Modelling of heat and mass transfer mechanisms in the iron ore sintering process

Research output: ThesisMaster's Thesis

Authors

Abstract

The iron ore sintering process is one of the most important pre-treatment steps in integrated steel plants. Research around the world aims at a better understanding of the involved mechanisms in order to produce high quality burden for the steel making process. This work studies key aspects of heat and mass transfer as well as the chemical reactions in the sintering process by setting up numerical case studies with the finite element software COMSOL Multiphysics. The sintering bed is described by a multigeometry approach that involves a separate treatment of the solid and fluid domain and facilitates exchange between the two domains through coupling of the temperatures and chemical species concentrations. The heterogeneous reactions have been modelled as surface reactions at the gas/solid interface. The resulting temperature and concentration profiles have been discussed extensively regarding the applicability of the software and the employed methods respectively. The case studies calculated the heat transfer between the gas and solid phase and showed the travelling of the heat front in the sintering bed. In another model the gas phase reactions and their reaction rates were implemented resulting in the concentration profiles of the chemical species in the bed. The heterogenous surface reaction was coupled with the heat and mass transfer in the bed. The integration of submodels involved in an overall description of the iron ore sintering process still need to be further developed in order to create a comprehensive process model.

Details

Translated title of the contributionModellierung der Grundmechanismen von Wärme- und Stofftransport im Sinterprozess
Original languageEnglish
QualificationDipl.-Ing.
Awarding Institution
Supervisors/Advisors
Award date19 Dec 2014
Publication statusPublished - 2014