INFLUÊNCIA DO TEMPO DE SECAGEM, TAMANHO DAS PELOTAS, VAZÃO E TEMPERATURA DOS GASES NO PROCESSO DE SECAGEM DE PELOTAS DE MINÉRIO DE FERRO.

This study evaluate the influence of pellets size, gas temperature and flow, and exposing time on drying step of iron ore pellets, seeking to determine the individual and combined contribution of the variables in the efficiency of this process. The response variables used to assess the efficiency of drying were the moisture and the cold compression strength of dried pellets. The results showed that the higher pellet moisture loss rates were obtained for the highest temperature, gas flow and drying time. There were no significant differences moisture in relation the pellet size. The best results of cold compression strength were obtained to bigger pellets, lower gas temperature and drying time. Flow rates showed no significant differences in the cold compression strength. It was possible to optimize the experiment changing the levels of selected factors in order to obtain better efficiency in drying and higher pelletizing furnace productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]