The Iron Blast Furnace

The Iron Blast Furnace: Theory and Practice presents theoretical, experimental, and operational evidence about the iron blast furnace as well as a mathematical description of its operation. This book includes a set of equations that accurately describe stoichiometric and enthalpy balances for the process and which are consistent with observed temperatures and compositions in the furnace stack. These equations, which have been devised on the basis of the Rist approach, show the effects of altering any blast-furnace variable on the other operating requirements of the process. This monograph is comprised of 14 chapters and begins with a brief description of the blast-furnace process. The next chapter takes a look inside the furnace, paying particular attention to its behavior in front of the tuyères and the kinetics of the coke gasification reaction. The reader is then introduced to the thermodynamics and stoichiometry of the blast-furnace process; enthalpy balance for the bottom segment of the furnace; the effects of tuyères injectants on blast-furnace operations; and blast-furnace optimization by linear programming. A number of important variables covered by the equations are discussed, including hydrocarbon injection at the tuyères, oxygen enrichment of the blast, moisture, limestone decomposition, coke reactivity, and metalloid reduction. The effects of many of these variables are illustrated numerically in the text while others are demonstrated in sets of problems that follow each chapter. This text will be a valuable resource for metallurgists and materials scientists.

As ironmakers are well aware, it was only a few decades ago that the blast furnace was viewed as a strange 'black box'. Recently, however, various in-furnace phenomena have become the subject of serious scientific study, largely as the result of the 'dissection' of dead furnaces, together with the development of advanced monitoring and control techniques. In this way, a new frontier has been opened within the venerable domain of metallurgy. In the light of these new developments, the Committee on Reaction within Blast Furnaces was set up in March 1977 by the Joint Society ofIron and Steel Basic Research - a cooperative research organization of the Iron and Steel Institute of Japan (ISIJ), the Japan Institute of Metals (JIM) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Consisting of twenty-six members and advisors drawn from the fields of academia and industry, this committee collected, discussed, and evaluated numerous papers during its five year commission. Particular attention was paid to the interpretation of findings drawn from the autopsy of dead furnaces, in the context of the live furnace state, and the correlation of data regarding cohesive zone configuration, level, and furnace performance. The results of this intense research activity are presented here in the hope that they will serve not only as a source of enrichment to the professional knowledge of researchers and operators, but also as textual material for graduate students in the field of metallurgy.

"This publication was and can be used as an introductory text for students of metallurgy as well as for blast furnace operators and management. The latter will benefit to solve operational problems and process optimization issues." --Book Jacket.

Blast Furnace Ironmaking: Analysis, Control, and Optimization uses a fundamental first principles approach to prepare a blast furnace mass and energy balance in ExcelTM. Robust descriptions of the main equipment and systems, process technologies, and best practices used in a modern blast furnace plant are detailed. Optimization tools are provided to help the reader find the best blast furnace fuel mix and related costs, maximize output, or evaluate other operational strategies using the ExcelTM model that the reader will develop. The first principles blast furnace ExcelTM model allows for more comprehensive process assessments than the 'rules of thumb' currently used by the industry. This book is suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate science and engineering students in the fields of chemical, mechanical, metallurgical and materials engineering. Additionally, steel company engineers, process technologists, and management will find this book useful with its fundamental approach, best practices description, and perspective on the future. Provides sample problems, answers and assignments for each chapter Explores how to optimize the blast furnace operation while maintaining required temperatures and gas flowrates Describes all major blast furnace equipment and best practices Features blast furnace operating data from five continents

Modern Blast Furnace Ironmaking – An Introduction (Fourth Edition, 2020) describes the principles of the blast furnace process. As a starting point, the blast furnace is seen as a simple iron ore melter, while gradually the physical, chemical and metallurgical background of the blast furnace process is clarified. The book focuses on the control of the process with respect to thermal control, gas flow control and casthouse operation. In this book, all essential process details are described and a special focus is on cost optimization by low coke rates and on management of the process in case of disturbances and upsets. The optimization of the blast furnace is not only based on “best practice transfer”, but also requires conceptual understanding 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 as well on know–why. This publication can be used as an introductory text for students of metallurgy as well as for blast furnace operators and management.

This book describes the blast furnace process for operators. As a starting point, the blast furnace is seen as a simple iron ore melter, while gradually the physical, chemical and metallurgical background is clarified. Operational observations, challenges and remedies are explained from this perspective. Optimization of the blast furnace process is not only based on “best practice transfer”, but also requires conceptual understanding of what works when. In other words: operational improvement is not only based on know–how, but on know–why as well. With Modern Blast Furnace Ironmaking – An Introduction (Third Edition, 2015) the reader has a compact compendium of the blast furnace process available: by operators and for operators and for those who are preparing to become operators.