Title of Invention

A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A SMELTING REDUCTION PROCESS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a smelting reduction process, in particular a cyclone converter furnace process for producing pig iron wherein oxide iron material, coal and oxygen are supplied, characterized in that one: measures the carbon fraction C in the off-gas in the form of CO and CO<SUB>2</SUB>; measures the hydrogen fraction H<SUB>2</SUB> in the off-gas in the form of H<SUB>2</SUB> and H<SUB>2</SUB>O; determines the C/H2 ratio in the off-gas; compares the C/H<SUB>2</SUB> ratio thus determined in the off-gas against the C/H<SUB>2</SUB> ratio prevailing for the coal being supplied, and adjusts the coal supply based on the difference found in the C/H<SUB>2</SUB> ratios in the off-gas and the coal being supplied such that the fraction of char formed from the coal in the slag layer is kept stable, the said fraction being not much less than 20%.

Full Text

The invention relates to a method for controlling a smelting reduction process, in particular a cyclone converter furnace process for producing pig iron. A smelting reduction process of the cyclone converter furnace process type is known for example from EP-A 0 690 136. The object of the invention is to create a method for controlling a smelting reduction process. With the invention this is achieved by: measuring the carbon fraction C in the off-gas in the form of CO and CCh; measuring the hydrogen fraction Hb in the off-gas in the form of H2 and H2O; determining the C/H2 ratio of the carbon fraction C and the hydrogen fraction H2 in the off-gas; comparing the C/H2 ratio thus determined in the off-gas against the C/H2 ratio prevailing for the coal being supplied, and adjusting the coal supply based on the difference found in the C/H2 ratios in the off-gas and the coal being supplied. The advantage of this is that the char consumption of the smelting reduction process can be monitored on-line and that the coal supply of the smelting reduction process can be controlled automatically. Preferably the C/H2 ratio of the coal supplied is corrected for the carbon lossed by the conveyance by the off-gas, for the carbon dissolved in the pig iron, for carbon and/or hydrogen introduced together with additives, and for hydrogen introduced by water injection into the off-gas system before the sampling point. This achieves even better control of the process. Preferably the coal supply is adjusted while lance height, ore and oxygen supply remain the same. The advantage of this is that the process runs stably. The invention will be illustrated for the Cyclone Converter Furnace (CCF) process by reference to the drawings. However, the invention can also be applied with other smelting reduction processes, such as for example the AISI process and the DIOS process. Fig. 1 shows a CCF reactor. Fig. 2 shows the carbon and hydrogen balance across the CCF reactor. In the production of pig iron by the CCF process the iron ore, often in the form of Fe203, is prereduced into FeO in a smelting cyclone (1). A final reduction of FeO into iron (Fe) takes place in the converter vessel (2). With the CCF the smelting cyclone (1) is placed on top of a converter shaped smelting vessel (2). Coal (3) is fed into the smelting vessel and partially gasified by combustion at position (10) with oxygen (4) being supplied through lance or lances (9). The off-gases rise towards the cyclone. In the cyclone iron ore (5) and oxygen (6) are blown in tangentially. The oxygen reacts with a part of the CO andFh present in the spent gas thereby releasing heat. The injected ore particles are blown through the combustion hearths in the cyclone and melt instantaneously. At position (11) in the cyclone the molten ore is prereduced into FeO according to the chemical reactions: 3Fe203 + CO (H2) 2Fe304 + C02 (H20) Fe304 + CO (H2) 3FeO + C02 (H2O) The prereduced molten ore (12) drips out of the cyclone onto the slag layer (7) in the smelting vessel underneath. The ore drops dissolve in the slag. In the slag layer the final reduction into iron takes place according to the net chemical reaction: H2C02 in is the quantity of hydrogen introduced with the coal; c.gas out is the total of carbon in CO and CO2 in the off-gas. This carbon originates from the combustion of the volatile hydrocarbons and the char in the slag and the consumption of the char for the final reduction of the iron ore and )any carbon fractions in the dosed additives; c.Fe is the quantity of carbon absorbed per unit of time in the newly formed iron; c.siag is the quantity of carbon absorbed per unit of time in the newly formed slag; c.dust out is the quantity of carbon leaving the CCF reactor as fine dust; C flux in is the carbon