Sintering is used for agglomeration of oxide and sulphide concentrates. The main difference isthat in sintering sulphide ores updraughting (air blowing) rather than downdraughting (air beingsucked through the bed) is used after ignition so that sulphur dioxide can be collected more easilyand reprocessed to elemental sulphur or sulphuric acid. Sintering sulphide ores also provides aroasting operation in which the metal sulphides are converted to oxides.NodulisingOre fines, coal dust and moisture are again thoroughly mixed and fed into a rotating drum at an elevated temperature-similar to that used for sintering. The rotating action and high temperature resultin the formation of nodules in the same way that snowballs are produced by rolling snow flakes.However, due to the poor control over temperature, the lower melting point constituents of the concentrate tend to fuse resulting in irregularly shaped nodules of low permeability. For this reasonnodulising is normally only used for agglomerating metallic fines produced from smelting, polishingand machining operations in the production of secondary precious metals where low melting pointgangue constituents are not present.
PelletizingOre fines of less than about 0.20 mm are unsuitable for sintering due to the danger of complete fusion of such a small particle. These ore fines are thoroughly mixed with 10% water to improve permeability and a binder such a bentonite, lime, salts or organic material, and fed into an inclined rotating drum or disc. A nucleus of a number of fines is produced due to the rotating action, the particles being bonded together by the binder and water moving into the crevices between the particlesdue to capillary attraction. On further rotation, each nucleus grows forming a pellet by collectingmore fines in a similar "snowballing action" described for nodulising. A slight pressure is also required but this is usually produced by the weight of the particles on each other. The final pellet sizeis controlled by the residence time in the drum which in turn is controlled by the rate of rotation ofthe drum or disc, the length or diameter of the drum or disc, the angle of inclination and any pressure applied. There is an optimum size of pellet for reduction in a blast furnace resulting from thebest compromise between high permeability ( large pellets) and high surface area ( small pellets)which in turn is dependent on the blast furnace practice and composition of the concentrate. Ironoxide pellets are generally controlled between 10mm to 25mm in diameter.
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