Smelting of iron ore with raw lumpy non-coking coals

Abstract

The low-shaft pilot plant was installed primarily to conduct investigations on the production of pig iron with non-coking coals and inferior grade of raw materials. The utilisation of non-coking coals in briquettes composed of iron ore, limestone and non-coking coal fines has been shown as technically impracticable and economically unattractive. Attempts were made to utilise raw lumpy non-coking coals in bedded form of burden. The smelting difficulties increased progressively with the substitution of sub-size coke with non-coking coal. A few non-coking coals of poor coking index can be used exclusively. The fuel rate was higher than with sub-size coke or low temperature carbonized coke. The irregular burden descent affecting uniformity of chemical analyses of pig iron, generation of large amount of dust and the necessity of constant vigilance over the smelting will preclude the commercial utilisation of raw non-coking coals directly for iron-making. (Dr. A.B. Chatterjea, Deputy Director, Sarvashri J. Goswami, S.K. Biswas, R. Santokh Singh, J.S. Padan and S.R. Ghosh, Scientists, National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur)