LOW MOISTURE SINTERING OPERATION SYSTEM AND A METHOD
THEREFOR
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to low moisture sintering operation technology which
reduces water consumption in preparation of sinter. More particularly, the present
invention is directed to a sintering operation with incorporating magnetic water
conditioner thereby reducing the moisture consumption in the mixing and balling
drum of the sinter machine.
BACKGROUND ART
Sinter (Agglomerate) is a feed material to blast furnace in the Steel Industry. In the
sinter plant agglomeration of iron ore fines into lumpy porous mass occurs by
incipient fusion i.e. sintering. In a sinter plant prepared burden i.e. proportionate
mixture of iron ore fines, flux fines, lime fines, coke breeze after balling in a balling
drum is charged in the intermediate bunker and then the charge feeds to the sinter
machine through drum feeder.
In such a conventional sinter machine, water is added in the balling drum for getting
balling of sinter mix in the balling drum for maintaining permeability in the sinter
machine. The optimum addition of Moisture in sinter mix is an important factor in
sintering operation. Water plays a vital role in two ways. It improves not only balling
phenomena but also heat transfer during sintering operation. As modern plants do
operate at high bed height, the intensity of water re-condensation in the lower
horizontals of bed correspondingly increases with loss of permeability of lower
layers of sinter bed. The key operation strategy is to minimize the water load in a
sinter bed to derive a number of technological benefits such as coke rate saving,
improvement in bulk density of sinter mix along with bed permeability.
Therefore there has been a need in the art to developing a low moisture sintering
operation which can decrease the moisture addition in the balling drum so that it

improves the bulk density of sinter mix along with sinter bed permeability and
suppress the re-condensation of moisture in the lower part of the sinter bed so that
good quality of sinter can be obtained.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Therefore the premier object of the present invention is directed to the development
of the low moisture sintering operation system directed to suppressing the re-
condensation of moisture in the lower part of the sinter bed and also to devise a
method for ensuring an uniform sinter bed permeability, increasing the speed of the
sinter machine and further to improve the overall productivity of sinter plant.
A further object of the present invention is to develop a low moisture sintering
operation system located at the closest distance before balling drum ensuring
reduction in loss of magnetic field to water supplied in the balling drum.
A still further object of the present invention is to develop a low moisture sintering
operation system to ensure uniform dispersion of water in the balling drum so that
the binding among particles is improved which further increases the higher bulk
density of the sinter mix in the sinter machine.
A still further object of the present invention is directed to develop a low moisture
sintering operation system adapted to ensure lesser water consumption for
achieving higher balling index in the balling drum.
A still further object of the present invention is directed to develop a low moisture
sintering operation system wherein the said system is simple, less expensive,
reliable and adapted for reducing the fuel consumption of the sinter machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The basic object of the present invention is thus directed to low moisture sintering
operation system comprising a feeder for feeding the sinter mix with desired
moisture content to the balling drum of the sinter machine, a magnetic conditioner
for polarizing the continuous flow of water through it; wherein the said balling drum

feeded with the polarized water for reducing the surface tension of water to ensure
uniform dispersion of water in the balling drum so that the binding among particles
will improve which further increases the higher bulk density of the sinter mix in the
sinter machine.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a low moisture sintering
operation system wherein the moisture in sinter mix inside the balling drum is
controlled vide a plurality of water carrying pipe lines connected with a magnetic
water conditioner before the balling drum. Further the supply of magnetically treated
water is fitted through flange in the main water pipeline before the balling drum.
A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a low moisture sintering
operation system in the balling drum of sinter machine, wherein water is taken
through magnetic water conditioner and supplied to the balling drum and the
magnetic water conditioner is joined in the middle of the water pipeline with a flange
in both side so that it can be easily replaceable in case of damaging.
A still further aspect of the present invention is to provide low moisture sintering
operation system, comprising shuttle conveyer for drawing the sinter mix from the
balling drum and feeding it into the intermediate bunker of the sinter machine.
A still further aspect of the present invention is to provide a low moisture sintering
operation system, wherein the said magnetic water conditioner is located at the
closest distance from the balling drum ensuring reduction in loss of magnetic filed to
water supplied at balling drum.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method
for low moisture sintering using said low moisture sintering operation system
comprising the steps of:
providing raw materials for preparing sinter mix comprising iron ore fines, flux fines,
coke breeze fines, return fines and the like, proportioned and mixed in a mixing
drum;

