IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE OF THE BLAST-FURNACE AT BHILAI THROUGH STATISTICAL-ANALYSIS AND IMPROVEMENT IN BURDEN PREPARATION

Abstract

The present paper reports the performance analysis of the blast furnace 'X' of Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP). Special reference has been made to the process variables related to the burden, such as sinter. The analysis shows that the burden rate has been the most significant variable for the coke rate followed by the temperature of hot blast. A change in burden rate has been mainly reflected by a change in the weight of raw limestone in the burden. Considerable saving in coke rate is achieved by eliminating raw limestone from the burden through the use of higher quantity of super fluxed sinter. The productivity is adversely affected by the content of undersize fraction in lump ore as well as in sinter. On the basis of empirical equations, reported in the present work, salient approach for the improvement in the performance indices of the blast furnace has been mentioned in the text. Improvement in the quality of sinter as well the granulometry of lump ore is important in this regard. The methodology to achieve such improvement has been outlined in the present paper.