Kemira has developed a series of KemPel™ synthetic organic binders for iron-ore pelletization. The technical and commercial benefits of this technology were presented in August to the Advanced Sustainable Iron & Steel Making Center (ASISC) conference at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan.
Laboratory data and statistical modeling were used to demonstrate that KemPel organic binders can be used as an alternative to or in conjunction with bentonite in the pelletization process. Bentonite has several disadvantages that include, but are not necessarily limited to, high levels of silica.
It was shown that the benefits of KemPel-and-bentonite binder systems include the flexibility to control chemical properties of the pellets such as silica content and physical properties like Drop Number and Porosity. It was also demonstrated that a significantly reduced bentonite dosage could be achieved. Mika Martikainen, senior research scientist with Kemira, points out: "Our research has shown that with an optimized, tailor-made organic binder, the total cost of use can be improved without a loss of pellet quality."
Kemira is working globally in cooperation with leading pellet producers, industry co-suppliers, and research centers to accelerate the introduction of our KemPel technology into commercial pelletization processes around the world.
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