Coke breeze addition to Fire Lake pellets in regular operation

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 76, No. 856, 1983

C. DESMEULES, Superintendent - Production, Sidbec-Normines Inc.

Carbon addition in the oxide pelletizing process is a big concern at the Sidbec-Normines pelletizing plant since 1976. Laboratory pot-grate testing carried out before the initial start-up of the Port-Cartier plant indicated that the nominal pelletizing grate capacity could be increased by fifteen per cent with a suitable carbon addition. Also an improved induration cycle offered the possibility of a significant energy reduction within the process with no adverse effect on pellet quality. A one-month plant scale program duplicated the lab test results and confirmed the anticipated cost saving by using these techniques. Since March 1980, Sidbec-Normines used coke addition as a current operation. This paper reviews briefly earlier laboratory and in-plant test work carried out to investigate the effects of adding carbon materials to the Fire Lake hematite concentrate, and presents operation techniques and plant results of carbon addition in the Port-Cartier pellet plant.

Mots Clés: Energy management, Energy conservation, Coke breeze, Sidbec-Normines, Fire Lake, Pelletising, Pellets.