Iron Making Technology: ITMK3

Introduction

In 2006, India produced 50 million tonnes of crude steel and was ranked the 5 th
largest steel producer in the world. The industry is growing very fast and in all
likelihood India will attain the 2nd place, next to China, by the middle of the next
decade. The National Steel Policy, 2005 projected a production of 110 million
tonnes by 2019-20. Subsequent estimates however, reveal that India’s production
would surpass this projection. According to a recent analysis in the Ministry of
Steel, it is found that the 100 million tonnes mark would be achieved much earlier,
by 2011-12 itself. Going by this expansion mode, India’s production by 2020 is
projected at around 200 million tonnes.
A closer look at the world steel production reveals that there is an upward trend in
the production of steel by Electric Furnace route. The contribution of this route
has increased from 20 per cent in 1980, 28 per cent in 1990 to 32 per cent in 2006.
In tandem with the world trend, the contribution of electric furnace is also
increasing in India and the percentage contribution of electric route was
approximately 50 per cent in 2006-07. From the assessment of the process routes
of the upcoming steel plants, it is noticed that the share of electric steel production
would remain in the range of 45-50 per cent in 2011-12 and beyond.

One of the major constraints of the Indian steel industry, particularly the electric
furnace industry, is the availability as well as cost of metallics. Barring two units,
which are dependent on hot metal, all other units use solid metallics viz. scrap and
direct reduced iron (DRI), commonly called, sponge iron. Domestic generation
and availability of steel melting scrap is limited and hence substantial quantity,
1.5-3 million tonnes, is imported annually.
The silver lining however is, the fact that India is well placed in the production of
DRI. During the last consecutive three years, India has been the largest producer
of sponge iron. The actual production in 2006-07 was 16 million tonnes, which is
likely to grow to over 25 million tonnes by 2011-12. The industry however, needs
to address the following issues to ensure its growth undeterred:
• Limited availability of iron ore lumps/pellets, which is essential input in gas
based, or coal based DRI plants.
• Limited availability of non-coking coal of required specification/grade, and
• Limited availability and high price of natural gas.

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These constraints together with the present trend to use clean tramp free inputs for
high quality steel production have led to development of certain alternate inputs to
meet the raw material related challenges for electric steel making. Additionally,
quality related issues like low metallization and high gangue content, particularly
in coal based DRI, and associated higher energy consumption in steel making are
significant and needs to be addressed to. Yet another issue is the environmental
emission and waste disposal.
In the face of these constraints, the steel industry in general and the electric steel
making industry in particular needs alternative solutions to sustain its growth both
in the short term and long term perspective. Hot metal produced in conventional
blast furnace appears as one of the appropriate solutions. However, in view of
constraints like scarce availability and high cost of coke/coking coal, requirement
of lumpy iron ore or agglomerated fines etc., the newly developed smelting
reduction technologies like COREX, FINEX, HI-smelt etc for production of hot
metal are gathering attention. Yet another technology, which appears promising in
light of growing demand for metallics particularly by the electric furnace industry,
is the ITmk3 technology, product of which is called iron nuggets. This technology
is not dependent on lumpy ore or conventional pellets and its economic capacity
suit well with the mini steel mills.
ITmk3 Technology

ITmk3 is pronounced as “Eye-Tee Mark Three” and stands for “Iron Making
Technology Mark Three”. It is a unique technology developed and owned by Kobe
Steel Limited, Japan for smelting iron ore fines using non-coking coal to produce
premium grade iron in the form of nuggets. Unlike traditional technologies of iron
making, ITmk3 represents a revolutionary change in the way iron is made as also
the product quality. In effect, it may be considered as a new source of iron
particularly, for electric steel making.

The Process:
The heart of the ITmk3 process is the Rotary Hearth Furnace (RHF) where iron ore
fines is reduces and smelted using pulverized coal. The process flow sheet below
depicts various units and sub-units used in the ITmk3 process:

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The steps of iron ore reduction and smelting in the ITmk3 process are given
below:

• Iron ore fines, Flux and pulverized coal are mixed in a mixer.

• Mixed inputs are converted into carbon composite green pellets in a pelletizer.

• Pellets are dried at a temperature of around 180 deg. C using preheated air
which is heated by exhaust gas of the furnace.

• In the RHF, the carbon bearing composite pellets are gradually heated up using
natural gas. The smelting reduction process involving reduction and smelting
takes place in stages. In the last zone, the temperature is raised to 1350-1450
degree centigrade, thereby melting the iron and its easy separation from the
gangue in the form of slag.

