Bell-less rotary charging unit – A perfect burden loading technology

A performance record is given of blast furnaces at JSPL (BF-2) steel plant (Jindal, India) that were equipped for the first time in the world with bell-less charging apparatuses with the rotary burden distributors (BRCU). The peculiarity of the rotary principle of stock distribution in the furnace lies in the fact that burden is stacked in the furnace top in a soft and multilayer manner. Due to that, a high grade of circular uniformity is achieved and, at the same time, of the averaging of each batch of material under charging. More than two years experience of BRCU performance on BF-2 at JSPL (India) has corroborated the benefits of the apparatus as compared with the chute-type charging machines. The practice of using BRCU has shown that the summary rate of fuel consumption is lower by 5.07–6.29% and specific productivity higher by 4.22–6.75% as compared with the performance indices of chargers with chutes. It is established that the efficiency of rotary chargers would grow simultaneously with the increase in blast furnace volumes. A simulating model is developed, enabling us to analyze and optimize the burden charging process, as carried out with the help of BRCU.