Experimental study of different feed patterns on the particle and gas pressure distributions in the layer of a sinter ore cooling shaft kiln

Sinter ore is the main material for ironmaking, but the waste heat from sintering process lacks effective utilization. There are shortcomings such as poor airtightness and low-grade energy in ring coolers, which is gradually replaced by cooling shaft kilns. However, limited by the high temperature, size range, fixed feed tubes, thus leading to the cooling shaft kiln of the particle distribution is not uniform, thereby changing the gas pressure distribution, ultimately leading to uneven heat transfer efficiency. In this paper, a cold experimental platform is constructed in equal proportions, utilizing pressure measurement and grid sampling to analyze the material layer, and comparing feed patterns. The results show that increasing the gas velocity does not help to change the uniformity of gas pressure distribution, and the center feed patterns have the greatest improvement on the uniformity of particle distribution, the gas pressure distribution and gas pressure drop changes are more uniform. [Display omitted] •Experimental platform for sinter ore cooling shaft kiln according proportions.•Use real sinter ore particles to reproduce the particle distributions.•Particle distribution sampling using the grid method.•Gas pressure measurement by hollow tubes.•Optimisation for high temperature particle feeding process.