Summer Mini Project Report

On
A STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOT METAL
SILICON AND SILICA OF SLAG AND COKE ASH
Submitted in Fulfillment of summer project of B.Tech. in Metallurgical
Engineering
RINL VIZAG STEEL PLANT

Under the guidance of

Dr. A.MAJUMDER
Asst. General Manager (QA & TD)

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, HYDERABAD

DEPARTMENT OF METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING, APRIL 2019.
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 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project work entitled “A STUDY ON

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOT METAL SILICON AND SILICA
OF SLAG AND COKE ASH” being submitted in fulfillment of requirements
for the completion of the project based training for summer project in
Visakhapatnam steel plant is a record of bonafide work carried out by them
under my guidance and supervision.

FROM 29-04-2019 TO 25-05-2019

During the above period their conduct and performance was found to be
_________________________.

STUDENTS NAME

GENTE ANJANI

NAGAPOGU BHAVYASUMA

ADUSUMILLI CHANDRA JYOTHI

VEMULA GNANA VEDHA PRASANNA

KARUMURI KEERTHI REDDY

SRIRAMULA KEERTHI SAI

(Dr. A.MAJUMDER) (S. MURALI KRISHNA)

Asst. General Manager (QA & TD) Manager (QA & TD)

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to thank our parents for being with us in every step we
have taken in our life.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our guide Dr.

A.Majumder with his guidance and support, we were able to engage in a broad
range of research activities. He have been a constant source of encouragement
and extremely understanding at all times.

We are indebted to Sri Pratik Bhoyar, Sri Bhaskar Pendekatla, Sri

S.Vamsi, Kumari Usha, for offering us thoughtful advice and guidance.

We are also grateful to S. Murali Krishna, Manager (QA&TD), for his

help in getting us into the project and valuable suggestions.

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 CONTENTS

1. Abstract ………………………………………………………….....06

2. Introduction………………………………………………………....07

3. Theoretical studies………………………………………………….08

3.1 Silica in Raw materials (inputs) of blast furnace………………08

3.2 Silica from the raw materials entering the slag………………..09

3.3 Transfer of silicon to iron from slag-metal reaction in the blast

furnace…………………………………………………………12

3.4 Silicon transfer into molten iron by a gas-metal reaction in the blast

furnace…………………………………………………………15

4. Data analysis……………………………………………………….18

4.1 Balancing inputs and outputs…………………………………..18

5. Results and discussions…………………………………………….20

5.1 Calculation of Regression/Correlation coefficient…………….20

5.2 Furnace 1………………………………………………………21

5.3 Furnace 2………………………………………………………23

5.4 Furnace 3………………………………………………………25

5.5 Assumptions made during Data Analyzing……………………27

6. Factors affecting the variation……………………………………..28

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 6.1 Control measures of Silicon…………………………………...29

6.2 Advantages…………………………………………………30

6.3 Limitations…………………………………………………30

7. Conclusions…………………………………………………….31

8. References……………………………………………………...34

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 1.ABSTRACT

Silicon content in Hot Metal is considered to be one of the major

parameters for the quality of the Hot Metal. This has received greater
momentum in recent years throughout the world especially for the production
of the Quality steel and its further processing to finish product. One of the
Industrial Drawbacks of the Visakhapatnam steel plant Blast Furnaces is to
measure the inconsistent variation of the silicon in the Hot Metal. In this paper
inconsistency is measured by developing an equation for the Silicon in the Hot
Metal and for the Silica in the Slag, Coke Ash through ‘Multiple Regression’.
Though there are other methods like solver, covariance, we chose multiple
regression as the tool. Emphasis is laid on the transfer of Silicon from Slag-
Metal and Gas-Metal reactions to the Hot Metal and their percent of
contribution of Si.

The work was divided into two parts, the first part deals with the
study of transfer of silica from inputs to the slag as silica and then to the Hot
Metal from the slag and coke ash as elemental silicon. The second part deals
with analyzing the data by balancing the silicon in the inputs and outputs.
Multiple regression equations are developed for each furnaces using the same
data.

