| Drying of iron oxide pellets is a very important stage in their induration process, since it is very energy intensive and can lead to pellet quality problems if not completed on time. Several research groups have already proposed iron ore pellet drying models in the past. However, all of these models were applied for the drying of large pellet beds without a priori validation against the drying behavior of single pellets. In this study, a detailed fundamental model of single pellet drying based on simultaneous heat and mass transfer phenomena is proposed and validated using data obtained from a number of drying experiments performed on individual pellets.;Very good agreement was obtained between the model results and experimental data at all tested conditions. This study also shows that a smooth transition exists between surface and internal pellet drying regimes. A new transition drying model has therefore been proposed. |
