BALLING DRUMS

As a leader in rotary equipment, all FEECO balling drums are engineered around the unique characteristics of iron ore for optimized, long-term green ball production.

HIGH-CAPACITY IRON ORE AGGLOMERATION

Iron ore pelletizing plants rely on high-capacity balling drums to agglomerate ore fines and concentrates into pellets ranging from 8 – 16 mm for optimal performance in the blast furnace.

Pelletizing iron ore products in a balling drum offers the following benefits:

• Mitigation of dust issues
• Improved handling qualities
• Enhanced heat transfer and ultimately greater productivity in the blast furnace
• Lower requirement for coking coal
• Fewer emissions compared to sinter
• Decreased loss of product

FEATURES

• Diameter: 36” – 15’ (1 – 4.6m)
• Capacity: 500 lb/hr – 3500+ TPH
• Efficient bed turning designs
• Heavy-duty design and construction
• Process and mechanical warranties
• Various drive assemblies available

OPTIONAL COMPONENTS

• Spray Systems
• Various Liner Options
• Machined Bases
• Screw Conveyor Feeder
• Automatic Gear Lubrication System
• Variable Slope
• Variable Speed

Unitized Drive Base

FEECO balling drums utilize our unitized drive base. The drive system is mounted on an adjustable, one piece drive base, which is bolted down to a sole plate resting on custom leveled mounting pads. Adjustment screws are included to easily adjust the entire drive base, avoiding the hassle of having to realign each component separately. This results in quicker installation, savings in labor, and increased gear/sprocket life.

BALLING DRUM COMPONENTS & PARTS

3D illustration showing the mechanical construction of a FEECO Balling Drum

BENEFITS

The benefits associated with FEECO balling drums include:

• Simple integration of fluxing agents and binders
• High throughput
• Simple operation requiring minimal supervision
• Engineered around the characteristics of iron ore and iron ore concentrates
• Robust build for years of reliable processing
• Comprehensive parts and service support including spare parts are available
• Batch and pilot testing services, as well as rental equipment available

BALLING PROCESS OVERVIEW

Iron ore fines and concentrates are fed to a mixer, along with any additives and binders. The mixer produces a homogeneous mixture. The mixture is then fed to the balling drum, which is set at a slight slope to allow gravity to assist in moving material through the unit.

As the mixture moves through the drum, fines become tacky, causing them to stick to each other and eventually roll into a ball as a result of the tumbling motion in the drum. As more fines and binder are added, the pellets continue to roll and collect fines in a layering effect known as coalescence, which grows the pellets until they reach the desired size, at which point they are discharged from the drum and sent to induration (typically with a screening and recycle system).