The Data and equations have shown that, rise in Silicon of hot
Metal is proportionate with the increase in the coke ash percent in input coke
of the Blast furnace.

KEYWORDS: Coke ash, Hot Metal, Inconsistency, Regression, Silicon,

Slag, Variation.

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 2. INTRODUCTION

This Technical paper includes the study of variation of Silica in

Inputs affecting the silicon percent in the Hot Metal of Blast Furnace.

In the era of Modern Steel making many new technologies have been
developed to bring down the level of Silicon in the Hot Metal to the range 0.4-
0.7 %, but the level is no more a problem, the problem is the inconsistency in
variation of the Silicon, that variation is affecting the production rate in the
Blast furnaces. This is the case study we have done for the Visakhapatnam
steel plant Blast furnaces and tried to find a solution for its variation
theoretically along with Mathematical interpretation and data analysis.

Theoretical studies gives an idea about how the silica from inputs
forming the bonds with the flux and entering the slag and also reduction of
silica from the slag and coke ash to reach Hot Metal as the elemental Silicon.

In the Data analysis part we tried to balance Silicon in weights for the
inputs and outputs with the help of the data and developed the equations
individually for each blast furnace with the help of ‘Multiple regression’. In
this paper multiple regression has two independent variables i.e. slag silicon,
coke ash silicon and one dependent variable i.e. Hot Metal silicon. Graphical
representation is made to find out the R squared value by using the above
variables as well as to directly interpret the silicon content in Hot metal with
respect to Coke ash and Slag silicon.

Discussing the factors that leading to the variation is the theoretical

solving to control the variation. The parameters include high temperature,
carbon activity, total gas pressure, hot metal and slag analysis etc.

7
 We have dealt the problem in such a way that just by knowing input
weights and its silica composition, Hot Metal silicon percent can be found
with an approximation and also from the study we observed that controlling
the coke ash percent in the coke is the key way to control the Hot Metal
Silicon.

3. THEORETICAL STUDIES

3.1 SILICA IN RAW MATERIALS (INPUTS) OF BLAST FURNACE:

Silicon compounds present in the Raw Materials of the Blast

Furnace enters the Hot metal of the Blast Furnace as Silicon after a series of
reactions with Carbon in the form of Coke and also with the form of the
dissolved Carbon in the Hot Metal (Reduced Liquid Iron).

The Raw Materials of the Blast Furnace which contain Silicon

compounds are,

1. Sinter
2. Sized Iron Ore lumps
3. Pellets
4. Coke
5. Quartzite

Usually the Raw Materials contain the Silicon as the Stable Oxide
(SiO2). Sized Iron Ore which has been reduced to the considerable size
naturally contains the Silica, whereas the Sinter, Pellets get the Silica from the
Iron Ore Fines added to them. Quartzite is added in the occasional cases where
there is a problem for the fluidity of the slag due to the high melting point
compounds e.g. Al2O3 and also added for the adjustment of the Al2O3/SiO2
ratio.

8
 Coke produced from the Coking coals by Combustion/Carbonization
process have no change in the weight of the ash content present in them and
entire ash content present in the Coking coals enter the Blast Furnace paving
the way to enter the Hot metal. Coke ash has the composition mainly made of
SiO2, Al2O3 and other few percent is made of CaO, MgO, TiO 2, etc.

Silica from the Sinter, Sized Iron Ore, Pellets, Quartzite almost entirely
goes into the Slag of the Blast Furnace and few percent as the flue Dust which
is collected from the top gas of the Blast Furnace. Coke ash partly goes into the
Slag at a higher temperatures near the tuyere region, Flue dust and the
remaining part into the Hot Metal as Silicon.

Hot Metal contains Silicon in the Elemental form obtained from Slag
and Coke ash. Most of the Silicon present comes from the Coke ash through a
series of reactions and only minute amount rise is seen in the Hot Metal silicon
from the Slag-Metal interface reactions.

3.2 SILICA FROM THE RAW MATERIALS ENTERING THE

SLAG

Fundamental studies on liquid slags have been mostly carried out on

binary systems. MO-SiO2, where SiO2 is the acidic oxide and MO is a basic
oxide ( CaO, Na2O, MgO, FeO, etc.). In actual Iron making and Steelmaking
operations, the principal flux addition is CaO in the form of CaO or CaCO 3
with the traditional objective of fluxing acidic oxides such as SiO 2,Al2O3,etc
so as to obtain a liquid slag at a reasonably low temperature (above
approximately 1300° C)

The Below diagram explains about the CaO-Sio2 phase diagram. Low
Liquidus temperatures are obtained around the mid-composition ranges. The
solid state comprises a series of crystalline CaO-SiO2 compounds.

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 Further Lowering of liquidus temperature is possible in a multi-
component slag by suitable additions. Blast furnace is an example, where the
presence of oxides such as MgO, TiO2 in the CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 can result in
lower liquidus temperature. Further:

1. Very low liquidus temperature (minimum 1175°C) is possible in

the FeO-SiO2 system at high FeO contents.
2. Decrease in temperature shrinks the liquid field.

A variety of physicochemical principles measurements have been

carried out on Molten Slags, especially on binary metal silicates over a period
of several decades through X-ray diffraction, electrical conductivity, transport
number, viscosity, density, surface tension and spectroscopic studies. In
addition, some conclusions and dedications have been arrived at on the basis

10
of atomic physics and physical chemistry. As a result, the following general
conclusions have been arrived at

1. The Basic Building block in SiO2 and silicates is the Silicon-Oxygen

tetrahedron with one atom of Si at the center of the tetrahedron to four
oxygen atoms, located at the four corners.
2. In solid pure SiO2 these tetrahedral are linked together by a three-

dimensional crystalline network.

3. Upon melting of pure SiO2, short-range order remains, but long-range
order is destroyed.
4. Oxides are ionic in both solid and liquid states.
5. Molten slags are polymeric ionic melts. The Cations (Ca2+, Na2+, Mg2+,
Mn2+ etc.) are free and mobile whereas anions (SiO4 4- etc.) are less
complex and less mobile
6. Therefore, basic oxides (CaO etc.) are also called Network breakers.
They break the SiO2 network as described in the figure. Based on the
classification the Acidic oxides are the Network formers. With the

11
 addition of more and more Metal Oxide (MO) to SiO2, there is
progressive breakdown of the silica network. Hence, the complex
anions become smaller and smaller in size during the process of
entering the SiO2 (gangue material) into the Slag (upon the addition of
flux).

Simple Structural considerations show that the simplest ion (SiO44- )

only occurs if the mole fraction of MO is greater than or equal to,2/3(i.e. 66.7
mole%). If MO is more than 66.7% then the excess oxygen of MO is expected
to be present as free oxygen ions (O2-)through ionization as

MO  M2+ + O2-

Although stiochiometrically O2- is not expected if the fraction of MO

is less than the 2/3, free O2- will always be present to satisfy reactions of the
type

2(Si2O7)⁶-  (Si4O12)⁸- + 2O²-

3.3 TRANSFER OF SILICON TO IRON FROM SLAG-METAL

REACTON IN THE BLAST FURNACE

The Silica present in the Raw Materials of the Blast Furnace, enter the
slag upon the addition of Dolomite (MgCO3) and Limestone (CaCO3) [fluxes].
Fluxes that are added to the Blast Furnace make the Slag conditioned to accept
the silica from the Raw Materials.

The rate of silicon transfer through slag-metal reaction is rather

sluggish, and strongly dependent upon temperature. The transfer of silicon
between carbon-saturated iron and a blast furnace-type slag, according to the
reaction

(SiO2) + 2C Si + 2 CO (g)

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 Silica present in the Slag reacts with the Coke and forms the
elemental Silicon, that readily dissolves in the Carbon-saturated Iron and also
produces the carbon monoxide gas (reducing gas).

