MINITEC®

CUSTOMIZED SOLUTIONS FOR MINING, STEELMAKING, FERROALLOYS AND NON-FERROUS

INDUSTRY
MINI BLAST FURNACE
INTRODUCTION

The Mini Blast Furnace (MBF) is a very flexible and

competitive equipment, suitable for both basic and
foundry grade hot metal production, in the range of
80.000 (eighty thousand) to 525.000 (five hundred
twenty-five thousand) tpy.

The flexibility of the MBF allows the burdening from

100% lump ore to any blend of lump ore and
agglomerates (sinter, pellet and/or briquette*) in the
burden composition.

The MBF can be designed to use coke or charcoal as

reducer.

Integration of smelting technologies, plants, and control,

management of modern mini blast furnaces, in addition
to providing all-around solutions of engineering design,
equipment manufacturing, installation, commissioning
and startup, all help MINITEC to obtain a long reference
list of more than 40 mini blast furnaces, mainly in India
and Brazil.
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION

The MBF concept corresponds to Blast Furnaces with working volume up to 500 (five
hundred) m³ with the following features:

 Raw Material Handling System;  Environmental Control System;

 Mini Blast Furnace Proper;  PCM - Pig Casting Machine;
 Double Bell Top;  PCI - Pulverized Coal Injection (optional);
 Cast House, including tap hole,  Utilities:
operation and maintenance platform;  Water System;
 Blower House (Serial Blowers);  Compressed Air System.
 Hot Blast System (Metallic Blast  Electrical System;
Preheater);  Instrumentation and Control.
 Slag Granulation System;
 Gas Cleaning System (Wet type);
DESCRIPTION

BF TOP RAW MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM

BF PROPER
GAS CLEANING SYSTEM

CAST HOUSE WATER SYSTEM

SLAG GRANULATION

PIG CASTING MACHINE METALLIC BLAST PREHEATER BLOWER HOUSE

DESCRIPTION

BLOWER HOUSE

METALLIC BLAST PREHEATER

WATER SYSTEM

GAS CLEANING SYSTEM

RAW MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM

BF PROPER

SLAG GRANULATION CAST HOUSE PIG CASTING MACHINE

DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION

The main advantages of MINITEC’s Blast Furnace are:

 Low specific investment;

 Flexibility on burden preparation and composition – any quantity from 0 to 100% of
lump ore, sinter and/or pellet;
 Easy operation and maintenance;
 Proven technology by numbers of MBF already installed in several countries (Brazil,
India, Indonesia, Syria and USA).
RAW MATERIAL HANDLING

BURDEN PREPARATION AND RAW MATERIAL BINS

For MBF burden preparation, MINITEC develops the

best solution for each case. It depends on each
furnace, layout and client requirements.

Usually, the required raw materials are discharged in

a receiving ground hopper, from where they are
conveyed by belt conveyors to the day bins for
storage and posterior handling in the burden
preparation. The burden preparation is made by
batching. The system comprises of vibrating screens
and chutes as well as weighing bins.

After the raw materials weighing, the same ones are

carried to the MBF top through conveyors belt. The
entire weighting process and charge of raw materials
on MBF top is made automatically by the supervisory
system through the furnace control cabin.

The system that involves the handling and storage of

raw materials is equipped with devices to capture
dust collected by cyclone and bag filter – this is the
first part of the secondary dedusting system.
RAW MATERIAL HANDLING

BURDEN PREPARATION AND RAW MATERIAL BINS

RAW MATERIAL HANDLING

CONVEYOR SYSTEMS
MINITEC specifies and works only with
robust and powerful equipment for belt
conveyor systems to ensure a reliable and
efficient transfer and handling of different
bulk materials (including lump iron ore,
sinter, pellet, briquette, limestone, quartz,
coke, charcoal etc.). All material handling
systems are designed to minimize and
optimize the overall handling operation.

The result: a significant decrease in

investment costs, improved overall logistic
process, and homogenized material
quantities. The ability to handle different
products gives plant operators much more
flexibility in securing their plant’s future.
And all solutions are available from a single
source.
RAW MATERIAL HANDLING

CONVEYOR SYSTEMS
MINI BLAST FURNACE PROPER
MINI BLAST FURNACE PROPER

The furnace shell is built of carbon steel

plate of different thicknesses. Lately it has
been lined internally with dense alumina
and alumina carbon refractory bricks and
the hearth is lined with carbon blocks. The
MBF shell is fixed directly on the concrete
base.

