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Dripart 1

Direct reduced iron (DRI) is increasingly being used as a substitute for scrap in electric arc furnaces (EAFs). DRI comes in various forms including pellets, briquettes, lumps, and fines. Proper storage and handling of DRI is important to prevent reoxidation which can negatively impact melting. DRI should be kept dry in storage with a low surface area to prevent metallization loss. The chemical composition of DRI determines melting parameters and steel quality.

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83 views

Dripart 1

Direct reduced iron (DRI) is increasingly being used as a substitute for scrap in electric arc furnaces (EAFs). DRI comes in various forms including pellets, briquettes, lumps, and fines. Proper storage and handling of DRI is important to prevent reoxidation which can negatively impact melting. DRI should be kept dry in storage with a low surface area to prevent metallization loss. The chemical composition of DRI determines melting parameters and steel quality.

Uploaded by

Abhinandan Chatterjee
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Use of DRI in EAFs

Gregory L. Dressel
Dressel Technologies
Pawleys Island, SC, USA
Part I: Qualities and Storage of Direct Reduced Iron
Introduction
Most EAF based melt shops have been designed for 100 %
scrap based melting. In the near future, the use of Direct
Reduced Iron (DRI) is expected to grow as a scrap
substitute. Evaluating, handling and melting DRI requires
a different operating philosophy as opposed to 100 % scrap
based melting.
Scrap density in many parts of the world ranges from
0.20 to 0.50 t/m3*. In many new installations this leads to
4 or 5-bucket scrap charges to an EAF. Use of purchased
continuously fed DRI eliminates the multiple charges and
reduces tap to tap times. Many low residual products
require the use of a scrap substitute such as DRI.
DRI should not be considered a direct substitute for
scrap. But by applying a little bit of knowledge, the
proper use of DRI can be defined for any plant. Often this
knowledge can be the difference between a profit and a
loss. This series will present a practical approach to the
use of DRI in electric arc furnaces.
DRI Quality
DRI can be produced as pellets, briquettes, lumps and
fines. Most commercially supplied DRI is sold as pellets
or briquettes. Some fines or lump material may be mixed in
with the pellets or briquettes. The color can range from
gray to almost black. DRI that has been stored in the open
will develop a rusty surface.
Commonly the term DRI is used to refer to pellets
while HBI (Hot Briquetted Iron) refers to the briquette
form. Fines less than 4-mm size usually are produced during
the production of pellets and briquettes. The fines can be
*

Note:

All tons are metric

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screened out of the product for cold pressing, direct


injection into an EAF or sale to a secondary user such as a
concrete plant.
Cold Briquetted Iron is made from reduced iron fines
combined with a small amount of lime and sodium silicate
which is then cold pressed into a briquette.
DRI and HBI sizes and density depend on the supplier
and amount of handling. Table 1 illustrates the range of
physical properties.
Table 1: Sizes and Densities of DRI and HBI
Size (mm)
Apparent
Density(gm/cm3)
DRI Pellets
4 to 18
3.4 to 3.6
HBI
Less than 100
5.0 to 5.5
by 50 by 25 mm

Bulk Density
(gm/cm3)
1.6 to 1.9
3.4 to 3.8

A low apparent density will lead to poor yields,


increased slag FeO content and higher energy consumption.
For effective melting, the pellets or briquettes must
penetrate the slag layer.
Non-foaming EAF slag density ranges from 2.6 to 3.5
tons/m3 depending on FeO content and other compositional
factors. If the apparent density of the DRI or HBI is less
than the slag density, it will float on top of the slag.
Gravity fed fines may be sucked directly into the baghouse.
Storage costs and charging times can be influenced by
bulk density. The higher the bulk density the less the
charging time and storage area required.
The chemical composition of the DRI or HBI determines
such important factors as yield, slag weight, energy
consumption, carbon and raw material feeding rates, and
oxygen usage.
DRI pellets and to a much lesser extent HBI are
subject to oxidation.
By knowing the approximate chemical composition of the
DRI or HBI at the time of use, the steelmaker can fine-tune
the melting process. Table II illustrates typical
compositions of DRI and HBI at the time of production.

