles up in the early stage of the charge, that is,
in the furnace center part becomes larger in comparison with
that of the conventional charging method.

Industrial Applicability
According to the embodiment 1, in carrying out an
operation of high production amount with a bell-less blast
furnace, the mix charge of coke and ore and the center charge
of coke can be simultaneously carried out. Thereby, an
increase in the pressure loss in the furnace that is likely
to occur when the operation of high production amount is
carried out can be effectively inhibited from occurring, and
thereby without increasing an amount used of high quality
materials such as sintered ore and reduced iron, the molten
iron can be increased in amount of production.
According to the embodiment 2, even when properties and
states such as the particle size distribution, moisture
content and so on of various kinds of materials used in the
blast furnace vary, on the material pile surface at the blast
furnace top the ore and coke can be distributed with a constant
mixing ratio, and thereby the hot metal temperature and the
quality of molten iron can be inhibited from fluctuating.
According to the application of the embodiment 3, in the
center charge of coke in the bell-less blast furnace with a
charging chute, a particle diameter of coke could be made the
largest at the furnace center part, and thereby a stable
operation could be realized. Furthermore, at lower fuel
ratios the production the same as ever or more could be
achieved, that is, more favorable blast furnace operation
could be realized.
According to the embodiments 4 and 5, even when an
existing bell-less charging device is used without separately
disposing a charging device exclusive for coke, without
increasing the number of batches of materials, coke larger
in the particle diameter than that charged in the periphery
part can be selectively charged to the furnace center part.
This suggests that when the invention is adopted in an actual
blast furnace, a center flow of gas in the furnace can be
stably secured, and thereby highly productive and economical
smelting of the molten iron can be realized.
We Claim:
1. A method for charging a material in a bell-less blast furnace having a bell-less
charging device, comprising the steps of:
(a) storing coke in at least one furnace top bunker;
(b) storing ore in the at least one furnace top bunker;
(c) charging the stored coke from a furnace center part toward a furnace wall part in
a radius direction in the blast furnace while rotating a chute of the bell-less charging device
and varying an inclination angle thereof;
(d) charging the stored ore from a furnace center part toward a furnace wall part in a
radius direction in the furnace while rotating the chute of the bell-less charging device and
varying a inclination angle thereof; and
(e) controlling a discharge commencing time of the ore so that during a discharge
amount of the coke stored in the at least one furnace top bunker being between 5 to 50
mass% of a charge amount of coke for one batch, discharge of the ore stored in the at least
one furnace top bunker is begun.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the steps of:
storing a mixed material in which ore and coke are mixed in one of furnace top
bunkers;
charging the mixed material stored in the furnace top bunker in the blast furnace
while rotating a charging chute about a blast furnace neutral axis and sequentially varying a
inclination angle of the charging chute; and
controlling a discharge of the mixed material so that during at least one reciprocation
of the charging chute in a radius direction in the blast furnace a whole amount of the mixed
material stored in the furnace top bunker is charged in the blast furnace.
3. A method of charging a material in a bell-less blast furnace having a bell-less
charging device, comprising the steps of:
(a) storing coke in at least one of furnace top bunkers;
(b) storing ore in at least one of furnace top bunkers;
(c) storing a mixed material of ore and coke in one of furnace top bunkers;
(d) charging stored coke from a furnace center part toward a furnace wall part in a
radius direction in the furnace while rotating a charging chute of the bell-less charging
device and varying a inclination angle thereof;
(e) charging stored ore from a furnace center part toward a furnace wall part in a
radius direction in the furnace while rotating a charging chute of the bell-less charging
device and varying a inclination angle thereof; and
(f) controlling a discharge commencing time of the ore so that during a discharge
amount of the coke stored in the at least one of furnace top bunkers being between 5 to 50%
by mass of a charge amount of coke for one batch, discharge of the ore stored in the at least
one of furnace top bunkers is begun;
(g) charging the mixed material stored in the furnace top bunker in the blast furnace
while rotating the charging chute and sequentially varying a inclination angle of the charging
chute; and
(h) controlling a discharge of the mixed material so that during at least one
reciprocation of the charging chute in a radius direction of the blast furnace a whole amount
of the mixed material stored in the furnace top bunker is charged in the blast furnace.
A method for charging material in a bell-less blast furnace(6) comprises the steps of:
storing coke(2) in at least one of furnace top bunkers(1a); storing ore(2) in at least one of
furnace top bunkers(1b); charging the stored cokes into the blast furnace(6) while rotating a
chute(5) of the bell-less charging device and varying a inclination angle(?) thereof; and
charging the stored ore while rotating the chute(5) of the bell-less charging device and
varying the inclination angle(?) thereof. Discharging of the stored in the at least one furnace
top bunkers commences when the discharging amount of the coke stored in the at least
furnace top bunker is 5 to 50 mass% relative to a coke amount of one batch. A mixed
material(20) of ore and coke is stored in one of furnace top bunkers, and the mixed material
stored in the furnace top bunker is charged in the blast furnace(6) while rotating the charging
chute(5) and changing a inclination angle(?) of the charging chute(5).

Documents:


Patent Number 225430
Indian Patent Application Number 121/KOLNP/2005
PG Journal Number 46/2008
Publication Date 14-Nov-2008
Grant Date 12-Nov-2008
Date of Filing 02-Feb-2005
Name of Patentee JFE STEEL CORPORATION
Applicant Address 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO, 2-CHOME CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 NISHIMURA HIROFUMI C/O INTELLECTURAL PROPERTY DEPT, JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO, 2-CHOME CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011
2 GOTO SHIGEAKI C/O INTELLECTURAL PROPERTY DEPT, JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO, 2-CHOME CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011
3 NISHIMURA NOZOMU C/O INTELLECTURAL PROPERTY DEPT, JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO, 2-CHOME CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011
4 KAMAMO HIDEYUKI C/O INTELLECTURAL PROPERTY DEPT, JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO, 2-CHOME CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011
5 HASEGAWA SHINJI C/O INTELLECTURAL PROPERTY DEPT, JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO, 2-CHOME CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011
6 YAMANA SHIN'ICHIRO C/O INTELLECTURAL PROPERTY DEPT, JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO, 2-CHOME CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011
7 TAKESHITA MASANORI C/O INTELLECTURAL PROPERTY DEPT, JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO, 2-CHOME CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011
8 WATAKABE SHIRO C/O INTELLECTURAL PROPERTY DEPT, JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO, 2-CHOME CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011
9 ITO TAKESHI C/O INTELLECTURAL PROPERTY DEPT, JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO, 2-CHOME CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011
10 FUJIMOTO HIDEO C/O INTELLECTURAL PROPERTY DEPT, JFE STEEL CORPORATION, 2-3, UCHISAIWAI-CHO, 2-CHOME CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-0011
PCT International Classification Number C21B 7/20, C21B 5/00
PCT International Application Number PCT/JP2003/10907
PCT International Filing date 2003-08-28
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 2002-253432 2002-08-30 Japan
2 2002-250738 2002-08-29 Japan