The tuyeres are fed with hot blast from the

bustle main through articulated blow pipes.
The number of tuyeres depends on the MBF
working volume and the specified blowing
flow.

The furnace has one taphole from where

both hot metal and slag will flow. The slag
is separated of the hot metal in the taping
spout by a properly contention system.
This system is located in the working
platform.
MINI BLAST FURNACE PROPER

Hot metal flows into the ladle and casted in

wheel or strand type pig casting machine,
while the slag is directed to the granulation
system. The granulated slag is raw material
for the cement industry. Alternatively, it can
be utilized for paving of streets and roads.

Usually the MBF shell is externally cooled by

water spray nozzles, in closed circuit.

The tuyeres and tuyere coolers are adopted

of cooling system in closed circuit, with
cooling towers, similar to large MBF.

The tapping areas of hot metal and slag are

adopted of a dusting captive system – the
second part of the secondary dedusting
system.
MINI BLAST FURNACE PROPER

MBF SHELL MBF SHELL AND REFRACTORY LINING

MINI BLAST FURNACE PROPER

HOT METAL TAPPING

The tapping area is equipped with
pneumatic drilling machine for taphole
aperture and hydraulic mud gun of mass
injection to effectuate the furnace closing.
Both are projected to work under severe
operational conditions predominance in this
area.

The ladle heating system is incorporated to

the tapping area utilizing as fuel part of the
MBF top gas surplus.

The tapping area is equipped with a

complete dedusting system.
MINI BLAST FURNACE PROPER

REFRACTORIES
The MBF is entirely refractory lined. In the
hearth are utilized carbon blocks, while bosh
and lower stack are lined with high alumina
content. The stack is lined with fireclay
bricks about 40% Al2O3 dense bricks.
Runner and ladles are also lined with fireclay
bricks. The expected campaign life of MBF
lining is 5 to 6 years, defining the duration
of campaign.

The lower line cost and the internal cooling

absence (boxes, staves), as well as the
relatively short time to reline the MBF
refractory line – 30 to 40 days, against 90
days for the large BF - this option is the
most attractive in function of specific
investment, when is compared with the most
onerous alternatives required by the large
BF.
MINI BLAST FURNACE PROPER

MBF TOP EQUIPMENT – DBT

The MBF DBT (Double Bell Top) equipment
consists:
 Rotary distributor to ensure uniform
distribution of raw material into the MBF.
 Loading system / double bell sealing or,
alternatively with tight valves.
 Internal distributor, with fixed blades.
 Equalizing system.
 Sounding system of automatic loading.
MINI BLAST FURNACE PROPER

MBF CONTROL ROOM

MBF is equipped of a control cabin
acclimatized located in the working platform.
The entire installation control, since the load
preparation till the pig iron tapping, is made
from this control cabin.

Equipped with supervisory stations, all the

operational parameters are monitored and
registered automatically. In case any
operational parameter comes out of the pre-
established, automatically corrections are
made and/or alarms are activated.
BLOWER HOUSE

This system is responsible for the supplying of

blast air required in the MBF productive
process.

In a normal version it is compounded in a set

of six centrifugal fans operating in series, one
of them is on standby. The pressure in the
cold blast system exit is 1.5 kg/cm² (15,000
mmWC), necessary and sufficient to operate
the MBF with granulated ore and to maintain
adequate top pressure.

The MBF top pressure is up to 0.4 kg/cm²

(4,000 mmWC), sufficient to assure an efficient
top gas cleaning, assuring solids content in
suspension below 10 mg/Nm³.

These Blowers will be installed on a closed

room, equipped with air filtering system, noise
insulation and provided with electrical hoist
for maintenance.
HOT BLAST SYSTEM
HOT BLAST SYSTEM

The blast air heating is normally made in metallic

preheaters of exclusive design containing two or
three modules operating in parallel.

Metallic Blast Preheaters (MBP) of MINITEC’s design

consist of a set of centrifugal tubes of special alloys
welded as specific method being designed to reach
blow temperatures up to 950 ºC.

