Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) is a premium form of DRI that has been compacted at a temperature greater than 650° C at time of compaction and has a density greater than 5,000 kilograms per cubic metre (5,000 kg/m³).

HBI was developed as a product in order to overcome the problems associated with shipping and handling of DRI - due to the process of compaction it is very much less porous and therefore very much less reactive than DRI and does not suffer from the risk of self-heating associated with DRI.

The principle market for HBI is electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking, but HBI also finds application as a trim coolant in basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking and as blast furnace feedstock.

Application:

• Electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking
• Basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking (HBI is an excellent trim coolant)
• Blast furnace feedstock (BF)

Benefits of Using HBI in the EAF

• Very low residual element content enables production of high quality steel products or use of higher percentage of lower cost scrap in the charge mix
• Known and consistent chemistry, certified by analysis, assists melt consistency
• Consistent shape and form enable efficient material handling and storage
• High density can reduce the number of bucket charges, allows for increased use of lower cost, less dense feedstock and reduces storage space requirements
• Can be continuously charged to the furnace
• Acts as N scavenger = low N content in steel

The Benefits of HBI in the BOF

HBI provides an optimal BOF charge due to: 

• Low levels of residual elements
• Bulk density of ~2.8 t/m3 - higher than scrap
• Same metallic yield as hot metal
• More predictable mass and heat balances

HBI can be used as blast furnace burden material with the following environmental, productivity and cost benefits:

• Lower carbon dioxide emissions
• Increased blast furnace productivity (increase of about 8% for each 10% increase in burden metallisation)
• Reduced coke rate (decrease of about 7% for each 10% increase in burden metallisation)

Specification for HBI:

For technical assistance or further information on this product contact our technical team.