• The following reactions takes place when the carbon composites pellets are
heated to the reaction temperature:

FexOy +y CO=x Fe +y CO2

CO2+C=2CO
C(s)=C{carburised)
Fe(s) = Fe(molten)

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• The series of reactions are completed in around 10 minutes. To begin with
(after approx. 3 minutes), pellets are converted into DRI with unreacted core
which later ( after 5 minutes) convert into a dense metallic iron shell containing
molten slag and large void space. Immediately thereafter, the metallic iron
melts and starts separating out from slag and by around 9 minutes, there is
complete separation of iron and slag.

• In the last two minutes of the process of the RHF, the molten iron and slag are
cooled which further cooling in the cooler follows. The solidified iron nuggets
are separated from the slag with the help of a magnetic separator.

• The sensible heat of the off gas from the RHF is substantially recovered by a
recuperator thereby heating the air for combustion of natural gas used in the
process. The hot air is also utilized for drying the green pellets.

Raw Material and other inputs

The three main inputs are iron ore fines, coal and fluxes. Generally, pellet feed
grade iron ore fines are used as it is and sinter feed ores is ground to the pellet
feed grade. Coal is ground to minus 200 mesh over 80%. Coal is the reductant
for conversion of iron ore into iron and also serves as the main source of heat.
The quality and quantity of flux is determined based on the nature of iron ore
and coal. Besides coal, natural gas is another heat source, which is burnt in the
RHF to heat up the pellets. In place of natural gas, furnace oil could also be
used in the process.

Product Characteristics

The quality of Iron nuggets depends on the quality of iron ore and coal used in
the process. However, typically, iron nuggets are highly metalized product
containing over 97% metallic iron with very low phosphorous. A typical
composition of nuggets is given in the table below:

ELEMENT % COMPOSITION
Metallic Iron(Fe) +97
Carbon(C) 2-2.5
Sulphur(S) 0.07-0.10
Phosphorus(P) 0.01-0.02

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Unlike blast furnace where phosphorous removal is minimal; in ITmk3 process,
phosphorous removal is substantial leading to a very low content of
phosphorous in iron nuggets. This is mainly because of shorter reaction time,
essentially around 6 minutes, and iron and slag are separated after 2 minutes
cooling time. In other words, the operation does not reach equilibrium to allow
phosphorous to transfer to the metal. It has in fact been established in one of the
experimental study of the ITmk3 demonstration plant that if iron and slag are
allowed to stay together longer, phosphorous content of metal was much higher.

Evolution of ITmk3 Process

The ITmk3 process is the result of extensive research and investigations over
several years since 1996 which are enumerated below:

• The concepts were tested using iron ore and coal from different sources.

• In 1999, a pilot plant of capacity 3000 tonnes per annum (Diameter: 3 M and
Hearth Width 0.8 M) was constructed in 1999 at Kakogawa Works of Kobe
Steel, Japan to prove the process concept. Iron nuggets were successfully
produced and a large number of trials were conducted using various types of
iron ore and coal during 1999-2000.

• Based on the successful results, a limited company namely, Mesabi Nugget,

LLC ( MNC) was incorporated at Minnesota, USA in September, 2001 to
construct and operate a Pilot Demonstration Plant (PDP). This was a joint
venture effort of Iron Units LLC, a subsidiary of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc,
Ferrometrics Inc, Kobe Iron Nuggets LLC, a subsidiary of Kobe Steel, USA
and Ferrous Resources LLC a subsidiary of Steel Dynamics Inc, The state of
Minnesota provided the construction cost and the operation cost of the
Mesabi Nuggets Project was supported by the US Department of Energy.
The 25,000 TPA Pilot Demonstration Plant (Diameter: 12 M and Hearth
Width: 2 M) was commissioned in May, 2003 with a total capital cost of
US$ 16 million and iron nuggets were produced on 24th May, 2003. After
the start-up, the PDP was operated for 230 days with shortest campaign of
38 days and the longest of 81 days and produced 9500 tonnes of iron
nuggets. The nuggets were supplied to Steel Dynamics Inc, USA for

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 conversion into steel in its Electric Arc Furnace. During this campaign, a
wide variety of iron ore and coal were tested and economics were studied.

• Encouraged by the successful operation of the PDP, Mesabi Nugets, LLC is

now setting up a 5,00,000 TPA (Diameter: 60 M and Hearth Width: 7.6 M)
large scale demonstration plant/commercial scale plant at Minnesota, USA.

• Kobe Steel is further exploring setting up of such commercial plants in

Ukraine and Russia as well as India.

