(p119) Predicting Iron Ore Pellet Degradation due to Handling from Pellet Plant to Steel Mill

摘要

Degradation that results from transportation and handling has an important economic impact on the iron makingchain, given the lower value of the finer material that is generated. In spite of their greater strength, whencompared to lump iron ores, pellets also undergo some degradation, which increases with the severity of thehandling operations that occur from the pelletizing plant to the end user. While efforts are continuously made atpelletizing plants to reduce this effect, both by improving pellet quality and reducing the severity of the collisionsduring handling, it was found that characterization methods that were routinely used and that are suggested by theInternational Usual Standards were not capable of providing appropriate data for predicting pellet degradation.Furthermore, no sound mathematical models were identified in the literature that could be used for this purpose.After this finding, Samarco established a partnership with UFRJ (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro), whichresulted in the development of the Pellet Handling Simulator. The paper briefly describes the model and the testingmethods required to fit the model parameters. It also demonstrates the validity of the predictions by comparisonbetween data actually measured and simulation, also presenting a case study of application of the model.