entering the CCF reactor as a consequence of the additive dosing (for example CaCOs); )H2.gasout is the total quantity of hydrogen in the form of H2O and H2 in the off-gas. This hydrogen originates from the volatile hydrocarbons in the coal, from hydrogen in any additives, and (possible) cooling water introduced; H2.water in is the quantity of hydrogen in the form of water that is used for (possible) direct cooling of the hot gas in the gas line; ((mxfiux in is the hydrogen entering the CCF reactor as a consequence of the dosing of additives; It should be noted that other sources of supply and losses for C and H2 are possible, such as for example by contamination of air and by wear of the refractory lining of the metallurgical vessels. However, these are generally of minor significance. If desired they may be taken in account in a similar way. The M in Fig. 2 represents a sampling or a measuring point. Control of coal dosing according to the C/H2 ratio In a smelting reduction process (such as the CCF converter) the internal conditions vary as the process runs because the slag/metal bath (7), (8) increases as the process runs. These variations affect the behaviour of the reactor. Moreover, the bath process has possible run-off effects such as by excessive slag foaming and by solidification of the molten slag. Essential aspects for the stable operation of a smelting reduction bath process are; a stable carbon fraction in the metal bath; maintaining a stable slag height, that is to say preventing excessive slag foaming, so-called "slopping". For this it is of essential importance to have good control over the char fraction in the slag. When sufficient char is present this makes the small gas bubbles coalesce and prevents slopping. The extreme conditions in the converter make it difficult to measure directly and reliably the internal process conditions such as the char fraction. Consequently, controlling the reactor is preferably based (as much as possible) on externally measurable quantities (such as off-gas composition). The bath process can be well controlled as soon as the char fraction is under control. For this the operator has available the following control parameters: the raw material supply (coal, ore, additives); oxygen flow rate; the lance height (= the distance between the lance head and the slag layer). In the following a method is proposed with which changes in char consumption may be monitored in a simple manner, and the coal dosing controlled in such a way that the char mass remains stable in the converter. Coal consists essentially of graphite and volatile constituents (hydrocarbons). When coal is dosed in the bath process, the hydrocarbons evaporate directly out. The high temperature makes the hydrocarbons break down and they go into the off-gas as H2, H2O, CO and CO2. The product (char) remaining in the slag consists essentially of graphite. This char is consumed by the reduction reactions and the direct combustion with oxygen. Both reactions produce CO and CO2. The hydrogen fraction in the off-gas (in the form of H2 and H2O) is consequently only a function of the coal type used and the quantity of coal being supplied. In addition the carbon fraction (in the form of CO and CO2) is also a function of the char consumption. Monitoring the ratio between the carbon fraction and the hydrogen fraction in the off-gas therefore produces a direct indication of changes in the char consumption of the bath process. A stable char mass is essential for running the bath process. Thereby the C/H2 ratio in the off-gas can serve for automatically controlling the coal supply. This requires reliable sampling of the off-gas from the converter. In this case account must be taken of any carbon and hydrogen fractions in the other raw materials. In addition account must be taken of two phenomena which contribute to the reduction of char mass in the converter; char dust loss through the off-gas line and carbon dissolving in the metal bath. At the same time enough char needs to be formed for the char fraction in the quantity of newly formed slag to be equal to the fraction of the slag already present in the converter. The phenomena can be controlled by regulating the coal supply in such a way that the C/H2 ratio in the off-gas is equal to a corrected C/H2 ratio. Were these phenomena not present, then coal dosing would be equal to coal consumption if the C/H2 ratio in the off-gas was equal to that of the coal being supplied. An example is given below of the calculation of the corrected C/H2 ratio. The forming of char dust is essentially determined by the dust already present in the coal being supplied and the type of coal (decisive tor tne oreaK-up ucnaviuui during degassing). The dust loss can reach up to 15 %. However, in the CCF process - a part of the char dust will combust in the smelting cyclone. To prevent possible reduction of the char fraction in the slag through dust losses, calculating the corrected C/H2 ratio is best based on the maximum dust loss. During the process cycle, when there is a smaller dust loss, a slight increase in char occurs in the converter (see example). However, the char fraction in the slag will remain relatively unchanged because of the slag layer growing. In order to correct for any over high char fraction in the remaining slag following a (partial) tapping of metal and slag, it is possible to adjust the coal supply for a brief time downward and allow char to burn out. The char fraction is then lowered enough to permit proceeding with controlling the coal supply according to the C/H2 ratio. The quantity of C in the pig iron can be determined by regularly taking -a sample from the produced (tapped) pig iron and determining the carbon content in it. An extra correction to the desired C/H2 ratio is also necessary when dosed additives (for example CaCOs) and possibly water injection introduce extra carbon and/or hydrogen into the off-gas (see example). Example Calculating the C/H2 ratio This example gives a calculation of the corrected C/H2 ratio. The calculation is based on (RY = pig iron): a 0.7 million ton RY/year installation; production rate 90 tons RY/hour, tapping every hour; coal consumption 600 kg/ton RY, mid-volatile coal; a maximum char dust loss of 15 % of the dosed coal mass; carbonising the pig iron bath up to a mass fraction of 4.5 %. Analysis of mid-volatile coal (mass fractions): volatile constituents 20 % fixed carbon (graphite) 70 % minerals 5 % moisture 5 % Dry ash-free analysis (90 % of total mass) carbon 90 % hydrogen 5 % remainder 5 % Calculation of the desired C/H2 ratio in the off-gas H2 as hydrocarbon in 600 kg coal = 0.9 x 0.05 x 600 = 27 kg H2 = 13.5 kmol H2 extra H2 from moisture in 600 kg = 0.05 x 600 = 30 kg H2O = 1.7 kmol H2 total H2 in 600 kg coal = 15.2 kmol H2 total C in 600 kg coal = 0.9 x 0.9 x 600 = 486 kg C = 40.5 kmol C C/H2 in dosed coal = 40.5 / 15.2 = 2.66 maximum dust loss per 600 kg coal = 0.15 x 600 = 90 kg char = 7.5 kmol C carbonising the pig iron per ton = 0.045 x 1000 = 45 kg C = 3.75 kmol C corrected C/H2 ratio for controlling according to converter off-gas C/H2 = (40.5 - 7.5 - 3.75) /15.2 = 1.92 limestone dosing in cyclone = 170 kg/ton RY = 1.7 kmol C corrected C/H2 ratio for controlling according to cyclone off-gas: C/H2 = (40.5 - 7.5 - 3.75 + 1.7) /15.2 - 2.04 WE CLAIM: 1. A method for controlling a smelting reduction process, in particular a cyclone converter furnace process for producing pig iron wherein oxide iron material, coal and oxygen are supplied, characterized in that one: - measures the carbon fraction C in the off-gas in the form of CO and C02; - measures the hydrogen fraction H2 in the off-gas in the form of H2 and H20; - determines the C/H2 ratio in the off-gas; - compares the C/H2 ratio thus determined in the off-gas against the C/H2 ratio prevailing for the coal being supplied, and - adjusts the coal supply based on the difference found in the C/H2 ratios in the off-gas and the coal being supplied such that the fraction of char formed from the coal in the slag layer is kept stable, the said fraction being not much less than 20%. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein C/H2 ratio of the coal supplied is corrected for the carbon losses by the conveyance by the off-gas. 3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the C/H2 ratio of the coal supplied is corrected for the carbon dissolved in the pig iron. 4. The method as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the C/H2 ratio of the coal supplied is corrected for carbon and/or hydrogen introduced together with additives. 5. The method as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the C/H2 ratio of the coal supplied is corrected for hydrogen introduced by water injection into the off-gas system before the sampling point. 6. The method as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein the coal supply is adjusted while lance height, ore and oxygen supply remain the same. Dated this 10 day of July 1998 (RRNAIR) OF DePENNING & DePENNING AGENT FOR THE APPLICANTS

Documents:

1541-mas-1998 abstract gratned.pdf

1541-mas-1998 claims gratned.pdf

1541-mas-1998 description(complete) granted.pdf

1541-mas-1998 drawings gratned.pdf

1541-mas-1998-abstract.pdf

1541-mas-1998-claims.pdf

1541-mas-1998-correspondance others.pdf

1541-mas-1998-correspondance po.pdf

1541-mas-1998-description complete.pdf

1541-mas-1998-drawings.pdf

1541-mas-1998-form 1.pdf

1541-mas-1998-form 26.pdf

1541-mas-1998-form 3.pdf

1541-mas-1998-form 4.pdf