Abstract:
Sintering, the process of producing feed material for blast furnaces, consists of a thermal agglomeration of iron ore, carbonaceous materials such as coal or coke fines, and fluxes. Sinter, the product of the sintering process, ought to have optimal physical characteristics such as grain size, strength, and porosity, as these parameters are crucial by directly impacting the blast furnace performance. For Sinter to achieve the desired physical properties, fluxes must have a proper strength, which is also measured in this study by the Tumble test (Tamboramento), and a proper grain size curve so that fines are not generated during the sintering process. Compliance with these desired parameters increases Sinter's productivity and its overall quality. Dunite, the Magnesium Silicate extracted from PASEK mine, serves as a high-grade fluxing agent for having high hot and cold resistance to mechanical stresses, low melting and softening points, and high absorption characteristics. Sinter produced with Dunite as a fluxing agent has better mechanical and chemical properties, with reduced fines generation during handling and transportation to the blast furnace, promoting an effective control of the basicity and allowing a better combination of the flux with impurities such as S, P, Si among others. PASEK Dunite improves the Sinter plant's productivity by promoting increased Sinter structure homogeneity and reducing the fines return percentage.