Abstract
This research report describes the influence of the reducing atmosphere of oxygen blast furnace (OBF) and traditional blast furnace (TBF) on the softening and melting behaviour of lump and lump-sinter mixed burdens assessed by using the softening and melting test. The results reveal that in the OBF atmosphere, the softening and melting properties of lump ore is improved compared with that of the TBF, since the development of reduction degree increased the quantity of the iron phase in the burden particle, and decreased the quantity of slag phase with low melting temperature. In addition, the analysis on the microstructure of burden particles revealed that the interaction effect also occurred at the interface between lump and sinter particles in OBF case. Meanwhile, the scanning electron microscope images shows that the interface is still distinguishable when the samples of OBF case reached 60% contraction ratio (1379°C), whereas in the case of TBF, the interface almost disappeared above 40% contraction, and became completely undistinguishable at 60% contraction ratio (1290°C). This illustrates that, under the OBF condition, the starting temperature of interaction is raised, and the effect intensity is weakened.
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