The Practical reduction of Silica is not as simple as shown in the

reaction. NOBUO TSUCHIYA [1] et.al technical paper on “The Transfer of
Silicon from the Gas Phase to Molten Iron in the Blast Furnace” show that
the rate of silicon transfer from the stagnant molten slag into the stagnant iron
bath in the blast furnace hearth is very slow, e.g. the maximum rate at 1600 C
is nsi = 5 × 10-5 moles/min cm 2. Using this value, the maximum silicon transfer
from slag to the molten iron bath was calculated for the case of 400 tons of
molten iron contacting molten slag for 2 hours at 1600 °C in a 10 m diameter
hearth.

The calculated amount of silicon transferred is equivalent to a rise

in Silicon content in a range of 0.02 to 0.03 percent Si. This is more than one
order less than the silicon content of pig iron produced in industrial blast
furnaces, e.g., percent Si = 0.4 to 1.0. The rate of silicon transfer into droplets
of carbon-saturated iron falling through a slag layer, the falling velocity V
(cm/s), of droplets of 0.3 to 0.6 mm diameter through a slag containing 45
CaO, 45 SiO2 and 10 Al203 (wt%) and the rate of silicon transfer Nsi (gms/cm2
s), into iron in terms of the diameter of droplets, d (cm), at 1600 C obtained
by them were as follows,

V = 13.7 d1.8

Nsi = 0.23 x 10-3 d0.45

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 If, in the blast furnace, iron droplets of 10 and 2 mm diameter fall
through a slag layer of 1 m thickness at 1600 C their residence time in the slag
layer would be 7.3 and 132 seconds and the concentrations of silicon in iron
droplets would reach 0.15 and 6.1 % respectively.

These calculations indicate that the rate of silicon transfer from a layer
of slag to a layer of metal is too slow to account for the actual silicon content
obtained in practice in the blast furnace. However, it can be accounted for if
silicon transfers from the slag to iron droplets with average size less than 7 to
8 mm diameter.

Although there is no data on the size distribution of metal droplets

falling through the hearth of the blast furnace, an analysis of available
information on metal droplets and their Silicon content indicates that Silicon
transfer by metal droplets and slag reaction mechanism may not take an
important role. The reasons are as follows:

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 1) The analysis of quenched blast furnaces indicate that main mass
flow of metal in the bosh of the blast furnace is not composed of such small
droplets with an average diameter less than 10 mm, since only larger droplets
are formed from the fused zone.

2) The silicon content of small metal droplets taken from blast

furnace hearth scatters in a wide range and does not always show a nearly
equal value to that of tapped metal.

There are two reasons why small metal droplets may have
relatively low silicon content despite their having a long enough residence
time to approach an equilibrium with the Slag. One is that further reduction of
silica in slag to metal may be limited by the limited availability of carbon in
the metal droplets. This seemed, much more important reason is that the slag
in the hearth of a blast furnace usually contains much more iron oxide than the
equilibrium value for iron nearly saturated with carbon.

This means that at the usual FeO content of slag (0.2 to 0.5
percent FeO), silicon would not be reduced into solution in metal to a silicon
content of about 0.2 percent via Slag-Metal reaction. In order to account for
the usual Si contents of pig iron in the blast furnace (0.4 to 1.0 percent), it
seems necessary to consider an alternative mechanism to slag-metal reaction.

3.4 SILICON TRANSFER INTO MOLTEN IRON BY A GAS-METAL

REACTION IN THE BLAST FURNACE

As mentioned above there should be an alternative mechanism for

the Silicon to enter the Hot Metal other than the Slag-Metal reaction.

Coke that is present in front of the tuyeres combusts when the Hot
Blast air or PCI is sent from the tuyeres into the Blast Furnace. Hot Metal does
not contain any Silicon that is obtained from the Coke until the Hot metal

15
reaches the bottom of the Blast furnace i.e. hearth. At high temperatures, when
the Coke is burnt reducing gases are produced along with Coke ash whose
main constituents are Silica and Alumina.

