Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University (Magnitogorsk, Russia):
A. S. Kharchenko, Dr. Eng., Associate Professor, Head of the Dept. of Metallurgy and Chemical Technologies, e-mail: as.mgtu@mail.ru
S. K. Sibagatullin, Dr. Eng., Professor, Dept. of Metallurgy and Chemical Technologies

Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (Magnitogorsk, Russia):
A. V. Pavlov, Cand. Eng., Head of Blast Furnace Shop
A. A. Polinov, Head of Mining and Processing Division

The main factors affecting the specific consumption of natural gas have been identified. The most significant of them for the existing conditions are the process oxygen consumption, the reactivity of coke (CRI - coke reactivity index) and the hot strength of the coke (CSR - coke strength after reaction). The increase in the specific consumption of natural gas in the shop on average from 106.7 to 135.2 m³/t of pig iron with a replacement equivalent of at least 0.7 kg/m³ was facilitated by an increase in the oxygen content from 26.95 to 27.4 % and an increase in the reactivity of coke from 33.4 to 35.1 %. The technology of loading high-quality sinter from factory No. 5 into blast furnaces of Magnitogorsk Metallurgical Plant (MMK) has been mastered. An increase in the factory’s agglomerate content in the iron ore part of the charge by every 10 % increased the blast furnace productivity by 21.1 t/day while reducing the specific consumption of coke by 2.8 kg/t of pig iron. A local mode for loading flushing materials, depending on the hot strength of coke according to CSR has been developed and implemented.
1. Into the ore ridge zone when coke is supplied with the CSR of more than 40%.
2. Into different zones with the CSR less than 40 %:
– to the axial zone, if the CSR is less than 90 % of the average value for the previous 5 days;
– to the ore ridge zone, if the CSR is more than 110 % of the average value for the previous 5 days;
– evenly over the top section, if the CSR is 90–110 % of the average value for the previous 5 days.