Techno-economic analysis of ITmk3 Technology

The process is simple with a single stage furnace operation requiring less
energy, capital and operating & maintenance cost as compared to conventional
BF iron making, avoiding thereby coke oven, sinter/pellet plant… The process
is also flexible permitting use of a wide variety of iron ore and non-coking coal.
The product quality having less gangue and more carbon is superior to DRI.
The nuggets could be directly charged into electric arc furnace or basic oxygen
furnace as a pure iron source instead of scrap or pig iron. The physical and
chemical characteristics of nuggets help in easy handling, efficient melting,
energy saving and higher productivity. The process is unique in that nearly all
the chemical energy of the ingredients foil fuel is consumed and no gas credit is
exported from the RHF. This is an important difference from that of blast
furnace process or even the alternate iron making processes. As a result, energy
consumption for production of nuggets adopting ITmk3 technology is much
lower. The process is more environment-friendly and emits much less Green
House Gases or Particulate Matters when compared to conventional iron-steel
making processes.

The estimated investment cost of the Large Scale Demonstration /Commercial

plant is US$ 150 million. In other words, the specific investment cost works out
to US$ 300 per tonne of installed capacity, which appear attractive as compared
to conventional blast furnace or DRI plants of equivalent capacity. However,
based on presently available information and knowledge, it is apparently clear
that benefits of lower investment and lower operating cost of ITmk3 technology
would get eroded if scale of operation crosses the million tonne limit, when
conventional processes would become more economical.

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Relevance of ITmk3 in India

India is blessed with large reserves of iron ore and is the fourth largest iron ore
producing country in the world. However, over 60% of its total production are
fines. Due to limited agglomeration capacity, indigenous utilization of iron ore
fines is limited and therefore, substantial portion, nearly 80% of total, is
exported. Besides, there are problems of utilization of tailings. ITmk3 provides
a unique opportunity for the iron ore producers in India for adding value to such
iron ore fines for utilization in Electric furnaces as well as basic oxygen
furnaces as partial substitute of scrap and pig iron. Attracted by the features of
the ITmk3 technology, several iron ore companies have already signed MOUs
with Kobe Steel Ltd and Tokyo Boeki Development Ltd. (TBDL), Japan.
Further, Mukand Ltd, Mumbai has signed an MOU with Kobe Steel Ltd. to be
an exclusive licence contractor to set up ITmk3 plants in India. However, all
these MOUs are at preliminary stage and the entrepreneurs are watching further
developments towards commercial exploitation of the technology and results
thereof.

During the laboratory investigation, pilot plant as well as pilot demonstration

plant stage, a variety of iron ore (Fe: 62-68%) from Brazil, Chile, Australia and
South Africa and coal (Ash: 8 –10%) from Canada, USA and South Africa as
well as low volatile coke breeze have been tested to evolve best operating
practices and economics of operation. However, no Indian iron ore or coal has
been tested. Most of the Indian non-coking coal are of high ash and low fixed
carbon and therefore, may not be suitable for this process. Impurities in iron ore
adversely affect the operation and economics of ITmk3 process almost similar
to that of blast furnace. Laboratory investigations are therefore, required to
establish the suitability and economics of operation of ITmk3 process using low
or medium grade Indian ore abundantly available in India. Alternately, the ores
need to be beneficiated to produce suitable concentrate for the process. To
resolve this problem, Kobe Steel is planning to take up laboratory investigation
of Indian ore in collaboration with Mukand Ltd.

Conclusion

ITmk3 is a newly developed technology conceptualised in the 90’s. Within this

short span of time, it has created its impact amongst the entrepreneurs and iron

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ore miners in India and abroad. It is a flexible, economical and environment-
friendly process, which enables utilization of iron ore fines and non-coking coal
without going in for calibrated lumpy or agglomerated fines and expensive coke
as used in conventional blast furnace route. The process is thus promising and if
proven commercially, for which efforts are already on; it may be an ideal
vehicle for iron ore mining companies and others to convert iron ore fines to
value added nuggets, an ideal feedstock for electric steel making as well as the
basic oxygen furnaces. However, much will depend on the results of the
commercial plant under installation in Minnesota and adaptability of the
technology to Indian raw material particularly, non-coking coal.

Acknowledgements

The author deeply acknowledges the help and support of Dr. Takuya Negami,
Director (Engineering) and Advisor, Kobe Steel Ltd., Japan and Mr. Takeshi
Ue, President & CEO TBDL, Japan. The views and opinions expressed in this
article are strictly of the author and not of the organization of his Employment
References

1. State-of-the Art Clean Technologies ( SOACT) for Steel making Handbook of Asia
Pacific Partnership on Clean Development & Climate.

2. Mesabi Nugget- The New Age of Iron: by Jaffrey A. Hansen, MNC, Minnesota, USA.

3. Evolution of Ironmaking Technology: by Takuya Negami, Director ( Engg) & Advisor,

Kobe Steel Ltd, Japan.

4. Development of ITmk3 Process: by Hidetoshi Tanaka, Isao Kobayashi, Osam Tsuge,

Shoichi Kikuchi, Koji Tokuda and Shuzo Ito, Kobe Steel Engineering Company, Japan.

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