Silica that is present in the Coke ash gets reduced by reacting with
the Coke and produces the SiO and CO gases. The following reaction
describes it,

(SiO2) + C(s)  SiO (g) + CO (g)

The CO produced in the hearth region also reacts with SiO 2 and
producing the same product i.e. SiO and the reaction is,

(SiO2) + CO (g)  SiO (g) + CO2 (g)

[All the reduction reactions of the Silica and Silicon monoxide gas
occurs and would be favoured at high temperatures]

Below log PO2-T diagram of the Si-O system. The hatched part indicates the
region where SiO is stable with partial pressure of more than 10-3atm.

16
 The SiO generated in above reactions may either be oxidized
back to silica as it travels upward from tuyere region as shown by Arrow I in
the figure, or it can be easily reduced to silicon in iron if it meets liquid iron
containing sufficient carbon (Arrow II).

The further reduction of Silicon Monoxide gas would be with ease

when sufficient dissolved carbon is available in the Hot Metal and the reaction
would be,

SiO (g) + C  Si + CO (g)

This is the important reaction and main cause for the rise in the
dissolved Silicon percent in the Hot Metal. Thus reduced Silicon monoxide
gas i.e. Silicon readily goes into the Hot Metal and the average Silicon
percentage seen in the Hot Metal is seen in the range from 0.4 to 1.0.

17
 4.DATA ANALYSIS

The Important part of any Technical Project is Collecting and

analyzing the data to reach its aim. The Main Aim of this project is to study and
determine the variation of Silica in Raw Materials affecting the variation of
silicon in Hot Metal in the Blast Furnace.

Composition of the Inputs and Outputs is obtained by performing the

Chemical Analysis. Chemical Analysis is performed by taking samples of
required ones. The Equipment that is used for the chemical Analysis are ‘Optical
Emission Spectroscopy’ and ‘X-Ray Fluorescence’.

Optical Emission Spectroscopy gives only elemental analysis of the

sample, whereas XRF also gives the compound analysis in the given sample.

Analyzing the Data using the Excel sheet provided the regression
equation and the R squared value for the given data.

4.1 BALANCING INPUTS AND OUTPUTS

The first step done in data analyzing is balancing the Silicon Content
in the Inputs and Outputs of the Blast Furnace.

INPUTS

The Inputs (containing the silicon) of the Blast Furnace are

1. Sinter
2. Pellets
3. Iron Ore Lumps
4. Coke
5. Quartzite

18
 Usually all the Inputs has silicon in the form of Silica (SiO2). Along
with the composition, weights of the inputs and outputs are also necessary to
calculate the entire amount of Silica in weight.

The product of the input weight and the determined Silica percentage
gives the entire Silica in weights. When the Silica weights is multiplied with
the fraction 2/3, Silicon present in the Silica is obtained (in weights).

As mentioned above, the process is same except for the Coke. To

determine the Silicon in the Coke, Coke ash percentage has to be analyzed in
the coke and then the coke ash has to be analyzed for the composition of the
Silica percentage present. Silica in weights has to be converted to the Silicon
by multiplication with the fraction 2/3, which gives the Silicon in weights.

In this way the Total Input Silicon is measured by the Summation of

the Silicon in the Sinter, Iron Ore Lumps, Pellets, Quartz, Coke.

INPUT SILICON= SILICON OF (SINTER+IOL+PELLETS+QUARTZ+COKE ASH)

OUTPUTS

The Outputs of the Blast Furnace are

1. Hot Metal
2. Slag
3. Flue Dust

By the analysis the elemental silicon percent present in the Hot

Metal is already known and it is converted into weight for ease. The Slag
analysis gives the SiO2 percent and gives the Silicon in weights. The Flue
Dust composition is also analyzed using the chemical analysis procedures.

