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MINITEC Sintering technology MINITEC Sintering technology MINITEC Sintering technology MINITEC Sintering technology
www.minitec.eng.br
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VALE MANGANS SA, Simes Filho, Brazil, has MINITEC sinter plant in operation since 2007.

INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION

Ore fines agglomeration in the form of sinter or pellets becomes more and more important, as quality of natural ores
deteriorates, demanding concentration. Furthermore, sintering improves the performance of the blast furnace and ameliorates the
smelting behavior of ore in the non ferrous smelting furnaces, lowering specific power consumption and increasing the yield.

The Mini Sinter Plant - SKP

Process was developed by MINITEC MINITECNOLOGIAS LTDA, aiming at low capital investment as well
as low operating and maintenance cost. Even very small plant sizes are economical e.g. 50,000 tpy.

The SKP

process features the flexibility of all sintering processes, offering the possibility of agglomeration of all kinds of ores,
like iron, manganese, nickel, tin, chromite, among other ores and materials. Ultra fine raw materials (below 100 mesh) also can be
sintered, with a simple introduction of an intensive mixer in the process route.

Industrial residues such as mill scale, dusts collected in bag filters, sludge, dust from dust catcher of blast furnaces, slag etc can
be recycled in this process, blended with ores or separately, producing sinter of predefined characteristics.

This new sintering system is a semi-continuous process, consisting of a number of pans disposed side by side in a carousel type
arrangement, successively fed, ignited, processed and discharged. The entire process is controlled by a supervisory station making
the operation fully automatic.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE S DESCRIPTION OF THE S DESCRIPTION OF THE S DESCRIPTION OF THE SKP KP KP KP

PROCESS PROCESS PROCESS PROCESS

The process described below corresponds to the standard configuration. This configuration can be adapted to attend the physical
and chemical characteristics of specific ores or sinter products and the requirements of each client.

The sintering process begins with the preparation of the raw materials to be sintered, consisting of ore fines, fines of charcoal or
coke, fluxes, industrial residues and return fines (sinter below 5 mm). These materials are mixed in a revolving drum and water is
added in order to reach proper micro pelletizing of the raw mix and obtaining adequate permeability of mixture during the
sintering process. The micro pelletized mixture is transferred on a conveyor belt to the sintering machine. Before being charged
with the mix, the pans receive a 50 mm layer of suitably sized sinter or lump (the bedding), to protect the grate bars from excess
temperature. After charging, the pan is positioned under an ignition chamber where the upper surface of the mixture is ignited,
utilizing burners of gas (LPG, NG etc) or oil. The air is sucked towards the bottom of the pan, burning the solid fuel and
progressively sintering the whole mixture. Sintering takes place during the transfer period of the pan from ignition chamber to
point of discharge of the sinter, at the sinter breaker. The sinter cake is discharged into the breaker, which defines the maximum
size. The crushed sinter is unloaded into a sinter cooler. After partially cooled, the sinter goes to the screening station, where
product sinter, bedding and return fines are separated.

Utilizing iron ore, the product obtained from the sintering process presents excellent characteristics for the blast furnace burden,
such as:
Homogeneous chemical analysis
Good grain size distribution
Reducibility
Mechanical resistance

A supervisory station controls all steps of the sintering process. From the control room the operator has full control of the entire
plant through the PC terminals.

The SKP Mini Sinter Plant is designed to comply with all aspects of environmental protection. Appropriate dedusting units are
provided for dedusting the waste gas generated during the sintering/cooling processes as well as for material handling. If
required, DeSOX, DeNOX and hydrocarbon treatment systems can be provided to meet environmental requirements, and even more
complex flue gas treatment may be applied in case of agglomeration of hazardous wastes or restrictive environmental regulations.

This technology is oriented to match the downstream process requirements, like Mini Blast Furnaces, Submerged Arc Furnace (SAF)
etc.

Emphasis in the design of plant and equipment is given towards fulfilling the requirements of the sintering process, in terms of
quality and quantity.

