EVRAZ Nizhniy Tagil Metallurgical Works (Nizhniy Tagil, Russia):

K. V. Mironov, Head of the blast furnace shop
V. A. Mikhalev, Head of blast furnace bureau, Technical administration

Nizhniy Tagil Technological Institute — affiliate of the Ural Federal University (Nizhniy Tagil, Russia):
K. B. Pykhteeva, Dr. Eng., Associate Professor, e-mail: pyhkb@mail.ru
B. S. Tleugabulov, Dr. Eng., Associate Professor, e-mail: bstz10@mail.ru

Vanadium-to-hot metal recovery factor is one of the efficiency indicators of the blast furnace melting of titanium magnetite materials. This paper shows a generalizing analysis of the vanadium behavior in the course of the blast furnace process. Vanadium is found in several oxidation states between +3 and +5 in the initial agglomerated raw material. In the solid-phase reduction process at moderate temperatures, some of the higher vanadium oxides are carried away with the gas, and some are deposited on the top levels, creating a top circulation loop. Gas flow parameters affect the portion of vanadium losses attributed to the crude BF top gas (inclusive of those carried away with dusts and sludges). Vanadium melting process improvements resulted into the change of these parameters: the pressure increased, the specific gas yield and its temperature decreased. This ensured decreasing vanadium losses carried away with the gas. Vanadium is reduced in the straight way only from the lower oxides. In this case most vanadium is reduced into metallic state from primary and intermediate slags. This paper studies the influence of various factors on vanadium distribution between cast iron and slag and shows the challenges of blast furnace melting of titanium magnetites. Partial sublimation of vanadium in high-temperature zones to form the secondary circulation zone is an additional feature of vanadium behavior in the blast furnace melting process. Varying of blast furnace performance rates affects vanadium behavior in the course of melting. The higher is the melting performance rate, the higher is vanadium-to-hot metal recovery rate is generally as well. Reduction of vanadium losses carried away with the crude top gas is one of the reasons why vanadium recovery factor increases.

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