Experimental study on melt and flow characteristics and pore structure of iron ore

The liquid phase formed during the sintering of iron ore greatly influences the quality of the sintered ore. This paper aims to study the melt and flow characteristics of iron ore and analyze the variation law of pore structure with fluidity of iron ore during sintering. First, the melt characteristic and liquid phase flow index of five iron ores and their mixtures were investigated, with the mixed ores performing best. A method for measuring the flow characteristic was developed to study mixed iron ores with different alkalinity. This measurement method allowed the simultaneous acquisition of flow velocity, characteristic temperature and bottom curvature to comprehensively assess the flow characteristic. Finally, the effect of the flow characteristic on the pore structure and distribution of sintered ores was investigated by X-ray computed tomography. The results showed that improving the fluidity of the sintered ores would promote the diffusion and overflow of pores.