One of the main benefits of SKP process is its patented feature in which each individual duct is outfitted with a control valve,
allowing presetting of any desired depression and flow profile during sintering process.

The main advantages of the SKP

Mini Sinter Plant are:

Low specific investment
Minimized false air intake
Excellent sinter quality
Full process automation
Low production cost
High operational flexibility
Maintenance-friendly design
Compact plant
Short erection schedule

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Raw Raw Raw Raw material handling system material handling system material handling system material handling system



Raw Raw Raw Raw material bins material bins material bins material bins
For the proportioning of the raw mix, MINITEC develops the
best solution for each case. The bins are designed according
to each material and its characteristics and properties to
avoid bridging within the bins, to provide proper mass flow
and to reduce the segregation of coarse and fine particles
during charging and discharging.

Specially designed bins for storage and handling very fine
ores and other materials preventing bridging and
minimizing potential outflow problems.

Segregation in the bins during charging and discharging
occurs in different ways at different bin filling levels. A
higher number of bins allows for the simultaneous discharge
of a single ore type from at least two bins with different
filling levels, which compensates for the varying segregation
of the coarse and fine ore particles during charging and
discharging.

The discharge of raw materials by dosing weigh feeders
from the bins is controlled by the real-time dosing system.
With this control system, the desired mixture composition
will conform to predetermined ratios throughout the entire
operation.

In some cases, mainly for lower production and cost,
batching feeding system can be adopted, where dosing
weigh feeders are replaced by weighing bins and mixing
drum is of batching type.



C CC Conveyor systems onveyor systems onveyor systems onveyor systems
MINITEC specifies and works only with robust and powerful
equipment for belt conveyor systems to ensure a reliable
and efficient transfer and handling of different bulk
materials (including iron ore, iron concentrate, limestone,
coke, sludge, dust etc) to or from the sintering process. All
material handling systems are designed to minimize and
optimize the overall handling operation.

The result: a significant decrease in investment costs,
improved overall logistic process, and homogenized material
quantities. The ability to blend different products gives plant
operators much more flexibility in securing their plants
future. And all solutions are available from a single source.

Main benefits: Main benefits: Main benefits: Main benefits:
Excellent homogeneity of the raw mix
Higher precision in the proportioning of raw materials
Greater flexibility in changing raw material
Recipes in the shortest possible time








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Mi Mi Mi Mixing and xing and xing and xing and micro pell micro pell micro pell micro pelletizing etizing etizing etizing system system system system

For mixing and micro pelletizing of sinter raw mix, MINITEC
develops the best process route according to materials to be
used, to meet required productivity and final product quality.

Excellent homogeneity and high permeability of the sinter
raw mix are decisive factors in achieving high sinter
productivity and quality with reduced consumption of energy.
With a conventional mixing drum, only a very limited
homogeneity of the sinter raw mix can be obtained and
materials grain size are restricted in a very specific range.

For these cases, MINITEC selected the intensive mixing and
micro pelletizing system, which consists of an intensive
mixer and micro pelletizing drum.

The sinter raw materials (like coarse as well as fine iron ores,
ultra-fine ores/pellet feed, additives, dusts, solid fuels,
return fines, recycled materials from the steel plant and
others) are continuously fed into a high-speed intensive
mixer where macro- and micro-mixing of the sinter raw mix
takes place. After the intensive mixer, the material is
transported to the micro pelletizing drum where the material
granulation takes place. The mixing devices can be
individually adjusted to changing requirements.

The required amount of process water will be added to mixer
in predetermined ratios by means of spray nozzles, in order
to adjust the optimum moisture/permeability of the feed mix.

According to the plant configuration required, mixing and
micro pelletizing drum can be of continuous or batching
type.

