Continuous measurement of ferrous sinter size distributions using an optical sensor system

The size distribution of iron ore sinter is critical to efficient blast furnace operation and is an optimised variable in sinter plants globally. Prompt process control response to discrepancies in sinter size is essential, and the standard sieve measurement test introduces significant delay in data acquisition. We introduce a networked optical sensor system that is shown to accurately measure size distribution within 5 s, collect data continuously at 0.5 Hz, and is well correlated to sieving measurements. This system is deployed at the end of a sinter plant, providing real-time process control data with digital image analysis performed on an integrated microprocessor. The systems performance was assessed with a 12-week validation period, showing excellent correlation with sieve data. Systems such as ours can be widely implemented in sinter plants, and in similar steelmaking applications, due to its cost-effective implementation of continuous data acquisition and the systems versatility to be adapted.