Compositions and methods for improvement of blast furnace production

Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for forming ore particle agglomerates. The agglomerates can be formed by adding a binder composition to raw materials to create a mixture, and forming the mixture into agglomerates, such as by mixing or stirring the mixture. The binder composition improves the size and consistency of the formed agglomerates. The binder composition can include various components, such as modified starch, a metal salt, a dispersant, a surfactant, or any combination thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for preparing an ore particle agglomerate, comprising:
 adding a binder composition to a raw material to create a mixture, and   forming the ore particle agglomerate from the mixture,   
       wherein the binder composition comprises a modified starch and optionally a dispersant, a metal salt, a surfactant, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising mixing the binder composition and the raw material. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising adding the binder composition to the raw material at a location selected from the group consisting of in a mixing drum, in a pre-mixer, at a discharge point of a mixing drum, at a discharge point of a pre-mixer, prior to a sintering machine, prior to a blast furnace, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising spraying the binder composition onto the raw material. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising adding water to the raw material. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising heating the ore particle agglomerate to a temperature of about 60° C. to about 1,200° C. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the raw material comprises a member selected from the group consisting of iron, coke, mill scale, blast furnace sludge, taconite, magnetite, hematite, limonite, goethite, siderite, franklinite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, chromite, ilmenite, chrome, copper, nickel, zinc, lead, uranium, barium, phosphate rock, talc, dolomite, limestone, potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, double sulfate of potassium and magnesium, magnesium oxide, calcium phosphate, carbon black, coal, calcite, quartz, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising adding from about 100 grams to about 1,000 grams of the modified starch, the dispersant, the metal salt, and/or the surfactant to the raw material. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl ether carboxylate, an alkyl sulfate, an alkyl ether sulfate, an alkylbenzene sulfonate, a dialkyl sulfosuccinate, an alkyl phosphate, an ethoxylated linear alcohol, an ethoxylated alkyl phenol, a fatty acid ester, a fatty acid alcohol, an alkylpolyglucoside, an ethylene oxide/propylene oxide copolymer, a polyalcohol, an ethoxylated polyalcohol, a thiol, a fatty acid ethoxylate, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the modified starch is cationic, polycationic, and/or amphoteric with a net positive charge. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the modified starch comprises 2-hydroxy-3-(dimethylamino) propyl ether methyl chloride quaternary salt. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the dispersant is selected from the group consisting of a polyacrylate, a polycarboxylate, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, polyacetic acid, polylactic acid, polymaleic acid, polysulfonic acid, a salt of any of the foregoing, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A process for preparing an ore particle agglomerate, comprising:
 adding a binder composition to a raw material to create a mixture, and   forming the ore particle agglomerate from the mixture,   
       wherein the binder composition comprises a metal salt and/or a dispersant, and optionally a modified starch, a surfactant, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , further comprising adding the binder composition to the raw material at a location selected from the group consisting of in a mixing drum, in a pre-mixer, at a discharge point of a mixing drum, at a discharge point of a pre-mixer, prior to a sintering machine, prior to a blast furnace, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the raw material comprises a member selected from the group consisting of iron, coke, mill scale, blast furnace sludge, taconite, magnetite, hematite, limonite, goethite, siderite, franklinite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, chromite, ilmenite, chrome, copper, nickel, zinc, lead, uranium, barium, phosphate rock, talc, dolomite, limestone, potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, double sulfate of potassium and magnesium, magnesium oxide, calcium phosphate, carbon black, coal, calcite, quartz, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the dispersant is selected from the group consisting of a polyacrylate, a polycarboxylate, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, polyacetic acid, polylactic acid, polymaleic acid, polysulfonic acid, a salt of any of the foregoing, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . An ore particle agglomerate, comprising:
 a binder composition and ore particles, wherein the binder composition comprises a modified starch, a dispersant, a metal salt, a surfactant, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         18 . The ore particle agglomerate of  claim 17 , further comprising water. 
     
     
         19 . The ore particle agglomerate of  claim 17 , wherein the ore particles comprise a member selected from the group consisting of iron, coke, mill scale, blast furnace sludge, taconite, magnetite, hematite, limonite, goethite, siderite, franklinite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, chromite, ilmenite, chrome, copper, nickel, zinc, lead, uranium, borium, phosphate rock, talc, dolomite, limestone, potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, double sulfate of potassium and magnesium, magnesium oxide, calcium phosphate, carbon black, coal, calcite, quartz, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The ore particle agglomerate of  claim 17 , wherein the modified starch comprises 2-hydroxy-3-(dimethylamino) propyl ether methyl chloride quaternary salt.