Application of a clean fuel produced by electrolysis in iron ore sintering process: Brown gas injection to assist sintering

Using a clean fuel produced by electrolysis named Brown gas to assist sintering in the iron ore sintering process was proposed to reduce coke consumption and carbon emissions. The effect of additional injection of Brown gas on the combustion characteristics and the quality of the sintered ore were explored. An optimal fuel ratio was investigated by gradually reducing the coke ratio based on Brown gas injection. The experimental results show that additional injection of Brown gas improves the thermal mode of the sintering bed, improves fuel combustion efficiency, prolongs the duration time of melting temperature, and the sintered ore yield and shatter strength first increases and then decreases, reaching the maximum value at an injection concentration of 2%. Based on a Brown gas injection concentration of 2%, the coke ratio can be reduced from 4.5% to 4% without affecting the quality of the sintered ore. As the coke ratio further decreases to 3.5%, the quality of the sintered ore deteriorates even if the Brown gas injection concentration increases to 3%. Based on a 2% Brown gas injection, the consumption of coke can be reduced by 11.1%, and the carbon emissions during the sintering process can be reduced by 11.1%.