Main benefits: Main benefits: Main benefits: Main benefits:
Excellent homogeneity as a result of turbulent mixing and
improved preparation of the sinter raw mix
Capacity to mix higher ratios of iron ore ultra-fines (pellet
feed) and other ultra-fines materials
Improved sinter quality with reduced standard deviations
(greater homogeneity)
Reduced coke consumption
Pre-blending/blending yards are not needed
Nodulizing phase at the micro pelletizing drum is
possible


Intensive mixer

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Sinter machine Sinter machine Sinter machine Sinter machine

Carousel Carousel Carousel Carousel
The Mini Sinter Plant SKP process is marked by the side by side arrangement of pans on a rotating carousel. On this carousel,
which rotates intermittently, pans are fed and the raw mix is ignited, sintered and discharged into a single system intended for
crushing, cooling and screening product sinter and return fines.

In the first phase of the process the bedding is fed into the pan, covering uniformly the grate bars. In the second step, the raw mix
is also fed uniformly over the bedding, assuring the correct layer thickness and proper leveling. The pan is then positioned under
the ignition chamber, where ignition of the raw mix takes place. During the subsequent step by step rotation of the machine the
sintering process is completed. Finally the pan is tilted and the sinter cake is fed into the crushing station, where it is crushed and
then conveyed to the sinter cooler to be cooled. The cooled sinter is conveyed to the screening station, in order to separate
product sinter, bedding and return fines.

Suction system Suction system Suction system Suction system
The suction system consists of a set of ducts, individually connected to the bottom of each pan, and rotates with the carousel. At
the center there is a collector, connected to a fixed pipe by means of a rotating water seal. From this collector the exhaust gas
passes through the dedusting system, the ID fan and is discharged to the atmosphere. Each individual duct is outfitted with a
control valve, allowing presetting of any desired depression and flow profile. The supervisory station automatically controls all
steps in the Sinter Machine.
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Feeding Feeding Feeding Feeding s ss statio tatio tatio tation nn n
As pans are circular, their feeding is made by two rotating bins, one for bedding and
one for raw mix.

Bedding bin The hearth layer is discharged via a conical finned roller. The rotation of
roller and bin determine the height of hearth layer on the grid.
Raw mix bin The material is discharged by means of a conical finned roller. Raw mix
flow is adjusted by rotation of roller and bin. The design is in accordance with the flow
characteristics of each raw mix in order to control segregation and allow a perfect
leveling of raw mix surface.





Ignition Ignition Ignition Ignition chamber chamber chamber chamber
Ignition chamber operates with intensive top burners for better heat distribution on the
sinter surface: and, due to its special design, it also requires lower fuel consumption
compared to the conventional sinter strand design.

The intensive ignition chamber with state-of-the art top burners features an advanced
flame monitoring and gas control and regulation. This enables steady and constant
ignition with temperatures of approximately 1,200C or above.

The main features are:
Uniform ignition
Highly flexible operation in response to fluctuations in material bed permeability
Possibility of operation with a high rate of excess air
High safety standards


Discharge station Discharge station Discharge station Discharge station
The pan is tilted, once it reaches the discharge station, and discharges the sinter onto a
crash deck, specially designed and equipped with wear resistant material, from where it
slides into a spiked roll crusher whose arms crush it to a maximum size desired, usually
75 mm.

The Discharge Station consists of:
Crushing deck, specially designed and equipped with wear resistant material for
long service life
Spiked roll crusher fitted with crushing arms
Crusher drive with AC motor, safety coupling and special gear box
Hydraulic tilting system


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Sinter Sinter Sinter Sinter c cc cooler ooler ooler ooler and screening station and screening station and screening station and screening station

Sinter cooler Sinter cooler Sinter cooler Sinter cooler
The most common sinter cooling is done at circular coolers. For smaller units, for reasons of cost-effective, cooling of hot sinter is
accomplished either/on a metallic cooling conveyor or in a cooling bin, of special design, by blowing air through the bed of
crushed sinter, in counter-current to be cooled down.

The necessary cooling air is delivered by the blower system connected to the metallic bin.