19
 Slag isSILICON=
OUTPUT considered as lossOF
SILICON i.e.(HOT
Flue Dust.
METAL +SLAG+ FLUE DUST)

5.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

5.1CALCULATION OF REGRESSION/CORRELATION
COEFFICIENT:

Mathematical Interpretation is used for the calculating the dependence

of variance of Silica in the Raw Materials affecting the variance in the outputs.

Regression is particularly selected for the calculation of the variance

because it measures the dependence of a dependent variable on the independent
variables.

For the Data that has to be analyzed for regression has two independent
variables they are Slag Si and Coke ash Si, so Multiple Regression is used.
ANOVA (Analysis Of Variation) test is used for the data analysis in the Multiple
regression.

For the Multiple Regression data, R squared value has less importance
because of insignificant increase in its value just because of increase in the
number of variables. Instead Adjusted R squared value is used for more precision
of the dependent variable variance on independent variables. Adjusted R squared
value shows the regression only for those variables which has true dependence
on the variance.

A Graphical representation is made between Observed Values and

Fitted/Predicted values to check the R squared value and also to check the
linearity between the predicted values and the experimentally found values. The
variables which has deviation greater than the freedom of risk those points go

20
away from the linear line and for the variables which has minimum deviation or
less deviation they stay on the line or nearer to it.

The points which are located away from the linear line usually decrease
the R squared and Adjusted R squared value. The points which stay closer to the
linear line increase the R squared value or Adjusted R squared value and they
have strong effect on the variance, so do on the R squared value.

Confidence level of 95% is used for all the calculations of the

regression/correlation coefficient (Allowing the risk/deviation of ±5%)

5.2 FURNACE 1

For Furnace 1, the data had been collected and analyzed in the above
mentioned way and Regression/Correlation Coefficient is calculated.

 The Regression equation for the Furnace 1 is

Y=123.899-0.424X1+0.159X2………………..EQUATION 1

Y = Hot Metal Silicon

X1 = Slag Silicon

X2 = Coke ash Silicon

 REGRESSION STATISTICS/SUMMARY OUTPUT

Multiple R = 0.69
R square = 0.47
Adjusted R square = 0.43

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 Since there are two independent variables, we take only Adjusted
R squared value into consideration, the dependency of the Hot Metal
Silicon on the Slag and Coke ash silicon is of 43% of furnace 1.
 Observed values versus Fitted values for rechecking the linearity of the
data

HOT METAL y = 0.0778x + 40.733

R² = 0.456
47

46

45

44
hm
43
Linear (hm)
42

41

40
23 33 43 53 63 73

 Variation of Silicon in Hot Metal, Slag, Coke as

VARAINCE OF SILICON IN HOTMETAL- FURNACE 1

310

260

210

160

110

60

10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

hm slag coke ash

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 5.3 FURNACE 2

For Furnace 2, the data has been collected and analyzed in the above
mentioned way and Regression/Correlation Coefficient is calculated.

 The Regression equation for the Furnace 2 is

Y=-26.598-0.013X1+0.646X2……….. EQUATION 2

Y= Hot metal Silicon

X1=Slag silicon
X2=Coke Ash Silicon

 REGRESSION STATISTICS/SUMMARY OUTPUT

Multiple R =0.79

R square =0.62

Adjusted R square =0.58

Since there are two independent variables, we take only Adjusted R

squared value into consideration, the dependency of the Hot Metal Silicon on
the Slag and Coke ash silicon is of 58 % for Furnace 2.

23
 Observed values versus Fitted values for rechecking the linearity of the
data

hm y = 0.1619x + 29.518
R² = 0.6169
39

37

35

33
hm
31 Linear (hm)

29

27

25
20 25 30 35 40 45 50

 Variation of Silicon in Hot Metal, Slag, Coke ash.

VARIANCE OF SILICON IN HOT METAL-FURNACE 2

310

260

210

160

110

60

10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

hm slag coke ash

24
 5.4 FURNACE 3

For Furnace 3, the data has been collected and analyzed in the above
mentioned way and Regression/Correlation Coefficient is calculated.

