Modern

Blast Furnace
Ironmaking
an introduction
 Maarten Geerdes
Rénard Chaigneau
Ivan Kurunov
Oscar Lingiardi
John Ricketts

Modern
Blast Furnace
Ironmaking
an introduction

Third Edition, 2015

© 2015 The authors and IOS Press. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978–1–61499–498–5 (print)

ISBN 978–1–61499–499–2 (online)
DOI 10.3233/978–1–61499–499–2–i

Published by IOS Press under the imprint Delft University Press

Publisher
IOS Press BV
Nieuwe Hemweg 6b
1013 BG Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel: +31–20–688 3355
fax: +31–20–687 0019
email: info@iospress.nl
www.iospress.nl

LEGAL NOTICE
The publisher is not responsible for the use which might be made of the following information.

PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS

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Preface
The third edition of “Modern Blast Furnace Ironmaking” was prepared by
an international staff of experts in blast furnace ironmaking. We gratefully
acknowledge the contributions of Mr. Cor van der Vliet and Mr. Hisko
Toxopeus, who co–authored the first two editions of the book and agreed to
hand over future editions of the book to a next generation. Hisko Toxopeus
asked to see the revised edition, but he passed away before publication.

The objective of the book is to share our insights that optimization of the
blast furnace is not only based on “best practice transfer”, but also requires
conceptual understanding of why a measure works in some cases and not in
other cases. In other words, operational improvement is not only based on
know–how, but also on know–why.

Compared to the second edition we have included gas injection as well as coal–
gas co–injection, expert systems, more elaborate descriptions of alkali cycles,
the deadman and operational challenges.

We are indebted to many colleagues we have worked with. We are grateful to

Jennifer Wise–Alexander and Tim Vander, who find the major part of their
contributions to the second edition in chapters 10 and 4 respectively. Jim Plooij
shared with us his insights and benchmarking data. Edo Engel did the editing
and developed the colorful and insight–giving illustrations.

We learn by sharing our knowledge. We wish the same to our readers.

Maarten Geerdes, Rénard Chaigneau, Ivan Kurunov,

Oscar Lingiardi and John Ricketts
February 2015
 vii

Contents
Preface v
Contents vi
List of Symbols and Abbreviations x

Chapter I Introduction of the Blast Furnace Process 1

1.1 Global steel consumption 1
1.2 Short description of the process 2
1.3 The layer structure within a furnace 5
1.4 The equipment 7
1.5 Book overview 12

Chapter II The Blast Furnace: Contents and Gas Flow 15

2.1 The generation of gas and gas flow through the burden 15
2.2 Furnace efficiency 20
2.3 Removal of liquids 20
2.4 An example of gas flow and contents of a blast furnace 21

Chapter III The Ferrous Burden: Sinter, Pellets, Lump Ore 25

3.1 Introduction 25
3.2 Iron ore 26
3.3 Quality demands for the blast furnace burden 28
3.4 Sinter 32
3.5 Pellets 35
3.6 Lump ore 39
3.7 Metallics charge and briquettes 39
3.8 Interaction of burden components 41
3.9 Chemical control of the burden 41

Chapter IV Coke 43
4.1 Introduction: function of coke in the blast furnace 43
4.2 Coal blends for cokemaking 45
4.3 Coke quality concept 46
4.4 Coke size distribution 50
4.5 Strength of coke 51
4.6 Coke deadman 54
4.7 Overview of international quality parameters 57
viii

Chapter V Injection of Coal, Oil and Gas 59

5.1 Properties of coal, oil and gas 59
5.2 Coal injection 62
5.3 Natural gas injection 70
5.4 Coal–gas co–injection 73
5.5 Complete combustion of injectants 75

Chapter VI Burden Calculation and Mass Balances 77

6.1 Introduction 77
6.2 Burden calculation: starting points 77
6.3 An example of a burden calculation 78
6.4 Process calculations: a simplified mass balance 79
6.5 Estimation of direct reduction 83

Chapter VII The Process: Burden Descent and Gas Flow Control 85
7.1 Burden descent: where is voidage created? 85
7.2 Burden descent: system of vertical forces 87
7.3 Gas flow in the blast furnace 89
7.4 Fluidization and channelling 96
7.5 Burden distribution 96
7.6 Coke layer 101
7.7 Ore layer thickness 103
7.8 Blast furnace instrumentation 106
7.9 Blast furnace daily operational control 106

Chapter VIII Blast Furnace Productivity and Efficiency 109

8.1 Productivity 110
8.2 Efficiency 111
8.3 Following the gas in the furnace 113

Chapter IX Hot Metal and Slag 127

9.1 Formation of hot metal and slag 127
9.2 Hot metal as cast from the furnace 132
9.3 Hot metal and the steel plant 137
9.4 Slag 138

Chapter X Casthouse Operation 145

10.1 Objectives 145
10.2 Liquid iron and slag in the hearth 145
10.3 Removal of liquids through the taphole 147
10.4 Typical casting regimes 148
10.5 Taphole drill and clay gun 150
10.6 Hearth liquid level 151
10.7 Delayed casting 153
10.8 No slag casting 154
10.9 One–side casting 156
10.10 Not dry casts 157
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10.11 Defining a dry hearth 159

10.12 Oxygen lancing 160
10.13 Cast data recording 160

Chapter XI Operational Practices and Challenges 161

11.1 The burden 161
11.2 Burden descent 166
11.3 Recirculation of alkali and zinc 169
11.4 Circumferential symmetry 172
11.5 Tuyeres 176
11.6 Stops and starts 180
11.7 Casthouse challenges 187
11.8 Greenhouse gas emissions 189

Annex I Glossary 191

Annex II Further reading 193
Annex III Starting point for calculation examples 194
Annex IV Rules of thumb 195
Annex V Coal types used for coke making 196
Annex VI Coke quality tests 198
Annex VII Expert systems and models 202
Annex VIII Rist diagram 208
Annex IX References 213

Index 215
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List of Symbols and Abbreviations

B2, B3, B4 basicity, ratio of two, three or four components
CRI coke reactivity index
CSR coke strength after reaction
daN Decanewton (approximately 1.02 kgf)
HGI hard grove index
HMS harmonic mean size
HOSIM hoogovens simulatie (blast furnace simulation)
HV high volatile
ISO International Organisation for Standardization
JIS Japanese Industrial Standard
LV low volatile
PCI pulverized coal injection
RAFT raceway adiabatic flame temperature
RR replacement ratio
Standard Coke coke with 87.5 % carbon
STP standard temperature and pressure
tHM tonne hot metal
VDEh Verein Deutscher Eisenhüttenleute
VM volatile matter