An induration machine includes a travelling grate for transporting bulk material along a transport direction from a heating zone for heating and/or drying the material to a cooling zone for cooling the material by cooling gas. The machine includes a hood disposed over the travelling grate having a first hood section in the heating zone and a second hood section in the cooling zone; and two recuperation ducts for guiding used cooling gas from the second hood section to the first hood section. The recuperation ducts are disposed on opposite sides of the hood, are laterally offset with respect to the hood, and are connected to the second hood section by a V-shaped gas collector duct. Each recuperation duct is connected to the first hood section by at least one gas supply duct and has at least one dust purge opening disposed in the lowermost part of the recuperation duct for purging dust from the recuperation duct.

A method for charging pallet cars of a traveling grate for the thermal treatment of bulk material includes in a first step a first layer is applied as a hearth layer on a grate surface of the pallet car. In at least one second step a second layer at the same time or successively is applied as a side layer on two opposed side walls of the pallet car and a third layer is applied as green pellet layer between the side layers and on the hearth layer. The pellets used for the grate and the side layer differ in terms of their diameter and size distribution.

A method for charging pallet cars of a traveling grate for the thermal treatment of bulk material includes in a first step a first layer is applied as a hearth layer on a grate surface of the pallet car. In at least one second step a second layer at the same time or successively is applied as a side layer on two opposed side walls of the pallet car and a third layer is applied as green pellet layer between the side layers and on the hearth layer. The pellets used for the grate and the side layer differ in terms of their diameter and size distribution.

Provided is a pallet car for the transport of bulk material for a thermal treatment thereof. The pallet car comprises a frame with at least two opposed cross-beams on which grate bars rest and two end pieces each connecting the cross-beams with each other, which each include at least two rollers and at least one side wall. In the pallet car, the grate bars and/or the side walls and/or the insulating plates are made of a ceramic fiber composite, wherein the fibers are metallic and high-temperature resistant.

Provided is a pallet car for the transport of bulk material for a thermal treatment thereof. The pallet car comprises a frame with at least two opposed cross-beams on which grate bars rest and two end pieces each connecting the cross-beams with each other, which each include at least two rollers and at least one side wall. In the pallet car, the grate bars and/or the side walls and/or the insulating plates are made of a ceramic fiber composite, wherein the fibers are metallic and high-temperature resistant.

A supply chute, and a system and a method for supplying sinter material from a sinter belt to a sinter cooler (26). A flow of the sinter material (16) is input into the supply chute (1). The flow of sinter material (16) after being input is concentrated by a device in the chute. This means that the flow is remixed for more uniform grain size distribution. The flow is thereafter widened by a widening device in the chute. Then the widened flow of sinter material (16), optionally after making the movement direction of the flow of sinter material (16) uniform, the flow is passed through a segregation device (8,25) and is there segregated, which means that a grain size distribution across the thickness and across the width of the flow is made more uniform. This occurs after the widened flow of sinter material moves in the direction of the output region (5). After passing through the output region (5), the flow of sinter material (16) is supplied to the sinter cooler (26), wherein the horizontal main component B of the movement direction of the flow of sinter material is largely perpendicular to the horizontal main component A of the movement of sinter material by the sinter belt.

A supply chute, and a system and a method for supplying sinter material from a sinter belt to a sinter cooler (26). A flow of the sinter material (16) is input into the supply chute (1). The flow of sinter material (16) after being input is concentrated by a device in the chute. This means that the flow is remixed for more uniform grain size distribution. The flow is thereafter widened by a widening device in the chute. Then the widened flow of sinter material (16), optionally after making the movement direction of the flow of sinter material (16) uniform, the flow is passed through a segregation device (8,25) and is there segregated, which means that a grain size distribution across the thickness and across the width of the flow is made more uniform. This occurs after the widened flow of sinter material moves in the direction of the output region (5). After passing through the output region (5), the flow of sinter material (16) is supplied to the sinter cooler (26), wherein the horizontal main component B of the movement direction of the flow of sinter material is largely perpendicular to the horizontal main component A of the movement of sinter material by the sinter belt.

A system is provided for improving dust collection efficiency at a sinter band device. The system includes a sinter band with material handling stations and auxiliary equipment operative to sinter a metal or metal ore, a primary electrostatic precipitator operative to remove primary dust from a primary gas stream that has passed through a bed of sintering material on the sinter band, and a secondary dust collection device operative to remove secondary dust from a secondary gas stream emanating from one or more suction points at the material handling stations and the sinter band. The secondary dust has a lower electrical resistivity than the primary dust. A dust transportation line is provided operative to transport secondary dust to the primary gas stream downstream of the sinter band, and injecting it at a position upstream of the primary electrostatic precipitator and/or directly into the precipitator itself.

A system is provided for improving dust collection efficiency at a sinter band device. The system includes a sinter band with material handling stations and auxiliary equipment operative to sinter a metal or metal ore, a primary electrostatic precipitator operative to remove primary dust from a primary gas stream that has passed through a bed of sintering material on the sinter band, and a secondary dust collection device operative to remove secondary dust from a secondary gas stream emanating from one or more suction points at the material handling stations and the sinter band. The secondary dust has a lower electrical resistivity than the primary dust. A dust transportation line is provided operative to transport secondary dust to the primary gas stream downstream of the sinter band, and injecting it at a position upstream of the primary electrostatic precipitator and/or directly into the precipitator itself.

In the present pelletizing apparatus, the induration of iron ore concentrate pellets is achieved in a tunnel furnace heated by plasma torches, wherein the generation of CO2 by the conventional iron ore pelletizing processes is reduced by using electricity powered plasma torches instead of burning natural gas, heavy oil or pulverized coal in burners, thereby reducing considerably industrial pollution of the atmosphere.