Industrial practice of BiPCI process of pulverized coal injection for blast furnace ironmaking at SSAB

BiPCI technology of pulverized coal injection for blast furnace ironmaking was applied to No.2 Blast Furnace of SSAB Oxelosund in Sweden, and notable effectiveness of this BiPCI practice at SSAB has been achieved. The results show that if the tuyere injection rate of pulverized coal is kept nearly unchanged, (1) BiPCI can increase the overall coal rate and decrease the coke rate. When the second injection rate of pulverized coal attains 5 kg/tHM, the coke rate could be reduced by 5 kg/tHM; (2) BiPCI can increase the burden permeability, decrease the pressure drop of the furnace, and produce proper gas flow distribution, which is favourable to keep smooth running of the blast furnace and decrease the total reducing agent rate (RAR). During the test, the RAR showed a decrease by 2.8 kg/tHM (corrected RAR by 1.45 kg/tHM); (3) The pulverized coal through the second injection can be effectively used to protect the coke from fast degradation and improve the coke strength in the blast furnace, which is favourable to lower the high requirement on the coke quality under high coal rate operation.