Optimization of Briquette Manufacturing Conditions Using Steel Sludge

Abstract

Korea depends on the import of raw materials such as iron ore and coal for the steel industry. These raw materials have a major impact on the cost, productivity, and quality competitiveness in the global steel industry. To secure the competitiveness of steel companies, it is necessary to reduce the country’s dependence on raw materials. This can be achieved using byproducts with a high Fe content, which are primarily generated by the steel industry. These byproducts are available in the form of a very fine powder, which can disperse as dust when used directly in plant processes. Dust dispersion has a negative impact on the environment and can lead to the loss of raw materials. To enable the use of a wide range of Fe-containing byproducts, it is necessary to pretreat them in the form of larger aggregates such as pellets and briquettes. There are several methods to achieve such aggregates. There are two ways to produce briquettes: using a hot briquette, which supplies additional heat to produce briquettes, or using a cold briquette, which does not use heat. A method for producing cold briquettes using Fe-containing byproducts was investigated in this study. The yield ratio and briquette strength were examined under various manufacturing conditions.