इंटरनेट मानक Disclosure to Promote the Right To Information Whereas the Parliament of India has set out to provide a practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, and whereas the attached publication of the Bureau of Indian Standards is of particular interest to the public, particularly disadvantaged communities and those engaged in the pursuit of education and knowledge, the attached public safety standard is made available to promote the timely dissemination of this information in an accurate manner to the public. “जान1 का अ+धकार, जी1 का अ+धकार” “प0रा1 को छोड न’ 5 तरफ” Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan Jawaharlal Nehru “The Right to Information, The Right to Live” “Step Out From the Old to the New” IS 10852 (2012): Storage and Transportation of Sponge iron, Direct Reduced (DRI) and Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) – Guidelines [MTD 30: Sponge Iron and Smelting Reduction] “!ान $ एक न’ भारत का +नम-ण” Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda ““IInnvveenntt aa NNeeww IInnddiiaa UUssiinngg KKnnoowwlleeddggee”” “!ान एक ऐसा खजाना > जो कभी च0राया नहB जा सकता हहहहै””ै” Bhartṛhari—Nītiśatakam “Knowledge is such a treasure which cannot be stolen” IS 10852: 2012 Hkkjrh; ekud Liap ykSgk] izR;{k vipf;r ykSgk ¼Mh vkj vkbZ½ ,oa rIr bf"VdkÑr ykSgs ¼,p ch vkbZ½ dk HkaMkj.k ,oa ifjogu ds fy;s ekxZn'khZ fl)kar ¼ igyk iqujh{k.k ½ Indian Standard STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION OF SPONGE IRON, DIRECT REDUCED (DRI) AND HOT BRIQUETTED IRON (HBI) — GUIDELINES ( First Revision ) ICS 73.060.10 © BIS 2012 B U R E A U O F I N D I A N S T A N D A R D S MANAK BHAVAN, 9 BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG NEW DELHI 110002 September 2012 Price Group 2 Sponge Iron and Smelting Reduction Sectional Committee, MTD 30 FOREWORD This Indian Standard (First Revision) was adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards, after the draft finalized by the Sponge Iron and Smelting Reduction Sectional Committee had been approved by the Metallurgical Engineering Division Council. Sponge iron/DRI has gained great prominence in India as a substitute of steel scrap (partially or fully) in steel making in electric arc furnace and induction furnace. Since, sponge iron has a tendency to re-oxidize and is a non-equilibrium product, care has to be taken to prevent it from returning to its equilibrium state, during its storage and transportation. It was, therefore, felt necessary to formulate this standard to facilitate the producer and the consumer to follow certain guidelines to take necessary preventive measures during handling, storage and transportation of sponge iron. Sponge iron has a tendency to re-oxidize, if heated in the presence of oxygen to its ignition temperature of approximately 200°C or if it comes in contact with moisture or moist air. This is because of the high specific surface area of sponge iron and its state of non-equilibrium after oxygen is removed from iron oxide. The specific surface area is a function of the process operating temperature. Solid reductant based direct reduced (DR) processes normally operate at a temperature of around 9503-1 050°C resulting in larger particle size and hence lower specific surface area offering a better resistance to re-oxidation. The resistance to re-oxidation is also increased because the surface pores are partially closed. In gaseous reductant based DR processes, due to counter-current solid-gas flow and relatively lower operating temperatures of 850-980°C, the product is relatively less stable. Besides passivation, an uncommon practice now-a-days, to prevent re-oxidation, hot briquetting of DRI is widely resorted to. However, this is not essential particularly when steel making unit is close to the sponge iron making unit and sponge iron is consumed within a short period of time. In this situation, in order to utilize the sensible heat of DRI for power savings in steel making operations, sometimes transport of hot DRI (HDRI) in especially designed sealed containers under inert atmosphere, through pneumatic means, by direct gravity feed to electric arc furnace or through sealed mechanical conveyor is practiced in many different plants. Hot DRI at a temperature of 650-700°C in the form of reduced pellets, lumps or fines is passed through hot briquetting machines where it is pressed in between the rolls at extremely high pressure to produce highly compacted pillow shaped material (Size, length: 90-30 mm, width 80-100 mm and thickness 20-50 mm), called hot briquetted iron (HBI). HBI is a denser form of DRI with substantial increase in density, owing to closure of major voids. Because of the considerably reduced surface area, the product becomes much more stable and safe for long distance transportation by road and sea. This standard was first published in 1984. While reviewing this standard, in the light of the experience gained during these years, it was decided by this Committee to revise this standard with the following main modifications: a) Title of the standard has been changed to incorporate hot briquetted iron (HBI). b) Treatment of air passivation has been incorporated