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The FINMET process reduces ore fines under high pressure in a cascade of fluidised beds using reformed natural gas. The product is a DRI of 91-94% total iron content with carbon adjustable between 0.5-3% which is hot briquetted. Two plants each of 2Mt/y capacity are currently under construction.
FINMET is a recently developed fluidized bed reduction process developed by FIOR de Venezuela and VAI of Austria. It is based on the use of iron ore fines as the feedstock and gas as the reducing agent. The product is hot briquetted iron (HBI). In comparison with other reduction processes which use pellets or lump ores, the charging of lower cost iron ore fines to the FINMET process offers a substantial production cost advantage.
Currently, two FINMET plants are under construction, one at Port Hedland, Australia, and at Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. Upon completion, each of these plants will have a HBI (Hot Briquetted Iron) capacity of more than 2Mt/y.
FIOR de Venezuela, owner of the existing FIOR fine ore reduction plant at Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela since 1976, and VAI entered into joint cooperation in 1991 to develop a new and improved fine ore reduction process, which is now known as FINMET. After initial engineering work and tests carried out on a laboratory scale, pilot plant tests were performed at VAI installations in Linz, Austria. Process and equipment tests were simultaneously carried out at the FIOR plant in Venezuela to verify and optimise operating conditions of the FINMET Process.
A computerised process simulation program was also jointly developed by FIOR and VAI. This tool facilitates the design of new plant, calculates the heat and mass balances and serves as the basis for specifying process equipment. This simulation program is currently being modified to serve as the basis for the FINMET automation system. It can also be used as an operator training tool.
In comparison with the FIOR process, the FINMET process is expected to achieve marked energy savings and improved yield (Table 1).
Other expected improvements, compared with the FIOR process, can be summarised as:
- New reactor design for increased productivity and plant availability;
- New gas generation system for lower gas and electrical energy consumption;
- Development of a new ore preheating and gas recycling...