An alternative for the Cooling Bin is an air cooled Metallic Conveyor, which cools down the crushed sinter while conveying same to
the screening station.

Screening Screening Screening Screening s ss station tation tation tation
After being cooled, the sinter is fed to the crushing and screening station. There the material is downsized to be used in three
different applications: return fines to the sinter process, hearth layer, and product sinter, either for blast furnace burden or for
charging to the submerged arc smelting furnace.

The small particles are recirculated to the sinter process, the mid-size particles are usually used as hearth layer to protect the
grate bars, and the larger-sized particles are transported to the smelting furnace.

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Dedusting system Dedusting system Dedusting system Dedusting system

MINITEC sinter plants are designed to meet the most stringent environmental regulations.

For effective dust collection, bag filters and/or electrostatic precipitators dedust the sinter waste gas. Processes for limiting SOX,
NOX and organic hydrocarbons/VOC emissions are available, as well as more elaborate flue treatment processes whenever
required, while incorporating noise attenuation equipment to meet local regulations.

For dust collecting from material handling system, sinter cooler and screening station, a bag filter or electrostatic precipitator is
installed in order to achieve high dust collection efficiency.



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Electrics and automation for sinter plants Electrics and automation for sinter plants Electrics and automation for sinter plants Electrics and automation for sinter plants

Operation of the sintering plant is remotely controlled and monitored from
a central control room. This concept allows:
A continuous observation and assessment of the process and the
operational status of the main equipment.
A correction or adjustment, if necessary, of the actual conditions to set
point or other required values.
Plant operation with a minimum of personnel.
The automation system is based on micro-processor equipment (PLC).

At the level of process/technological controls, the primary applications are:
Raw material bin filling
Free configurable raw mix proportioning system
Return fines ratio control
Water addition and sinter mix moisture control for constant
permeability
Mix buffer bin level control
Sinter mix charging control for constant and compression free material
charge
Air and gas flow control for ignition burners
Temperature and pressure stabilization for accurate ignition
BTP and sinter machine speed control
Cooler speed control
Control of off-gas system


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Plant design and main figures Plant design and main figures Plant design and main figures Plant design and main figures

The Mini Sinter Plants are designed for continuous product supply, but also aiming the flexibility to cape with fluctuating demands
on production requirements. It is even possible to operate the carousel type MSP for one or two shifts per day only.

The Mini Sinter Plants are available in the following sizes and capacities:

Model Model Model Model
Sintering Area Sintering Area Sintering Area Sintering Area Rated production Rated production Rated production Rated production
(1 (1 (1 (1) )) )

m
2
tpd tpy
SKP 50 7.3 150 50,000
SKP 100 13.5 300 100,000
SKP 150 16.6 450 150,000
SKP 200 22.8 600 200,000
SKP 250 29.1 750 250,000
SKP 300 35.3 900 300,000
SKP 350 41.5 1,060 350,000
(1)
Based on iron ore sinter feed and only for reference. Production depends on raw material characteristics.

Production capacity shown above is based on sintering of iron ore. For other materials, and even for iron ore itself, the production
rate may change due to their specific characteristics.

Carousel dimensions Carousel dimensions Carousel dimensions Carousel dimensions
7.3 to 41.5 m sintering area

Capacity Capacity Capacity Capacity
Product sinter: 50,000 to 350,000 tpy
(1)

Availability: 330 to 345 days/year
Specific production rates up to 45 t/24 h/m

Typical c Typical c Typical c Typical consumption figures (per t of product sinter) onsumption figures (per t of product sinter) onsumption figures (per t of product sinter) onsumption figures (per t of product sinter)
Iron ore fines (- 8mm): 930 kg
Limestone (-3 mm): 100 kg
Coke breeze (-4 mm): 70 90 kg
Flue dust: > 30 kg
Return fines (-6 mm): 420 kg
Gaseous fuel: 40,000 50,000 kcal
Electric energy: 65 kWh
Process water: 0.1 0.5 m

