EVALUATION OF OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS IN THE MOISTURE REDUCTION OF IRON ORE SINTER FEED

Abstract

Brazil is one of the largest producers and exporters of iron ore. The ore is stored in ports, in the open, in large piles, making it susceptible to increases in humidity that generate instability in navigation. To minimize the costs associated with the waiting time for shipment at ports, it is necessary to adjust the moisture of the material, employing, for example, drying on the conveyor belts. The objective of this work was to evaluate the thickness of the material bed, the temperature and the air velocity in the drying of Iron Ore Sinter Feed in a tray dryer. The results showed that the thickness of the tray is the most relevant factor in drying, and the air speed and temperature are not very expressive in the range of conditions studied.

Keywords: Iron ore; Moisture of the content; TML (Transportable Moisture Limit); Tray Dryer.