pelletization

Pelletization is the process of forming or compacting materials into small, rounded masses called pellets. This technology is crucial in various industries, particularly in iron ore processing.1

In iron ore processing, moistened concentrates are shaped into soft, spherical agglomerates through a tumbling action in a rotating drum or disc. These "green" balls are then dried and hardened by firing at high temperatures, typically between 1,250°C and 1,340°C. The resulting pellets, about 10 to 15 millimeters in diameter, are an ideal shape for use in blast furnaces. Different types of equipment, such as shaft furnaces, grate-kilns, and traveling grates, are used for this firing process, with traveling grates and grate-kilns accounting for the majority of global pellet output. Pelletization can also refer to coating seeds with soluble material to make them easier to handle.21