Nova Analytical Systems: DRI

Friday, September 27, 2013

#144 - EnErgiron Direct Reduction Technology - Economical, Flexible, Environmentally Friendly

For more than 50 years, HYL (now Tenova HYL) has developed technologies designed to improve steelmaking competitiveness and productivity for steel facilities. The HYL direct reduction (DR) technology, while perhaps the best known, is accompanied by other technologies designed for making steel in more efficient, cost-effective ways.

The HYL Process has been improved over generations and the current status of the technology, the HYL ZR (or Self-reforming) Process, was developed to allow reduction of iron ores in a shaft furnace without external gas reforming equipment. This process scheme has the ability to produce High Carbon DRI, which allows producers to obtain maximum benefits of carbon in the steel making process, while for merchant sale of the product, eliminating the need for costly briquetting equipment thanks to its highly improved stability.

The recent alliance between Tenova HYL, Techint and Danieli brings a new brand - ENERGIRON – to the forefront of the direct reduction industry. Current environmental regulations worldwide bring more stringent demands to the design of industrial plant operations of all types.

Energiron technology is characterized by its flexible process configuration which is able to satisfy and exceed these requirements. In regions where either the high cost or low availability of natural gas work against this traditional energy source, the process is easily configured to operate using coke oven gas, syngas from coal gasifiers and other hydrocarbon sources. More importantly, the air and water effluents of the process are not only low but easily controlled.

Incorporation of selective carbon dioxide (CO2) removal systems has been a key factor over the past decade in reducing significantly the emissions levels, providing an additional source of revenue for the plant operator via the captured CO2. The high pressure operation and closed system of an Energiron plant combined with the HYTEMP Pneumatic Transport System reduces dust emissions to both air and settling tanks, making the process more economical and environmentally friendly.

DRI quality-High Carbon DRI

In the Energiron process, carbon in the DRI, mostly as iron carbide (Fe3C), is derived mainly from methane (CH4) and in less extent from carbon monoxide (CO). The level of carbon is adjusted by controlling the reducing gas composition and/or oxygen injection. Most of the carbon in DRI (more than 90% for carbon levels of 4%) currently being produced in the ZR scheme is in the form of iron carbide (Fe3C). The high percentage of Fe3C in the DRI makes the product very stable and presents a unique option related to storage, shipping and handling.

HYL is a member of the Tenova Group. HYL actively develops projects for direct reduction plants worldwide under the Energiron brand name. They started up the world's first successful direct reduction plant in 1957. Over 40 DR modules have been supplied worldwide since then.

http://www.tenovagroup.com/companies_hyl.php?id_company=2

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Thursday, December 20, 2012

#95 - Multi-Point Conditioning Systems for Mass Spectroscopy in DRI Plants

One of the unique projects we have worked on this year has been the development of conditioning systems for mass spectrometers at steel plants. The specific application is DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) plants, where iron ore is directly reduced to iron without the typical processes involving blast furnaces, coke ovens, basic oxygen furnaces, and other support plants. The DRI product can be used in electric arc furnaces (EAF) as a flexible additive to provide additional control over the end product or where the price and availability of scrap metal requires it.

DRI plants are quite large. The DRI product is fed into
bins which are positioned to feed directly into electric arc furnaces.

Mass spectroscopy is used by some steel makers to obtain analysis of their process gases. The main advantage of this technique is that it is versatile in terms of analytical capability. Numerous types of gases may be measured by a mass spectrometer.

Two challenges in coupling mass spectroscopy and steel processes such as DRI are the location and condition of the gas samples. Steel plants are usually sprawling industrial complexes with distances to some sample points being more than 250m (820ft). The condition of the sample is frequently hot, dusty, and under high pressure. For best analysis, the sample should be left intact, while managing the unwanted conditions.

Our solution to this dilemma has been to establish a primary conditioning system and a secondary conditioning system.

Primary Conditioning System

The initial task is to extract the sample while regulating it to a manageable pressure. Next, the sample needs to be filtered to remove particulate while it is still near the process temperature. A probe, flange-mounted isolation valve, and heated filter will accomplish these tasks.

Most projects have multiple sample points throughout the plant that require analysis. A primary conditioning cabinet needs to be mounted at each sample point.

Each sample line running from the primary conditioning cabinets needs to be maintained at a temperature above the dew point of the sample.

Secondary Conditioning System

The various sample streams must be collected, finish filtered, and distributed to the mass spectrometer. The entire cabinet and each sample line running to the mass spectrometer must be heated & temperature controlled. Each sample stream must have individual flow control and be alarmed for Low Flow condition.

In many cases, the entire system must be suitable for hazardous rated areas. Some systems must have provision to have each sample stream shut off in the event of a shelter atmosphere alarm.

The system configuration we have developed is designed for 8 simultaneous sample streams. We can accommodate more streams by adding cabinets as needed. The highest number of streams we have worked on so far is 13.

CUSTOMER: Al Nasser Industrial Enterprises

PLANT LOCATION: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Cooperating with us is HYL, a partner of Nova’s in the Tenova Group. HYL actively develops projects for direct reduction plants worldwide under the Energiron brand name. They started up the world's first successful direct reduction plant in 1957. Over 40 DR modules have been supplied worldwide since then.