HOT BLAST SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS

Blast Temperature 950 °C maximum

Blast Pressure 15,000 mmWC maximum

Main: Blast Furnace Gas (BFG)

Fuel Used
Auxiliary: Natural Gas, LPG or Oil

Fuel Consumption 50% of the total generated BFG

Potential Electric
Power Generation 180 kWh/tHM
with Excess BFG
HOT BLAST SYSTEM

COMBUSTION AIR
GAS LINE
HEAT EXCHANGER

COMBUSTION AIR
LINE

COMBUSTION
CHAMBER

HOT BLAST COLD BLAST

HEATING PIPES STACK
HEADER HEADER
SLAG GRANULATION SYSTEM
SLAG GRANULATION SYSTEM

During tapping, slag will be skimmed out from the

runner to a slag granulation station located at the
side of the cast house. After granulation the slag is
stored in the slag granulation pond. Through the
bottom of this pond the water is filtered and
drained, flowing by gravity to a dedicated water
sump and pumping station.

The slag is handled either by pay-loader or by grab

bucket from the pond to a storing bin, from where it
is discharged into dumper trucks, to be conveyed to
the nearest cement plant. Usually the granulated
slag yields a good selling price.

Water utilized in the granulation system is recycled

in closed circuit avoiding the liquid effluents
emission in the process. Estimated water loss by
vaporization is 10% of the total volume pumped.
About 50% of the total make up water required will
be supplied by the thickener blow down. Another
10% will be supplied by cooling towers blow down.
Balance will be supplied by the makeup water
system.
GAS CLEANING SYSTEM
GAS CLEANING SYSTEM – Wet Type

The gas captured in the furnace top (BFG) to a

temperature varying 100 to 180 °C is conducted
through appropriate pipeline to the dust catcher,
where the larger particles are retained. From the dust
catcher, for wet GCS, the BFG is conducted to the
saturator, where it is cooled and saturates at
temperatures below 70 °C, through intense water
spraying.

The BFG already pre-cleaned passes through two

Venturis, being one fixed throat and the other variable
throat. After each venturi there is a fixed rotor for BFG
dehumidification that avoids the dragging of water
droplets. The dust concentration into the BFG after the
cleaning system described will be around 10 mg/Nm³.

Part of the clean BFG (about 45%) is utilized for the

blast air heating and the rest is available for others
applications, as power generation or substitution of
others fuels utilized in the plant. A flare is installed to
burn the BFG eventually exceeding and to control the
line distribution pressure. In case the installation of a
power Generate Unit, the distribution line pressure is
controlled by a small gasholder or by the proper flare.
GAS CLEANING SYSTEM – Wet Type

VENTURI #2 VENTURI #1

SATURATOR

FLARE

DUST CATCHER

WATER SEAL

DEWATERING ROTOR #2 DEWATERING ROTOR #1

GAS CLEANING SYSTEM – Wet Type
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM

EFFLUENT TREATMENT SYSTEM

The water utilized in the Wet Gas Cleaning System (GCS) is conduced to a thickener for the
particles disposition followed by filter and chemical treatment viewing the reutilization in the
GCS.
The decanted sludge in the thickener bottom is conduced to a press filter; the separated water is
re-conduced to the thickener and the filtration cake with 30% moisture can be discarded or
conduced for sintering.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL FACILITIES

Due to characteristics of the pig iron production process, special attention is given during the
project development in order to adequate the installation to the requirement established by
government environmental control.
Liquid and solid effluents as well as the sound emissions are dully treated taking in
consideration the parameters required by the environmental legislation.

 Liquid wastes
The entire system works in closed circuit, in other words, there is not emission of liquid wastes. The gas scrubbing water
is contaminated with the dust caught from the MBF top gas. After leaving the gas scrubbing station, slurry is pumped to
thickener, where is treated. This water is recirculated again in the process. The dust retained in the thickener is deposited
in appropriate place or reutilized in sintering process.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL FACILITIES

 Gaseous wastes
The entire system works in closed circuit, in other words, there is not emission of liquid wastes. The gas scrubbing water
is contaminated with the dust caught from the MBF top gas. After leaving the gas scrubbing station, slurry is pumped to
thickener, where is treated. This water is recirculated again in the process. The dust retained in the thickener is deposited
in appropriate place or reutilized in sintering process.

 Source of Air Pollution

The major atmospheric pollutants in a hot metal plant are the fumes generated in the burning of BFG and the raw
materials handling such as iron ore, charcoal or coke and fluxes. Other emitter sources are the handling of fines
generated in the raw material screening processes.

 Control Measures for atmospheric emissions

The dust generated in the productive process, during the raw materials handling, products, sub products and
solids residues in general, are captured through the systems endowed with hoods/pipelines and treated in
appropriate equipment such as bag filters, cyclones, electrostatics precipitators, etc. The emission standard of
MINITEC’s MBF attends to all legislation parameters.

