Original Article

DEM analysis of pellet proportion impact on blast furnace burden distribution and permeability

School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, PR China

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Received: 28 March 2025
Accepted: 30 October 2025

Abstract

Decarbonizing the iron and steel industry has become critically urgent, and one promising strategy to address this challenge is to adjust the proportion of pellets in the burden structure, replacing sinter with pellets. This study investigates the impact of varying pellet proportions on blast furnace burden distribution using Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations. Key findings reveal that increasing the proportion of pellet results in a decrease in the stockpile’s angle of repose, while the porosity of the stockpile rises. Specifically, as the pellet proportion increases from 30% to 90%, the angle of repose decreases from 38.66° to 26.57°, and the porosity increases from 32.66% to 35.93%. Additionally, the segregation of pellet in the radial direction initially increases, then decreases, while segregation of sinter steadily declines as its proportion increases. Increasing the proportion of pellet will effectively improve the permeability of the burden, thus improve the airflow distribution and increasing the furnace efficiency.