The Mechanism of the Effect of Al2O3 Content on the Liquid Phase Fluidity of Iron Ore Fines

The sintering process is significantly important for the ironmaking in China because of the large amount of sinter consumed. Al2O3 is an important element determining the quality and quantity of sinter. However, different conclusions have been made regarding the effects of Al2O3 on the amount and fluidity of the liquid phase formed in the sinter phase. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the effects of Al2O3 content on the amount and fluidity of the liquid phase. The present work investigated the effects of different Al2O3 contents of iron ore fines on the liquid phase formation, mineral composition, and consolidation strength. The results showed that a small amount of Al2O3 increased the amount of calcium ferrite, making the liquid phase formation easier. As the Al2O3 content in iron ore fines increased, the liquidity index decreased continuously, while the fluidity and the consolidation strength of the sintered body were directly related to the content squared. The quality of the sinter is optimal when the Al2O3 content of the iron ore fines is about 2 wt % (the SiO2 content is 4 wt %).