Reducing PAH emissions from the iron ore sintering process by optimizing its operation parameters

This study set out to reduce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emissions from the iron ore sintering process by optimizing its operation parameters obtained from the Taguchi experimental design. Four operating parameters, including the water content (Wc; range = 6.0-7.0 wt %), suction pressure (Ps; range = 1000-1400 mmH₂O), bed height (Hb; range = 500-600 mm), and type of hearth layer (HL; including sinter, hematite, and limonite) were selected and conducted on a pilot-scale sinter pot to simulate various sintering operating conditions of a real-scale sinter plant. We found that the resultant optimal combination (Wc = 6.5 wt %, Hb = 600 mm, Ps = 1400 mmH₂O, and HL = limonite) could reduce the emission factor of total BaP equivalent concentration (EF_BaPeq) up to 57.6% in comparison with the current operating condition of a real-scale sinter plant (Wc = 6.5 wt %, Hb = 550 mm, Ps = 1200 mmH₂O, and HL = sinter). Through the ANOVA analysis, we found that Ps and Hb were the top two parameters affecting total EF_BaPeq (accounting, respectively, for 70.9% and 21.2% of the total contribution of the four selected parameters). By examining both the sinter productivity and sinter strength, the values obtained from the optimal combination were quite comparable to those of the current operating condition. The above results further confirm the applicability of the obtained optimal combination for the real-scale sinter plant.