ABSTRACT
This chapter explains various test methods for describing the quality parameters of sinter and pellets. The purpose is to determine the extent of their suitability in iron-making processes using blast furnace and/or following direct reduction. The characterization of iron-bearing materials is required to be carried out in the laboratory with respect to their various quality parameters to assess their suitability in the extraction processes involving direct reduction and/or blast furnace route(s). The sticking among individual iron ore pellets happens to be one of the most serious problems encountered with a gaseous shaft furnace. The problematic issue is generally solved by using a screened size fraction of green pellets in the compression strength measurement and by expressing the compression strength in N/pellet. The pellet porosity is determined following the measurement of the true specific gravity and apparent specific gravity of the pellets.