 The Regression equation for the Furnace3

Y=-13.497+0.098X1+0.171X2……….EQUATION 3

Where
Y = Hot Metal Si
X1= Total slag Si
X2 = Coke ash Silicon

 REGRESSION STATISTICS/SUMMARY OUTPUT

Multiple R =0.81

R square =0.65

Adjusted R square =0.647

Since there are two independent variables, we take only Adjusted

R squared value into consideration, the dependency of the Hot Metal
Silicon on the Slag and Coke ash silicon is of 64.7 % for Furnace 3.

25
 Observed values versus Fitted values for rechecking the linearity of the
data.

50
HM

45

40
y = 0.2574x + 31.32
R² = 0.6476
35
HM
Linear (HM)
30

25

20
20 30 40 50 60

 Variation of Silicon in Hot Metal, Slag, Coke ash

VARIANCE OF SILICON IN HOT METAL-FURNACE 3

460

410

360

310

260

210

160

110

60

10
1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 52 55 58 61 64 67 70 73 76 79 82 85 88 91
HM slag coke ash

26
 5.5 ASSUMPTIONS IN DATA ANALYZING:

For all the Blast furnaces ‘Annual Data Analysis is done’. Assumptions made
during the analyzing the data is

1. For the ease of developing the equation with the deviation only ± 5% in
the output value, only Blast Furnaces with fully production is
considered.
2. In balancing the equation of silicon in inputs and outputs, the silicon
loss out of the blast furnace is only considered to be the flue dust.

27
 6.FACTORS AFFECTING THE SILICON VARIATION IN
OUTPUTS
 Most significant variable affecting hot metal silicon was Hot Metal
temperature.
 When the Iron is carbon saturated, the extent of this reaction is limited
by the amount of generated SiO gas, so the partial pressure of SiO has
an effect on the adsorption of Si.

SiO (g) +C  Si +CO (g)

 The temperature affects the adsorption of Si into iron in a way that

increasing temperature increases the extent of above reaction.
 The reaction time is one of the most important factor that affect the rate
of adsorption.
 Therefore, longer time gives the less productivity (Iron droplets) and
shorter time gives the high productivity (low Si in hot metal).
 The size of iron droplets affects the diffusion distance as well as surface
area reaction.

Thermodynamics for reactions including silicon

The parameters that affect the equilibrium silicon content mainly are:

 Temperature
 Total gas pressure
 Carbon activity
 Hot metal and slag analysis

TEMPERATURE:

As temperature increases, the higher equilibrium ratio between silicon

in hot metal and silicon in slag is attained.

28
TOTAL GAS PRESSURE:

In many cases the total gas pressure (CO partial gas pressure) increases
with increase in temperatures (due to larger gas volumes). So the silicon
content in hot metal increases due to higher temperatures.

CARBON ACTIVITY:

The equilibrium ratio between silicon in hot metal and silicon in slag
increases with increase in carbon activity. At significant temperatures between
1600°C and 1800°C the carbon activity is high so that SiC may form.

HOT METAL AND SLAG ANALYSIS:

Affects the activity of silicon in the system through the concentration of

silicon in respective phase as well as through interaction phenomenon with
other species.

6.1 CONTROL MEASURES OF SILICON

 Decrease in the coke rate will be helpful in improving the performance

of a blast furnace.
 Silica input into blast furnace needs control by suppression of SiO
generating, by decreasing activity of SiO2 in slag.
 Consistency in input quality of BF burden materials e.g. sinter, iron
ore, coke, LD slag etc.
 Optimum control of heat input to blast furnace.
 Stable hearth condition.
 Optimization of slag chemistry, blowing practice, stock level, control
of hanging and scaffolding.
 RAFT has great role to play for silicon control in hot metal.
 Ore materials with small amount of silicon, characterized by higher
temperatures of melting, favor the lowering of cohesive zone in the
29
 blast furnace and consequently reduces the silicon content in the pig
iron.

