Iron ore pellets are small balls made by combining iron ore with other materials, such as clay or limestone, and then pelletizing them. They are used in blast furnaces to create iron products and are more efficient than fine iron ore due to their ability to achieve temperature equilibrium. The use of iron ore pellets has increased over time, resulting in higher quality iron products.
Iron ore pellets are tiny balls or pellets that are built by combining iron ore with other products to create materials that are easy to transport. The range of additional ingredients used in the pellets will vary, although it is not unusual for each pellet to contain some type of clay or limestone as well as elements such as dolostone and olivine as part of the blend. Bentonite is also sometimes added as a binder for iron ore pellets, allowing the product to remain stable during transportation and storage.
As the name suggests, iron ore pellets are small pellets that bear some resemblance to small chunks of rock. The granules may be somewhat round or formed into an elongated shape resembling a very small piece of tubing. Creating the pellets involves a process known as pelletizing and requires combining the iron ore with other ingredients in machines called pelletizers. The machines help shape the raw material into small more or less rounded pieces. From there, the pieces are placed in a kiln and cooked until firm and solid.
One of the more common uses for iron ore pellets has to do with creating iron products using a blast furnace. Due to the shape of the granules, they can be placed in the oven and allow a fair amount of hot air to pass in and around each of the spheres. The process is considered more efficient than using iron ore powder, which does not allow hot air to circulate freely and heat the ore to a uniform temperature. For this reason, pellets are often preferable to fine iron ore products, as the ability to achieve that temperature equilibrium is somewhat limited with fine iron ore products.
The use of iron ore pellets has increased over time. Previously, iron ore was worked into chunks that were roughly the size of a regular lump of coal. Because pellets can be fed into a blasting process and more efficiently achieve the desired result, it is not unusual for iron ore in this form to be used in a wide number of applications, including the creation of what is known as sponge iron. Along with ease of use, this approach facilitates the extraction of impurities from the iron ore, resulting in a higher quality iron product for use in the creation of a wide range of products.
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