Analysis of bath smelting processes for producing iron

A simulation model of bath smelting processes for the production of iron was developed which predicts the coal, flux, ore, and oxygen consumptions and the exhaust gas volume, temperature, and composition. The model is comprehensive in that it takes into account all of the important variables including coal composition, metal composition, ore composition, slag basicity, postcombustion ratio (PCR), prereduction degree (PRD), heat transfer coefficient (HTC), flux, scrap charge, and heat losses. Four basic cases were considered: I. 30% PRD-50% PCR; II. 90% PRD-0% PCR; III. 60% PRD-30% PCR; and IV. 0% PRD-50% PCR. Several different coals were considered and a sensitivity analysis of the critical variables was performed. The model also estimates the sulfur content of the metal.