On January 16, Sinosteel E&T officially launched its independently developed 3rd-generation technology system for straight grate pelletizing. Integrating technological R&D, process innovation, equipment upgrading, intelligent manufacturing and smart operation, this system can flexibly adapt to diverse production capacity demands ranging from 100,000 to 10 million tonnes per annum. Relying on the core technology of high-efficiency cascade recycling of flue gas sensible heat, the 3rd-generation pelletizing system achieves an ultra-low process energy consumption of less than 14 kgce per tonne, cuts carbon emissions by 70% compared with the sintering process, and significantly improves pellet quality.
The technology also greatly enhances adaptability to different raw material conditions, enabling the efficient utilization of domestic low-grade, fine and complex iron ore resources. It can produce a variety of products including acid pellets, basic pellets and magnesia pellets to meet the diversified demands of the ironmaking process. This will provide strong support for improving the domestic supply capacity of iron-bearing resources and reducing external dependence on iron ore.
Reviewing the development history of China's straight grate pelletizing technology, Sinosteel E&T has always played the role of a pioneer and leader. From the first overseas application of the technology in the 2.5 million tonnes per annum straight grate pelletizing project for SISCO in the Middle East to the successful construction of Africa's first and largest-scale straight grate pelletizing production line, Sinosteel E&T achieved a zero breakthrough for China's independently developed straight grate pelletizing technology. Subsequently, a number of domestic benchmark projects applying the 2.0 technology, such as HBIS Group's 2×4.8 million tonnes per annum project, have been successively commissioned, demonstrating an advanced level of successful adaptation to different raw material conditions and a reduction in process energy consumption to 18 kgce per tonne.
4 million t/a of Tosyali in Algeria (1st-generation) → 2 units of 4.8 million t/a of HBIS Tanggang (2nd-generation)→ 4 million t/a of Ansteel (3rd-generation)
In December 2024, the first 4 million tonnes per annum independently controllable, low-carbon and intelligent straight grate pelletizing production line, constructed by Sinosteel E&T in cooperation with Angang Group, was officially put into operation. This marked the first industrial application of the 3rd-generation pelletizing technology. Through the in-depth integration of Sinosteel E&T's smart operation system, the production line has achieved leaping development with a 55% reduction in energy consumption and a 70% cut in carbon emissions, securing major breakthroughs in cost reduction, efficiency improvement and green transformation. The production line has been operating stably for one year. At present, key indicators such as capacity achievement rate, product metallurgical performance, environmental emission standards and production line failure rate have all delivered outstanding performance, fully verifying the reliability and advancement of this technology system.