providing said sinter mix in a balling drum and then balled by adding moisture in the
balling drum; and drawing water through the magnetic water conditioner and
supplying the water into the balling drum through the spraying nozzles disposed in
rows inside the balling drum for desired moisture addition into sinter mix for balling
of sinter mix.
As per still further aspect of the present invention the said low moisture sintering
system suppresses the re-condensation of moisture in the lower part of the sinter
bed ensuring uniform sinter bed permeability resulting increase in speed of the
sinter machine so as to providing high quality sinter.
As per still further aspect of the present invention magnetic conditioner reduces the
surface tension of water from 72 to 65 dynes/cm2.
As per still further aspect of the present invention the disclose low moisture
sintering system consumes lesser water for achieving higher balling index of sinter
mix in the balling drum.
The present invention and its objects and advantages are described in greater
details with reference to the following accompanying non limiting drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
Figure 1 illustrates the schematic diagram of the low moisture sintering system in
accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 illustrates the block diagram of the method of working of the low moisture
sintering system in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 illustrates the magnetic field lines of the water molecules in polarization in
accordance with the present invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to low moisture sintering in the balling drum of sinter
machine which minimize the water load in a sinter bed to derive a number of
technological benefits such as coke rate saving, improvement in bulk density of
sinter mix along with bed permeability to thereby suppressing re-condensation of
moisture in the lower part of the sinter bed.
Reference is invited to the accompanying Figure 1 that schematically illustrates
cross sectional view of the balling drum along with magnetic conditioner before the
balling drum showing disposition of different components, water line inside the
balling drum for balling of sinter mix. The position of the balling drum is kept before
the magnetic water conditioner with provision for desired water into the sinter mix
filled inside the balling drum.
The raw materials used for the sinter mix such as the iron ore fines, flux fines, coke
breeze fines, return fines etc. are proportioned and mixed in mixing drum and then
balled in a balling drum by adding moisture. This mix is then provided in the sinter
machine.
The prepared burden of sinter mix is stored in an intermediate bunker (surge
hopper) with small opening at the bottom, which acts as means for providing the
sinter mix to drum feeder. Said drum feeder fitted with suitable drive for rotating the
drum below the hopper so as to provide means for drawing the sinter mix from
intermediate bunker to feed the pallets carried through sloping chute.
Thus such as herein described and as shown in Fig 2, there is a disclosed a
method for improving the permeability of the sinter mix is carried out by the addition
of magnetic water in the Balling drum. The addition of magnetic water in the balling
drum is carried out in place of normal water. The magnetic water is polarized with a
reduction of surface tension from 72 to 65 dynes/cm2. The reduced surface tension

of water provides an improved granulation due to dispersion. Therefore the degree
of granulation is increased drastically and thereby a reduction of moisture content of
sinter mix is obtained by at least 1%. The reduction of moisture content of sinter mix
is more in case of the different ores. In addition the re-condensation processes are
suppressed thereby reducing the time span of sintering. The pellets obtained by the
disclosed improved process have an improved permeability with respect to the
pellets obtained by usual processes.
Magnetic conditioning of water is achieved by causing the water to flow
continuously through a magnetic field, as a result of which treatment aggregation of
the mineral salts and/or the formation of insoluble deposits are discouraged or
prevented. Many forms of apparatus have been proposed for carrying out such
magnetic conditioning, including electromagnetic coils surrounding water conduits
and permanent magnets attached in various different ways to water pipes.
The water conditioner according to the present invention comprises a plurality of
elongated plates, each formed of a soft magnetic material and actuate in cross-
section and together adapted to form a generally annular structure around a tubular
conduit, a plurality of elongated magnets, polarized in the direction of their length
and adapted to engage closely the radially outer surfaces of said plates, and means
for retaining said plates and said magnets in mutual engagement around a said
conduit. The structure of the water conditioner is such that it may readily be
assembled in situ around an already-installed water pipe in a manner which can
establish a concentrated magnetic field parallel to the axis of the pipe. The
elongated plates are formed of a soft magnetic material, for example a soft iron,
and are accurate in cross-section, such that each individual plate may be located in
close contact with the outer surface of a water pipe or other tubular conduit.
In magnetic water conditioner the water flows unrestricted through the central tube
which is surrounded by magnetic systems. Water molecules are dipoles. Their
polarity bonds the molecules together as shown in Fig 3. The magnetic fields line
up the molecules in polarization and reduce surface tension of water by 10 to 12%.