1. Elansky D. G. Carbon-free ferrous metallurgy - ways and their cost. The XVI International Congress of Steel Smelters and Metal Producers. 2021. pp. 51–57.
2. Grigorovich К. V., Semin А. Е. The XIV International Congress of Steel Smelters and Metal Producers «Steel in step with the times». Tyazheloe mashinostroenie. 2017. No. 1-2. pp. 2–5.
3. Torokhov G. V., Travyanov А. Ya., Golubev О. V., Chernousov P. I. Current state and prospects of iron metallurgy. The XVI International Congress of Steel Smelters and Metal Producers. 2021. pp. 357–363.
4. Chayka А. L., Lebed V. V., Kornilov B. V., Moskalina А. А., Karikov S. А. Thermal power analysis of technologies for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and improving energy efficiency of blast furnace production. Stal. 2021. No. 1. pp. 81–84.
5. Bahgat M., Abdel Halim K. S., El-Kelesh H. A., Nasr M. I. Blast furnace operating conditions manipulation for reducing coke consumption and CO₂ emission. Steel Research International. 2012. No. 83, Iss. 7. pp. 686–694.
6. Nedelin S. V. Prospects for the development of ferrous metallurgy, taking into account environmental restrictions. The XVI International Congress of Steel Smelters and Metal Producers. 2021. pp. 38–44.
7. Gribkov А. А., Shevelev L. N., Brodov А. А. The integration of energy-saving technologies in the ferrous metallurgy of Russia is a key factor in the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreements. Metallurg. 2021. No. 2. pp. 4–8.
8. Vitkina G. Yu., Dmitriev А. N., Alektorov R. V. Study of the main metallurgical characteristics of iron ore materials (sinter and pellets). Industrial production and metallurgy. Proceedings of the international scientific and technical conference. 2020. pp. 132–137.
9. Sibagatullin S. K., Kharchenko A. S., Savinov A. S., Gushchin D. N., Mazur I. P. A development of the adaptive technology of sinter production at PJSC MMK. Journal of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy. 2018. No. 53. Iss. 5. pp. 990–994.
10. Dmitriev А. N., Shumakov N. S., Leontyev L. I., Onorin О. P. Foundations of the theory and technology of blast-furnace smelting. Ekaterinburg: Institut metallurgii UrO RAN, 2005. 545 p.
11. Dmitriev А. N. Analytical study of the influence of the quality of titanomagnetite raw materials on blast-furnace smelting indicators. Izvestiya vuzov. Chernaya metallurgiya. 2017. Vol. 60. No. 8. pp. 609–615.
12. Vyaznikova Е. А., Dmitriev А. N., Vitkina G. Yu., Alektorov R. V., Ovchinnikova L. А. Some features of the mineralogical composition of iron ore agglomerates. Prospects for the development of metallurgy and mechanical engineering using completed fundamental research and R&D. 2020. pp. 195–198.
13. Moni S., Pradeep Ch., Meghna M., Dipankar R., Surajit S. et al. Low carbon sinter making: use of inert gas to improve sinter RDI. ISIJ International. 2021. Vol. 61, No. 10. pp. 2501–2506.
14. Bahgat M., Abdel Halim K. S., El-Kelesh H. A., Nasr M. I. Enhancement of wüstite reducibility in blast furnace: Reaction kinetics and morphological changes. Ironmaking and Steelmaking. 2012. No. 39. Iss. 5. pp. 327–335.
15. Sibagatullin S. K., Kharchenko A. S. Devyatchenko L. D. Assessment of nonuniform batch distribution in blast furnace. Steel in Translation. 2018. Vol. 48. No. 10. pp. 624–630.
16. Pykhteeva К. B., Zagaynov S. А., Tleugabulov B. S. Et. al. Analysis of peculiarities of the formation of portions and the outflow of materials from the bell-less top hopper when loading the charge. Stal. 2008. No. 6. pp. 14–19.
17. Vorontsov V. V., Stepanov А. Т. On the distribution of charge materials along the circumference of the blast furnace top. Vestnik Cherepovetskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. 2010. No. 1. pp. 129–133.
18. Jiménez J., Mochón J., Sainz de Ayala J. Mathematical model of gas flow distribution in a scale model of a blast furnace shaft. ISIJ International. 2004. Vol. 44. No. 3. pp. 518–526.
19. Tovarovskiy I. G. Predictive assessment of the influence of charge materials along the radius of the top on the processes and indicators of blast-furnace smelting. Metallurg. 2014. No. 8. pp. 46–52.
20. Huatao Zhao, Minghua Zhu, Ping Du, Seiji Taguchi, Hongchao Wei. Uneven distribution of burden materials at blast furnace top in bell-less top with parallel bunkers. ISIJ International. 2012. Vol. 52. No. 12. pp. 2177–2185.
21. Sibagatullin S. K., Kharchenko A. S., Savchenko G. Yu., Beginyuk V. A. Blast furnace performance improved through optimum radial distribution of materials at the top while changing the charging pattern. CIS Iron and Steel Review. 2018. Vol. 16. pp. 11–15.
22. Onorin О. P., Spirin N. А., Lavrov V. V., Kosachenko I. Е., Rybolovlev V. Yu. Estimation of the shape of the zone of viscoplastic masses of iron ore materials in a blast furnace by the method of mathematical modeling. Izvestiya vuzov. Chernaya metallurgiya. 2013. No. 6. pp. 24–29.
23. Samik N., Ankit G., Sananda P., Dharm Jeet G., Binayak A. Prediction of heap shape in blast furnace burden distribution. ISIJ International. 2014. Vol. 54. No. 7. pp. 1517–1520.
24. Sibagatullin S. K., Kharchenko А. S., Chernov V. P., Beginyuk V. А. Improvement of blast furnace practice due to creation of the conditions for elevation of natural gas consumption via usage of raw materials with increased strength. Chernye Metally. 2017. No 8. pp. 27–33.
25. Tonkikh D. А., Karikov S. А., Tarakanov А. К. et. al. Improvement of loading and blowing modes in blast furnaces of PJSC MC Azovstal. Metallurg. 2013. No. 9. pp. 42–48.
26. Sibagatullin S. K., Kharchenko А. S., Beginyuk V. А., Selivanov V. N., Chernov V. P. Improvement of the blast furnace process by increasing the natural gas consumption in gas dynamics in the heat exchange upper stage. Vestnik Magnitogorskogo gosudarstvennogo tekhnicheskogo universiteta imeni G. I. Nosova. 2017. Vol. 15. No. 1. pp. 37–44.
27. Sibagatullin S. K., Kharchenko А. S., Devyatchenko L. D. Application of Markov chains to analysis of blast furnace performance. Izvestiya vuzov. Chernaya metallurgiya. 2018. Vol. 61. No. 8. pp. 649–656.
28. Jun Ishii, Ryota Murai, Ikuhiro Sumi, Yang Yongxiang, Rob Boom. Gas permeability in cohesive zone in the ironmaking blast furnace. ISIJ International. 2017. Vol. 57. No. 9. pp. 1531–1536.