Oper Oper Oper Opera aa ational tional tional tional labor labor labor labor (4 (4 (4 (4- -- -shift basis) shift basis) shift basis) shift basis)
16 men per day

Process parameters Process parameters Process parameters Process parameters
(2 (2 (2 (2) )) )

Basicity (CaO/SiO2): 1.2 2.9
Bed height: 500 630 mm
Suction: 1300 1900 mmWC
Return fines rate: 18 25 %


Product qualities Product qualities Product qualities Product qualities
(2 (2 (2 (2) )) )

Shatter index (+9,52): 7585 % (coke) and 6580 % (charcoal)
RDI (- 2,83 mm): 2830 % (coke) and 3032 % (charcoal)
FeO: 58 % (coke) and 711 % (charcoal)
(2)
All above data are indicative and may change case by case.

Pot tests determine the key ore mix parameters (specific sinter
output as a function of the applied suction and required sinter
quality) for use together with the flux and solid fuel. These
parameters form the basis of sinter plant design. Our pilot
plant tests sinter properties to meet international standards,
such as ISO, ASTM, JIS and DIN.

Implementation schedule Implementation schedule Implementation schedule Implementation schedule
Due to the equipment simplicity of the SKP Sintering Process,
the total implementation time, including engineering and
designing phases, is 18 months.

Our service portfolio includes: Our service portfolio includes: Our service portfolio includes: Our service portfolio includes:
Raw-material and sinter pot tests
Operational consultation and plant assessment (including
startup and shutdown support)
Cost-efficiency measures
Economical and technical feasibility studies
Research and analysis services
Expert training on- and off-site
Utilization of waste materials (residuals)

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Reference list Reference list Reference list Reference list



Customer: MAMOR
Local: Pirapora do Bom Jesus, Brazil
Production: 80,000 tpy
Raw material: Cassiterite
Start up: 1999




Customer: USIMAR
Local: Marab, Brazil
Production: 250,000 tpy
Raw material: Iron ore
Start up: 2006




Customer: VALE MANGANS
Local: Simes Filho, Brazil
Production: 165,000 tpy
Raw material: Manganese ore
Start up: 2007




Customer: SBQ STEELS
Local: Nellore District, India
Production: 250,000 tpy
Raw material: Iron ore
Start up: 2010




Customer: SATKA
Local: Satka, Russia
Production: 165,000 tpy
Raw material: Manganese ore
Start up: 2014

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Partner Partner Partner Partners ss s




Company: STG Group S.p.A.
Headquarter: Italy
Actuation region: Ex-Soviet Union countries e Middle East
Site: www.stggroup.it
E-mail: info@stggroup.it





Company: Ghalsasi Group
Headquarter: India
Actuation region: India
Site: www.ghalsasigroup.com
E-mail: info@ghalsasigroup.com





Company: Tenova Pyromet
Headquarter: South Africa
Actuation region: Sub-Saharan Africa
Site: www.tenovagroup.com
E-mail: pyromet@za.tenovagroup.com

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Headquarters: Headquarters: Headquarters: Headquarters:
MINITEC MINITECNOLOGIAS LTDA
Rua Bananal, 405, 5 Andar, Santo Antnio
Divinpolis, Minas Gerais, Brasil
CEP: 35500-036
Phone: +55 37 3085-7113
E-mail: minitec@minitec.eng.br
www.minitec.eng.br

MINITEC EQUIPAMENTOS SIDERRGICOS LTDA
Rua Minas Gerais, 1.901, Ipiranga
Divinpolis, Minas Gerais, Brasil
CEP: 35502-026


The information provided in this brochure contains merely general descriptions or characteristics of
performance which in actual case of use do not always apply as described or which may change as a
result of further development of the products. An obligation to provide the respective
characteristics shall only exist if expressly agreed in the terms of contract.
All rights reserved. Subject to change without prior notice.
SKP is trademark of MINITEC MINITECNOLOGIAS LTDA.

August, 2013