before loading in ship. c) Special precautions for transportation of sponge iron produced by gaseous reductant based DR processes in sea-going vessels have been modified to incorporate the existing practice followed in the country and the world. In this standard, assistance has been derived from ‘Code of Safe Practice for Solid Bulk Cargoes (BC Code), 1998 edition’, issued by International Meritime Organization, London (IMO). IS 10852 : 2012 Indian Standard STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION OF SPONGE IRON, DIRECT REDUCED (DRI) AND HOT BRIQUETTED IRON (HBI) — GUIDELINES ( First Revision ) 1 SCOPE a) Sponge iron should be loaded dry and it should be below a temperature of 65°C. The This standard provides the guidelines for storage and bin temperature should be monitored transportation of sponge iron, DRI and HBI. regularly (at least once every day). 2 STORAGE b) Efforts should be made to avoid fines generation during loading into the bin and in 2.1 Storage Pile order to prevent any material segregation and stagnation. Discharge should be smooth and Following guidelines should be followed for storage even. of sponge iron in a storage pile for longer duration. c) Water intake to the bin should be avoided. 2.1.1 The temperature of sponge iron should always d) The bin should be divided into segments to be maintained below 65°C. Individual heap permit discharge from any compartment in temperatures should be closely monitored at least once case of eventual re-oxidation by accidental a day by inserting thermocouple probes with intake of hot material. temperature gauges as close to the centre of the heap e) Facilities for nitrogen/CO purging should be as possible. 2 available in case the bin temperature shows 2.1.2 Material should be kept in a dry state avoiding an increasing tendency. direct contact with water at all times. 3 TRANSPORTATION OF SPONGE IRON 2.1.3 Storage at all points should preferably be under 3.1 The following aspects should be considered during cover (providing adequate ventilation) to protect from transportation of sponge iron: rain. The storage building should be designed in such a way that water entry from the sides is avoided. a) Material should be loaded dry and it should Sidewalls may not be required, if direct contact with be below a temperature of 65°C. Loading water can be avoided but for complete protection, these during rain should be avoided. If loading is may be necessary. done in an open area, direct contact with water should be avoided at all costs. 2.1.4 The storage area should be paved and levelled for a quick access, so that material can be isolated in b) Sponge iron (DRI), prior to shipping in case of accidental re-oxidation resulting in ignition. A commercial vessels, should be stored in small minimum of outward slope (at least one in fifty) is heaps of approximately 50-100 t on a dry required to allow water to drain out in case water concrete surface for 3 to 4 days in order to accidentally enters the building. undergo air passivation. Thereafter, smaller heaps are to be accumulated into larger heaps 2.1.5 Separation walls should be installed to divide the of approx. 1000-2000 t on the ground for at product in lots of about 2 000 t to avoid the possibility least 24 h prior to loading for temperature of re-oxidation and spontaneous combustion of the monitoring (at least once every 4 h) to prevent entire lot in the eventuality of a hot material finding its any eventual re-oxidation. If during this way into the pile. Ideally, the heap size should be period, the temperature rises beyond 65°C, maintained as small as practicable (say 100t ) with the material should not be loaded into the the largest possible extent of spreading (heap height vessel. 1.5m, Max). c) Sponge iron, if transported by sea, should be loaded in holds which are water-tight, clean 2.2 Storage in a Bin and dry. The vessels should have deck The following points should be followed while storing ventilators to vent out any small quantity of the sponge iron in a storage bin: hydrogen generated. The vessel should have 1 IS 10852 : 2012 nitrogen purging devices and sampling probe protected from exposure to rain or else loading installed on each cargo hold to facilitate should be stopped and hatches covered, purging and measurement of oxygen and Sponge iron which has been exposed to hydrogen concentration during purging as well wetting should not be loaded. as during voyage. Thermocouples with f) The ship should be equipped with systems for extended wiring should be installed in each continuous monitoring of the temperature, and cargo hold to facilitate continuous temperature of oxygen and hydrogen concentrations during measurement and an alarm in case of material the voyage. re-oxidation and overheating, due to g) The ship should be fitted with means of accidental external causes during the voyage. introducing inert gas immediately after d) When sponge iron is transported by trucks, it completion of loading and be capable of is necessary to protect the material from maintaining an inert atmosphere during the coming into contact with water by using voyage. The amount of inert gas introduced tarpaulin