The BFG collected in the MBF top after cleaned is burnt in part in the blast air heater; the surplus gas if not used
for other purposes such as power generation, is burnt to the atmosphere through an adequate Flare Stack
generating only CO2 and H2O.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL FACILITIES

 Solid Rejects

 Slag
The slag volume generated in the MBF depends directly the raw materials utilized, as well as slag to be produced.
Normally the slag volume is 100 to 150 kg per pig iron ton for operation with charcoal and 250 to 300 kg/t for
operation with coke. The granulated slag is utilized as raw material for cement plants.

 Charcoal and/or Coke fines

The charcoal and/or coke fines generated in the screening process can be reutilized in the MBF injection system.
The dust collected in the bag filters (charcoal and/or coke dusts) are also reutilized in the injection system.
Optionally these dusts can be sold for cement plants. If there is a sinter process in the locality, the charcoal
and/or coke fines will be utilized integrally as fuel in the sintering.

 Iron ore fines

Iron ore fines separated during screening are stored in bins and reutilized in the sinter plant or for road paving
purposes.

 Dust catcher
The dust catcher generated at the rate of 15 to 35 kg/t of pig iron is compounded of coke fines (>60%), ore and
limestone. Its granulometry is between 0.2 and 0.3 mm. It can be integrally recycled in the sinter plant or will be
dumped.

 Thickener slurry
The thickener slurry after pressed the rate is 5 to 10 kg/t pig iron, containing basically ore, charcoal, coke or
limestone in granulometry very fine (<0.2 mm). It can be recycled in sintering or dumped.
PCM – PIG CASTING MACHINE
PCM – PIG CASTING MACHINE

Hot metal produced in the MBF, whenever not used directly in the steel melt shop or foundry, is
cast in the Pig Casting Machine (PCM). There are two usual casting systems: straight and wheel
type.
UTILITIES
UTILITIES

WATER SYSTEM
Several areas of MBF require industrial water continuously in determined qualities, tapping and
pressure. These areas are:
 Blast furnace shell cooling;
 Cooling of tuyeres and tuyere coolers;
 Gas cleaning system (wet type);
 Slag granulation system;
 Blower bearings cooling system;
 Cooling system of hydraulic units.

All the water is recirculated. Small cooling towers are required in the cooling water circuit of
tuyeres, tuyere coolers and stave coolers. An overhead water tank shall be installed for
emergencies – generally for power failure.
The main parameters related to all water systems are monitored through the Central
Supervisory System, from the control room.
UTILITIES

COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM

The main points of compressed air consumption are:
 The equalization of MBF top;
 The tap hole drilling machine;
 The bag filters;
 The driving cylinders of raw materials weigh bin gates.

A centralized compressed air station is responsible to supply the air required in the hot metal
production process.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL

Operation of the MBF is remotely controlled

and monitored from a central control room.
This concept allows:
 A continuous observation and
assessment of the process and the
operational status of the main
equipment.
 A correction or adjustment, if necessary,
of the actual conditions to set point or
other required values.
 Plant operation with a minimum of
personnel.
 The automation system is based on
micro-processor equipment (PLC).

At the level of process/technological

controls, the primary applications are:
 Raw material bin filling;
 Free configurable raw mix proportioning
system;
 Air and gas flow control;
 Control of off-gas system.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL

MBF SUPERVISORY SCREEN

PLANT DESIGN AND MAIN FIGURES
PLANT DESIGN AND MAIN FIGURES

PRODUCTION PARAMETERS FOR BASIC GRADE PIG IRON

The nominal production of various sizes of MINITEC’s MBF and the pig iron average analysis
produced are presented in tables as following. The presented values are averages data and the
effectives productions will be strongly influenced by the raw materials quality and by the team
experience of operation.
MBF working volume (m³)
Production t/day (1) Productivity (2)
175 215 250 350 500

Coke and lump ore 420 516 600 840 1200 2.4

Coke and lump ore + sinter and/or pellets 525 645 750 1050 1500 3.0 (3)

1) Project Data.
2) The productivity of the MBF will depends on the raw materials quality and MBF equipment arrangement and process parameters,
such as, type of hot blast generator, blower, furnace top system, oxygen enrichment, auxiliary fuel injection etc.
3) The productivity is considering ≥70 % of sinter/pellets and ≤30 % of lump ore.
PLANT DESIGN AND MAIN FIGURES