The present system magnetized the water in a manner such that the surface
tension of the water is reduced from 72 to 65 dynes/cm2, thereby the reduction of
moisture load by 1% (absolute) in sinter machine and the reduction in fuel
consumption from 68 Kg/t of sinter to 63 Kg/t of sinter.
It is thus possible by way of the present invention to develop a low moisture
sintering operation system in the balling drum adapted to ensure lower moisture
consumption in the balling drum, by reducing the surface tension of water by 10 to
12% ensuring improved balling index of sinter mix and also favor suppressing re-
condensation of moisture in the lower part of the sinter bed. The present low
moisture sintering operation system is thus capable of ensuring uniform higher
balling of sinter charge and thus resulting in fuel efficiency, higher speed of
sintering and improved productivity of plant.
Although the foregoing description of the present invention has been shown and
described with reference to particular embodiments and applications thereof, it has
been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be
exhaustive or to limit the invention to the particular embodiments and applications
disclosed. It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a number
of changes, modifications, variations, or alterations to the invention as described
herein may be made, none of which depart from the spirit or scope of the present
invention. The particular embodiments and applications were chosen and described
to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical
application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in
various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular
use contemplated. All such changes, modifications, variations, and alterations
should therefore be seen as being within the scope of the present invention as
determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the
breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.

We Claim:
1. A low moisture sintering operation system comprising of:
a feeder for feeding the sinter mix with desired moisture content to the balling drum
of the sinter machine;
a magnetic conditioner for polarizing the continuous flow of water through it;
wherein the said balling drum fed with the polarized water for reducing the surface
tension of water to ensure uniform dispersion of water in the balling drum so that
the binding among particles will improve which further increases the higher bulk
density of the sinter mix in the sinter machine.
2. A low moisture sintering operation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
moisture in sinter mix inside the balling drum is controlled vide a plurality of water
carrying pipe lines connected with a magnetic water conditioner before the balling
drum and the supply of magnetically treated water is fitted through flange in the
main water pipeline before the balling drum.
3. A low moisture sintering operation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
water is taken through magnetic water conditioner and supplied to the balling drum
and the magnetic water conditioner is joined in the middle of the water pipeline with
a flange in both sides.
4. A low moisture sintering operation system as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising of a shuttle conveyer for drawing the sinter mix from the balling drum
and feeding it into the intermediate bunker of the sinter machine.
5. A low moisture sintering operation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
said magnetic water conditioner is located at the closest distance from the balling
drum ensuring reduction in loss of magnetic filed to water supplied at balling drum.
6. A method for low moisture sintering comprising the steps of:

providing raw materials for preparing sinter mix comprising iron ore fines, flux
fines, coke breeze fines, return fines and the like, proportioned and mixed in a
mixing drum as sinter mix;
providing the said sinter mix in a balling drum and then balled by adding
moisture in the balling drum wherein the water is drawn through the magnetic water
conditioner; and supplying the water into the balling drum through the spraying
nozzles disposed in rows inside the balling drum for desired moisture addition into
sinter mix for balling of sinter mix.
7. A method for low moisture sintering as claimed in claim 6, wherein the method
suppresses the re-condensation of moisture in the lower part of the sinter bed
ensuring uniform sinter bed permeability resulting increase in speed of the sinter
machine so as to providing high quality sinter.
8. A method for low moisture sintering as claimed in claim 6, wherein the magnetic
conditioner reduces the surface tension of water from 72 to 65 dynes/cm2.
9. A method for low moisture sintering as claimed in claim 6, wherein the balling
drum adapted to ensure lower moisture consumption in the balling drum, by
reducing the surface tension of water by 10 to 12% by magnetic conditioner and
drum reduces the moisture load in sinter machine by 1% (absolute) ensuring
improved balling index of sinter mix and uniform higher balling of sinter charge
resulting in fuel efficiency, higher speed of sintering and improved productivity of
plant.
10. A method for low moisture sintering operation system in the balling of sinter
machine adapted for uniform dispersion of water with reduce loss of water to sinter
charge as herein described with reference to the illustrative drawing.

The present invention relates to a low moisture sintering operation system
comprising of a feeder for feeding the sinter mix with desired moisture content to
the balling drum of the sinter machine; a magnetic conditioner for polarizing the
continuous flow of water through it; wherein the said balling drum fed with the
polarized water for reducing the surface tension of water to ensure uniform
dispersion of water in the balling drum so that the binding among particles will
improve which further increases the higher bulk density of the sinter mix in the
sinter machine and a method for said low moisture sintering operation system in the
balling of sinter machine.