Low Fuel Rate Operation of a Blast Furnace

Abstract

For further decrease of fuel consumption of a blast furnace, which was considerably closed to a lower limitation under a present operational condition, following two additional studies to traditional improvements have been carried out;
(1) An advanced control technique of burden distribution at a furnace throat to achieve a stable furnace condition and an ideal gas utilization, and
(2) an operational technique to decrease Si-content and temperature of hot metal without any troublesome using high MgO containing sinter.
These technique were applied to Fukuyama No. 3 BF (inner volume : 3 223 m³) in order to approach to the minimum fuel consumption under a practical operational condition. 428.2 kg/t-hot metal of a monthly fuel ratio was recorded in January 1979. Not only the increase of gas utilization but also the decrease of heat output in melting zone contributed to achieve this low fuel ratio.
405 kg/t-hot metal was estimated as a lower limitation of fuel ratio, which might be achieved in near future under a practical operational condition in Nippon Kokan, from the above results.