PRODUCTION PARAMETERS FOR BASIC GRADE PIG IRON

Basic Grade Pig iron Unit Range

Carbon % 3.50 minimum

Silicon % 0.4 to 1.0 (4)

Phosphorous % depends on ore analysis

Manganese % 0.10 to 0.50 (5)

Sulfur % 0.05 maximum

Hot metal temperature °C 1,400 to 1,480

4) Adjustable, according to final product required

5) Also influenced by iron ore analysis
PLANT DESIGN AND MAIN FIGURES

PRODUCTION PARAMETERS FOR FOUNDRY GRADE PIG IRON

MBF working volume (m³)
Production t/day (1) Productivity (2)
175 215 250 350 500

Coke and lump ore 385 473 550 770 1100 2.2

Coke and lump ore + sinter and/or pellets 473 581 675 945 1350 2.7 (3)

1) Project Data.
2) The productivity of the MBF will depends on the raw materials quality and MBF equipment arrangement and process parameters,
such as, type of hot blast generator, blower, furnace top system, oxygen enrichment, auxiliary fuel injection etc.
3) The productivity is considering ≥70 % of sinter/pellets and ≤30 % of lump ore.

Foundry Grade Pig Iron Unit Range

Carbon % 3.50 minimum

Silicon % 1.5 to 3.0 (4)

Phosphorous % depends on ore analysis

Manganese % 0.10 to 0.50 (5)

Sulfur % 0.05 maximum

Hot metal temperature °C 1,450 to 1,500

4) Adjustable, according to final product required

5) Also influenced by iron ore analysis
PLANT DESIGN AND MAIN FIGURES

TOP GAS

DESCRIPTION Unit COKE

Lower Heating Value (dry basis) kcal/Nm³ 850

Dust concentration (after gas cleaning system) mg/Nm³ < 10

Top pressure (maximum) with serial blowers bar 0.4

Top pressure (maximum) with turbo blowers bar 1.5

PLANT DESIGN AND MAIN FIGURES

RAW MATERIAL SPECIFIC CONSUMPTION

RAW MATERIALS (6) Unit (dry basis) COKE

Iron Ore / Sinter / Pellet 1,640

Fuel (coke + coal) 540 - 650

Limestone kg/t Hot Metal 200

Dolomite 100

Manganese Ore 40

6) Depends on iron ore analysis

PLANT DESIGN AND MAIN FIGURES

UTILITY SPECIFIC CONSUMPTION

 Make up water
MBF working volume (m³)
Description Unit
175 215 250 350 500

Make up water (1) m³/h 53 60 60 80 120

Make up water (1) m³/t 3.30 3.03 2.62 2.50 2.29

(1) Considering open circuit cooling water

 Power
MBF working volume (m³)
Description Unit
175 215 250 350 500

Total connected load (2) kW 2500 3000 3500 4600 16000

Specific power consumption kWh/tHM 130 130 125 120 220

Maximum power demand kW 2080 2575 2865 3850 13000

Average power demand kW 1970 2430 2710 3630 12480

(2) The power rating data informed is for reference only and shall be confirmed by respective Supplier. It also depends on MBF
equipment arrangement and process parameters, such as, type of hot blast generator, blower type, furnace top system, auxiliary
fuel injection system etc.
REFERENCE LIST

Customer: GERDAU

Local: Divinópolis, Brazil

Volume: 250 m³

Year: 2004

Customer: COSIPAR

Local: Barcarena, Brazil

Volume: 2 x 320 m³

Year: 2005

Customer: VETORIAL

Local: Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil

Volume: 302 m³

Year: 2008
REFERENCE LIST

Customer: EMMAR INDUSTRIES (former HMISHO)

Local: Homs, Syria

Volume: 2 x 250 m³

Year: 2010

Customer: VETORIAL

Local: Argentina

Volume: 2 x 302 m³

Year: 2012

Customer: IRONTON

Local: Paducah, USA

Volume: 250 m³

Year: 2018
REFERENCE LIST
REFERENCE LIST
HEADQUARTER AND CONTACTS

MINITEC MINITECNOLOGIAS LTDA

Address: Rua Centralina, 190, 2º Andar, Bom Pastor, Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brasil
Zip Code: 35500-147
Telephone: +55 37 3222-7113
E-mail: minitec@minitec.eng.br
Website: www.minitec.eng.br