Abstract

In order to reduce the heat loading in the Tilden Mine kilns caused
by burning coal, which in turn resulted in rapid and significant build-up
on the kiln lining, internal carbon was added to the green ball prior to
balling. Intensive laboratory testing led to three short-term full-scale
plant tests that were successfully conducted. Appropriate
environmental permits were obtained to allow Tilden to use internal
carbon on a continuous basis. Findings concerning carbon addition
rates, reductions in coal use, build-up reductions, fired pellet quality,
and environmental issues will be discussed.
Introduction
This paper discusses the successful use of internal fuel (coke
breeze) during the production of hematite fluxed pellets on the two
grate-kiln systems at the Tilden Mine. It is believed by the authors
that this is the first time that internal fuel has been used successfully
on grate-kiln systems in North America.
Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc is the largest supplier of iron ore products to
the North American steel industry. Subsidiaries of the company
manage and hold equity interest in five iron ore mines in North
America. These are the Empire and Tilden Mines in Michigan, the
Northshore and Hibbing Taconite (Hibtac) mines in Minnesota, and
the Wabush Mine in Labrador and Quebec, Canada.
The Companys wholly owned subsidiary, Cliffs Mining Services
Company (CMSC), operates a Research Laboratory in Ishpeming,
Michigan. It also manages Engineering Services in Ishpeming. Both
Engineering Services and the Research Laboratory service all five
mines
Reason for Internal Carbon Study
Kiln ringing and build-up is a very significant and expensive
problem at Tilden when producing hematite fluxed pellets with 100%
coal firing. Straight grate indurating systems processing hematite
have used internal fuel to improve pellet quality, provide intimate heat
input and reduce heat consumption. Internal fuel additions generally
have approximated the quantity of heat evolved if the concentrate was
magnetite. It was theorized that if an internal fuel could replace the
heat provided by magnetite oxidation, the amount of heat required to
be supplied by the kiln burner would be significantly reduced. Tilden
experiences significantly less kiln build-up when processing
magnetite concentrate. To evaluate this concept, a series of pot
grate-batch kiln tests were conducted with Tilden hematite fluxed
concentrate with and without internal coke breeze addition. The pot
grate-batch kiln tests were successful, which led to a successful three
day plant test on Units 1 and 2 at Tilden.
Pot Grate Kiln Test Summary
Pot grate-batch kiln tests were conducted at Cliffs Technology
Center without internal fuel and at 0.5 and 1.0% addition levels. For
most of the tests the coke breeze was added to concentrate slurry and
pressure filtered before bench balling. Two of the tests had the coke
breeze added dry and mixed with the bentonite before bench balling.
The 1% internal coke breeze addition improved green ball,
preheat pellet, and fired pellet physical quality, except for fired pellet
compression strength, which was reduced slightly. It also, improved
pellet LTB and maintained reducibility. The total time required in
preheat was reduced by 0.44 minutes, which indicates that Tilden
may also get a slight production increase with internal coke breeze.
Bench balling with coke breeze was visually much easier and created
very little seed material compared to baseline balling. This was the
case with either slurry or dry addition. With hematite fluxed pellets a
1% internal fuel addition rate could reduce coal burning in the kiln by
around 35% or 7 ST per hour. Because of the success of the pot
grate kiln test program, Tilden ran a four-day plant test on both units
starting on October 1, 2001.
Plant Test Summary
On day shift on Monday, October 1, Tilden began introducing
coke breeze into the plant. The coke breeze was ground in the 1B
1 Copyright 2003 by SME
2003 SME Annual Meeting
Feb. 24-26, Cincinnati, Ohio
Preprint 03-078
INTERNAL CARBON ADDITION DURING HEMATITE FLUXED PELLET PRODUCTION AT THE TILDEN MINE
M. J. Hanninen
T. E. Seppanen
C. R. Sundberg
Cliffs Mining Svcs Co.
Ishpeming, MI
P. J. Suardini
Tilden Mining Co. L. C.
Ishpeming, MI
pebble mill with the fluxstone, and added to the concentrate slurry
tanks prior to filtering as part of flux addition. During the test, which
lasted into afternoon shift on Thursday, October 4, Unit 1 burned
100% natural gas while Unit 2 burned 100% eastern coal.
Summarized below are the findings of this short plant test.
Feed rates on both units were not affected with coke breeze
addition.
Both units had slightly decreased fired pellet Q Index,
compression and LTD. Pellet reducibility increased while porosity
remained constant.
Both units experienced slightly increased bed pressures, which
caused the process fan dampers to open up more. System
temperatures remained constant throughout the test.
Green ball physical quality was equal on both units with and
without internal coke breeze. On Unit 1 green ball sizing was equal,
while on Unit 2 more 1/2 balls were produced.