covers, which should not fly off should be such as to keep oxygen during the journey. concentration below 5 percent by volume. The e) When sponge iron is transported by rail, hydrogen concentration should also be closed wagons should be used. maintained below 1 percent by volume. The preferred inert gas is nitrogen, but if this is not CAUTION — After transportation by any of the modes mentioned above, storage should be in accordance with the available, carbon dioxide may also be used. guidelines enumerated above. In all handling of sponge iron, h) If monitoring of hydrogen/oxygen or it has to be remembered that it is a non-equilibrium product temperature during the voyage shows a and great care has to be taken to prevent it from returning to its equilibrium state. Direct contact with water and hot continuous increase in hydrogen and/or rise materials has to be avoided at all costs. in temperature, fire eruption situation may develop. In such cases, the ship should move 4 SUGGESTED SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS TO BE for the nearest suitable port. Neither water, TAKEN FOR TRANSPORTATION OF SPONGE steam or additional carbon dioxide should be IRON, DIRECT REDUCED IRON (DRI)/HOT used at this stage to counteract the fire as a BRIQUETTED IRON (HBI) PRODUCED BY reaction with the cargo may result. If, however, GASEOUS REDUCTANT BASED DIRECT nitrogen gas is available, the use of this gas REDUCTION PROCESSES IN SEA VESSELS shall keep the oxygen concentration down and The following special precautions are suggested for will restrict the fire. the transportation of sponge iron produced by j) Only certified safe electrical equipment and gaseous reductant based DR processes in sea-going associated wiring should be installed in any vessels: cargo space or adjacent closed spaces or deck a) A competent person should certify to the ship’s houses where flammable gases may master that the sponge iron loaded is stable accumulate. In such spaces, through runs of and suitable for shipment. cables should be mechanically protected, have no joints and be of a type approved in oil b) Sponge iron fines (under 3 mm) in the bulk tankers or be enclosed in heavy gauge screen should not exceed 5 percent at the time of steel conduits. loading. k) Holds containing sponge iron may become c) Sponge iron should not be loaded if the oxygen depleted and all due caution shall be product temperature is greater than 65°C, exercised upon entering such compartments. Further, it should be loaded, stored and transported under dry conditions. m) During discharge, the sponge iron should be kept dry. d) If water enters the hold, hydrogen is likely to be evolved with the generation of heat. This n) Any dust accumulated on decks or elsewhere may be sufficient to cause ignition. Hence, during loading or discharge should be washed prior to loading, all holds should be off as soon as possible to prevent adhesion completely clean, dry and watertight. Bilges since the dust is aggressive to painted steel. should be sift proof and kept dry during the p) Radar, RDF scanners and other delicate entire voyage. Wooden fixtures such as equipment should be adequately protected battens, etc, should be removed. against dust during loading and discharge e) During loading, sponge iron must either be operations. 2 IS 10852 : 2012 Due to the much lower reactivity and higher thermal the cargo spaces throughout the voyage, is not required conductivity of HBI, the BC code is considerably less for HBI. restrictive for transporting HBI. One of the most Though all these precautions are necessarily applicable stringent requirements placed on transport of DRI that to sponge iron produced by gas based DR processes, is maintenance of inert atmosphere containing less than they may also apply to solid reductant based sponge 5 percent oxygen and less than 1 percent hydrogen in iron in some cases. 3 Bureau of Indian Standards BIS is a statutory institution established under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 to promote harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and attending to connected matters in the country. Copyright BIS has the copyright of all its publications. No part of these publications may be reproduced in any form without the prior permission in writing of BIS. This does not preclude the free use, in the course of implementing the standard, of necessary details, such as symbols and sizes, type or grade designations. Enquiries relating to copyright be addressed to the Director (Publications), BIS. Review of Indian Standards Amendments are issued to standards as the need arises on the basis of comments. Standards are also reviewed periodically; a standard along with amendments is reaffirmed when such review indicates that no changes are needed; if the review indicates that changes are needed, it is taken up for revision. Users of Indian Standards should ascertain that they are in possession of the latest amendments or edition by referring to the latest issue of ‘BIS Catalogue’ and ‘Standards: Monthly Additions’. This Indian Standard has been developed from Doc No.: MTD 30 (4949). 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