6.2 ADVANTAGES

1. High silicon pig iron is required in the acid steel making processes to
make relatively acid slag to ensure longer life of the refractory lining.
2. Silica is very stable oxide, hence one silicon is oxidized to SiO2, the
danger of its reversion does not arise.
3. Oxidation of silicon is an exothermic reaction and provides some of the
heat necessary for rise of temperature of the bath during blowing.
4. The activity coefficient of oxygen decreases and that of silicon
increases with increasing silicon content in iron.

6.3 LIMITATIONS

1. In case of high silicon entering the basic steel making furnace double
slag practice has to be adopted.
2. Due to higher temperatures at the hearth region the volume of SiO
increases, thus the silicon content increases in the metal.
3. Increase of silicon content in hot metal, decreases its quality.
4. As silica content is high, slag volume increases it results in less
production.

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 7.0 CONCLUSION

1. The rise in the Hot Metal silicon is directly proportional to the increase
in the coke ash percent in the coke and its major determining factor for
Si in Hot Metal.
2. The Regression equation for the Furnace 1 is

Y=123.899-0.424X1+0.159X2

Y = Hot Metal Silicon

X1 = Slag Silicon

X2 = Coke ash Silicon

REGRESSION STATISTICS/SUMMARY OUTPUT

Multiple R = 0.69
R square = 0.47
Adjusted R square = 0.43
Since there are two independent variables, we take only Adjusted
R squared value into consideration, the dependency of the Hot Metal
Silicon on the Slag and Coke ash silicon is of 43%.
3. The Regression equation for the Furnace 2 is

Y=-26.6-0.013X1+0.65X2

Y = Hot Metal Silicon

X1 = Slag Silicon

X2 = Coke ash Silicon

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 REGRESSION STATISTICS/SUMMARY OUTPUT
Multiple R = 0.79
R square = 0.62
Adjusted R square = 0.58
Since there are two independent variables, we take only Adjusted
R squared value into consideration, the dependency of the Hot Metal
Silicon on the Slag and Coke ash silicon is of 58% of furnace 2.
4. The Regression equation for the Furnace 1 is

Y=-13.5-0.098X1+0.17X2

Y = Hot Metal Silicon

X1 = Slag Silicon

X2 = Coke ash Silicon

 REGRESSION STATISTICS/SUMMARY OUTPUT

Multiple R = 0.81
R square = 0.65
Adjusted R square = 0.647
Since there are two independent variables, we take only Adjusted
R squared value into consideration, the dependency of the Hot Metal
Silicon on the Slag and Coke ash silicon is of 64.7% of furnace 3.
5. 100% dependency of Si in hot metal on Slag and coke ash silica is not
shown because there are other factors like high temperature, activity of
carbon etc. which had not been included in the study.
6. Though high Regression values are achieved through polynomial
equations due to lack of time, we concluded the relationship of Hot

32
 Metal silicon and silica of coke ash, slag with Linear equations of
regression.
7. With equations we have developed, Hot Metal Si is directly known
(with an approximation) just by knowing the inputs weights and its
composition.

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 8.0 REFERENCES:

1. NOBUO TSUCHIYA, MASANORI TOKUDA AND MASAYASU

OHTANI-The Transfer of silicon from the gas phase to molten iron in
the Blast Furnace.
2. JOEL GUSTAVSSON – Reactions in the lower part of the Blast
Furnace with focus on the silicon.
3. A.L. KUNDU, S.C. PRASAD, H.S. PRAKASH AND M.PRASAD-
SAIL, Rourkela Steel plant- Strategies for the production of the low
silicon and low sulfur Hot Metal at Rourkela Steel Plant.
4. TUPKARY R.H. and TUPKARY V.R. , - Introduction to Modern steel
making.
5. ANIL K. BISWAS, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia-
Principles of Blast Furnace Iron making.
6. SIDNEY H.AVNER, Professor New York city community college,
University of New York- Introduction to physical Metallurgy.

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