Over 30% of the heat required to indurate the pellets was
replaced with internal coke breeze on both units. As the test
progressed total heat consumption was reduced significantly (50-
100,000 Btu/LTP) on both units at a 0.38% coke breeze addition rate.
The test was not run long enough to determine if kiln build-up was
reduced.
During the test waste gas stack NOx and CO emissions were
measured on both units with and without internal coke breeze
addition. Results showed a 38% reduction in NOx emissions on Unit
1 with natural gas firing. On Unit 2 with coal firing a 13% reduction in
NOx emissions was measured. Both units saw around a 600%
increase in CO emissions because of the coke breeze burning in the
bed. Plant CO levels were also measured and were none detectable
with and without internal coke breeze.
Because of the success of this short plant test Tilden decided to
run a longer 9-10 day test starting in early November 2001. During
this test both units were burning 100% eastern coal. Plant operating
conditions and fired pellet quality mirrored the results of the first plant
test. During this longer test, Tilden noticed a definite reduction in kiln
build-up on both units with 100% coal firing.
Long Term Internal Fuel Testing
The air permit allowing Tilden to use internal coke breeze at a
maximum rate of 5 LTPH per kiln on a continual basis was received
from the Michigan DEQ in late June 2002. Testing on both units
commenced in mid-July. The present plan is to add coke breeze only
during the hematite runs (March through December each year).
Eastern coal and coke breeze are much cheaper than natural
gas. Thus far, in addition to some fuel cost savings, the other
advantages of using internal fuel include:
Measured reductions in the rate of kiln build-up (as expected).
Considerable reduction in the nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions
when burning either gas or coal.
However, the use of internal fuel does have a number of possible
issues associated with its use, which include:
Slightly reduced pellet strength.
Increased carbon monoxide (CO) emissions.
Hotter conditions on both the grate and cooler, which may
reduce grate casting/chain life and increases the risk of fusing pellets
in the cooler.
Tilden continues to test various combinations of the three fuels
(gas/coal/breeze), and is learning to alter their operating procedures,
to maximize the advantages and mitigate the disadvantages/risks of
internal fuel addition. For example, Tilden recently fused the Unit 2
cooler causing considerable downtime and cost, and coke breeze
contributed to the magnitude of the problem and extent of the
damage.
By contrast, the most promising results of coke breeze is
apparent when you look at the amount of time Tilden can run the units
between scheduled flame-off shutdowns to remove the kiln build-up.
Prior to internal fuel, when burning coal Tilden was averaging only 14-
21 days of flame-on operation (dependent on kiln spray and trim gas
amounts). Since introducing the coke breeze, at a rate of 2-3 LTPH
per unit (10-15% of the required fuel), Tilden has achieved between
30-40 days of flame-on operation, and has also been able to turn off
the expensive kiln chemical spray. Future testing will involve doubling
the amount of trim gas from 12% to 24% of the required kiln fuel.
This will determine how many more days of run time that the units will
achieve before being shutdown for the removal of kiln build-up.
In summary, the internal coke breeze is not a magic solution.
However, it does represent another valuable option in Tildens
strategic fuel decisions. The challenge is to find the lowest cost fuel
combination that protects the kiln and cooler refractory and
associated steel; thereby allowing the Tilden pellet plant to achieve
the high pellet unit availability required to make 8.0 MLT of pellets per
year.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Research technicians that
conducted the laboratory testwork. We would also like to thank Tilden
management and union personnel, who made the plant tests possible
and successful.
References
1. The Iron Ore Company of Canadas Carol Mine
Reference: CIM Bulletin, June 1991, Volume 84, No. 950 (Pellet
Production Carol pellet quality a decade in review) by S. T.
Vessey, J. Staples, D. Pearcey and V. Hedge
2. Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) Mine in the Tubarao
area in Brazi
Reference: 25 Years Of Pelletizing At CVRD by L. A. Bandeira de
Mello, J. M. Cunha, A.L. Piccolo and M. S. Klein
3. The Sidbec-Normines Pelletizing Plant at Port-Cartier, Quebec
Reference: CIM Bulletin, August 1983 (Coke Breeze Addition To Fire
Lake Pellets In Regular Operation) By C. Desmeules, Superindent
Production, Sidbes-Normines Inc.
4. Ferteco Mineracao S.A., Brazil
Reference: World Iron Ore Conference, Nov 1-4, 1998 (Fertecos
Pellet Plant, 20 Years Of Successful Operation) by Hans Heep,
Industrial Director Ferteco Mineracao S.A., Brazil
5. Wabush Mines Pointe Noire Pellet Plant in Sept Isles, Quebec,
Canada
Reference: Wabush Mines Report W-47 dated March 9, 1978
(Pelletizing With Coke Breeze As An Internal Fuel Supplement( by C.
Desmeules, E. Maes and M. Breech Jones
2 Copyright 2003 by SME
2003 SME Annual Meeting
Feb. 24-26, Cincinnati, Ohio