Analysis of dangerous emissions and plant productivity during sintering ore operations

Abstract

Sintering is a process for ironmaking operations; it represents one of the main sources of production emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzo-furans, NO x and SO x . In the present study, the operating conditions through which a reduction of dangerous emissions can be achieved are defined through numerical analysis. By employing a multiobjective optimisation tool, a deep analysis capable of representing the process behaviour leading to the optimal operating conditions was developed. Through such analysis, a broad range of processing parameters affecting the development of PCDD/Fs in the sintering process has been evaluated. The first aim was the possible reduction of dangerous emissions through numerical and experimental analyses allowing the definition of the optimal conditions for the minimisation of pollutants. Although the resultant optimal combination of input parameters able to reduce the dangerous emissions from the plant was determined, it was largely examined on the impact of the chosen input parameters on the sinter productivity. In such a way, it was possible to reduce the emissions close to the legal limits and with a high level of productivity and efficiency of the plant.

Optimization of Blast Furnace Productivity Coupled with CO2 Emissions Reduction

“…High productivity operation of a BF requires enhancing reducibility and improving reduction behavior at high temperatures of sintered ore. The study started from the results previously obtained and published in Refs . an analyses was performed on the sinter plant operations in terms of productivity versus reduction rate for different values of productivity of the BF (Figure ).…”

“…Following the results described in Refs . the optimal operating conditions of the sinter machine were fixed as shown in Table , corresponding to the underlined points in Figure .…”

“…The productivity data are calculated referring to the working volume in all the results presented in the paper. The productivity and quality indices of the sinter plant were taken from data reported in previous papers . Pellets, limestone, and coke compositional and quality ranges were analyzed at each cycle and the data were reported in the present paper.…”

“…The material charges were constantly monitored through the flux analysis of parallel bunkers at the top of the BF. All the data were collected in a broad period and analyzed by employing a multi objective optimization tool (modeFRONTIER®) whose performances were largely described in previous works . The main independent variables have been underlined, the weight of such parameters on productivity and CO 2 emissions has been analyzed.…”

“…The productivity and quality indices of the sinter plant were taken from data reported in previous papers. [29,30] Pellets, limestone, and coke compositional and quality ranges were analyzed at each cycle and the data were reported in the present paper. Basically, an enormous number of data-points is represented, each consisting of a setting of the critical input parameters of the BF and the associated productivity values that were recorded on real time basis.…”