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Table II: DRI and HBI Compositions1,


Fe Total
Fe Metallic
Metallization
Carbon
P
S
SiO2
Al2O3
CaO
MgO
Residuals

DRI and HBI


89.2 to 94 %
79 to 89 %
83 to 95 %
0.30 to 4.0 %
0.005 to 0.09 %
0.001 to 0.03 %
1 to 5 %
0.5 to 3 %
0.1 to 2.0 %
0.1 to 1.0 %
Trace

Metallization is usually expressed as a percentage: Fe


Metallic/Fe Total x 100. For example, a DRI pellet that
has 86 % Fe Metallic and 92 % Fe Total would have 93 %
Metallization.
Although a steelmaker may know the metallization it is
still very important to know the percentage of FeO
contained in the DRI or HBI. This is calculated by the
following formula: (Fe Total Fe Metallic) x 72/56 = FeO.
Furthermore, one can calculate the amount of oxygen in the
iron: FeO x 16/72 = O wt percent.
Carbon is contained in the DRI or HBI. If carbon is
maintained at a 0.75 ratio to the oxygen in the FeO, the
carbon will form CO in a stoichiometric balance.
Equivalent carbon content is the percentage difference
between carbon contained in the DRI and the carbon needed
to reduce the oxygen in the FeO. If it is negative, then
the steelmaker must add carbon to the bath to reduce the
FeO in the DRI. If it is positive, then the steelmaker may
need to blow oxygen to remove the excess carbon from the
steel bath.
Generally, a positive equivalent carbon leads to a
reduction in electrical energy consumption with the blowing
of oxygen while a negative equivalent carbon can cause bath
decarburization. In most plants where bulk oxygen is
available, a positive equivalent carbon is desired.
The carbon content of the DRI or HBI is dependent on
the suppliers process parameters. The FeO content is
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likewise affected by the suppliers process parameters but


shipping, storage techniques and shelf time can also affect
the value.
Adjustment of the DRI or HBI manufacturing process
will affect costs and productivity so the supplier and
customer must come to both a technical and economic
agreement regarding the carbon and FeO or metallization
content of the pellets or briquettes.
Steelmaker with DRI or HBI in raw material inventory
should check chemistry when the material is received and
thereafter on a monthly basis. Gangue content must be
measured and reported since this affects slag composition
and energy consumption. Even though the total iron, carbon
and gangue quantities will not change, the material can
continue to oxidize during storage.
Storage of DRI
DRI as it is produced is very reactive to free water
and oxygen. Pellets and briquettes are always passivated
and cooled before being shipped on the seas, rails or
highways.
DRI pellets can be subject to a high degree of
reoxidation. Self-ignition can occur if there is a natural
air draft through the pile, the pellets buried inside are
wet and the volume of material is large enough to insulate
against heat losses.
Fires result when dry DRI pellets are placed
wet material. The best way to stop a DRI fire is
out the hot material with a bulldozer to a height
meter. A second method is to bury the pile under
slag.

on top of
to spread
of
sand or

In the situation of a fire inside a storage silo, the


pile of DRI can be flooded with extremely large amounts of
water.3 If the water is not sufficient to flood the burning
pile of DRI, hydrogen gas will evolve; therefore, all
unnecessary personnel should be evacuated from the area
surrounding the fire.

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HBI has a much more dense structure and lower surface


area to volume ratio as compared to pellets. HBI on the
surface of a storage pile will have a 70 % lower
metallization loss as compared to DRI pellets over the same
time period.4 At 0.6 m below the surface, the metallization
loss for either DRI or HBI becomes negligible.
Upon receipt at the steelmaking plant, the DRI or HBI
should be kept dry. This can be as simple as spreading a
tarp on top of the material or as complex as building a
storage silo connected to a continuous feeding conveyor.
The storage pile should minimize the surface area to
volume ratio. While the HBI is substantially less reactive
than DRI pellets it should still be kept dry since it can
contains lump or fines which will oxidize.
The storage area should have a level bottom with good
drainage. Due to the possibility of oxygen depletion in
confined spaces, personnel should always check the
atmosphere before entering a storage silo containing DRI or
HBI. Minimal handling should be done to prevent the
production of more fines.
References:
1.
2.

3.
4.

Typical Applications of Midrex Iron, Midrex


Corporation Advertisement, 1993.
R.D. Morales, et. al.,The Slag Foaming Practice in
EAF and Its Influence on the Steelmaking Shop
Productivity, ISIJ International, Vol. 35 (1995) No.
9, pg. 1057.
Robert L. Hunter, Handling and Shipping of DRI/HBI,
http://www.midrex.com/shiphand.htm,1997.
Stevenson and Smailer, ed., Direct Reduced Iron, Iron
and Steel Society, 1980, pg. 101.

Biographical Information
Gregory L. Dressel, P.Engr. is a metallurgist working in
private practice. Mr. Dressel provides consulting services
to suppliers and steelmakers in starting up new equipment
or improving existing operations. He consults on raw
material selection, operator training, melting practices,
ladle refining, continuous casting and quality engineering.
He can be contacted by E-Mail: [email protected]
or phone and fax at +1 843 237-8337.
[email protected]

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