Ore Pelletizer

Product Introduction

The Ore Pelletizer — also widely known as a disc pelletizer or balling disc — is a rugged, high-torque agglomeration machine engineered to roll fine mineral powders, dust, and concentrates into spherical, uniformly sized green pellets. By precisely controlling disc inclination, rotation speed, and spray liquid distribution, it converts hard-to-handle ore fines into mechanically strong, easy-to-transport balls ready for drying, preheating, and induration in shaft furnaces, rotary kilns, or traveling grate systems. This equipment is the core of any pelletizing plant, directly determining the quality, reducibility, and tumbler strength of the final fired pellets that feed blast furnaces and direct reduction (DRI) modules. Whether you process magnetite, hematite, limonite, manganese ore, chromite, or blended concentrates with binders, our ore pelletizer delivers the narrow size fraction and high drop strength that maximize downstream metallurgical performance and minimize fines recycling.

Why Choose Us

Narrow Pellet Size Distribution, Higher Plant Yield: The adjustable inclination (40–55°) and variable speed drive allow precise tuning of the material’s rolling trajectory on the disc. This produces a remarkably uniform pellet size range (typically 8–16mm), minimizing oversize and undersize fractions that must be crushed and recycled, directly increasing the productivity of your induration furnace.
High Green Pellet Strength & Drop Resistance: Our optimized disc edge height, strategically positioned scrapers, and controlled spray system ensure every pellet compacts layer-by-layer into a dense, moisture-balanced sphere. Green pellets achieve drop strengths of 5–15 times from 0.5m height, surviving conveyor transfers without breaking, which reduces dust generation and material loss.
Heavy-Duty Wear Protection for Abrasive Ores: The disc base and side walls are lined with high-manganese steel (Mn13) or high-chromium cast iron, with optional polyurethane or ceramic liners for extremely abrasive concentrates. Hardfaced scrapers and plows maintain the correct material layer depth, protecting the disc structure and extending liner life to 12–24 months under continuous operation.
Precise Liquid & Binder Spray System: Integrated spray bars with atomizing nozzles distribute water, bentonite slurry, or organic binders evenly over the rolling material bed. The controlled moisture addition (typically 8–10%) is critical for nucleation and pellet growth, and our system eliminates the dry spots and overwet zones that cause irregular pellet shapes.
Robust, Low-Maintenance Mechanical Design: A heavy welded frame supports the disc via a large-diameter slewing ring or trunnion rollers. The main drive uses a hardened gear reducer directly coupled to the disc shaft, eliminating chain or belt slippage. Oversized spherical roller bearings handle the combined axial and radial loads of the inclined, material-filled disc.
Scalable Models from Pilot to Production: We supply laboratory-scale disc pelletizers (Ø500–1000mm) for process testing, mid-size units (Ø2000–3000mm) for small mines, and full production models (Ø3600–7500mm) capable of 6–30 tons per hour per disc. Multiple discs can be arranged in parallel for large-scale pelletizing plants.
Optional Drum Pelletizer for High-Capacity Lines: For applications requiring >30 TPH per single unit, we also engineer rotary drum pelletizers with integrated trommel screens that classify and recycle undersize material internally, providing a compact, high-throughput solution.

Technical Parameter

Detailed Technical Specifications – PQ-3600 Disc Ore Pelletizer (Best-Selling Production Model)
(The table below is for our most frequently specified disc pelletizer for iron ore pelletizing plants. We offer 10 disc diameters from Ø500mm to Ø7500mm, plus rotary drum pelletizers.)

Parameter	Specification
Model	PQ-3600 Disc Ore Pelletizer
Disc Diameter	3600 mm
Disc Edge Height	600–800 mm (adjustable with modular sidewall segments)
Disc Inclination	40–55° (manually adjustable via screw jack, or motorized)
Disc Rotation Speed	6–10 rpm (VFD controlled, stepless adjustment)
Production Capacity	6–12 tons per hour (hematite/magnetite concentrate, 8–16mm green pellets)
Green Pellet Size Range	8–16 mm (adjustable via inclination and speed)
Drop Strength	≥5 times from 0.5m (green pellet, before drying)
Moisture Content of Feed	8–10% (optimized for iron ore concentrate)
Main Motor Power	30 kW (40 HP), 3-phase, voltage customizable
Reducer	Hardened helical gear reducer, direct drive
Disc Liner Material	High-manganese steel (Mn13) standard; polyurethane or high-Cr cast iron optional
Scraper System	3–4 scrapers (bottom + side), hardfaced or with replaceable carbide tips
Spray System	Stainless steel spray bars with atomizing nozzles, regulated water/binder supply
Bearing Type	Spherical roller bearings, grease-lubricated
Machine Weight	~8,500 kg net (excluding liner)
Dimensions (L×W×H)	4200 × 3600 × 3800 mm (at 45° inclination)
Larger Models	PQ-4500 (12–18 t/h, 45 kW); PQ-6000 (18–30 t/h, 75 kW); Drum DZ-2.4×6 (20–40 t/h)

Proven Results Backed by Data

Proven Performance in Iron Ore & Ferroalloy Pelletizing Plants
Based on engineering audits and production data from 80+ disc pelletizer installations across iron ore, manganese, and chromite processing plants (2022–2024):

Pellet Size Uniformity Exceeds 90%: Plants report that 90–95% of green pellets fall within the target 8–16mm range without screening, significantly reducing internal recycle loads and increasing induration furnace throughput by 15–20%.
Green Pellet Drop Strength Meets International Standards: Consistently achieving 5–8 drops from 0.5m, our discs produce green balls that withstand conveyor transfers and charging into shaft furnaces or traveling grates without degradation, meeting the requirements of ISO 4700 and similar standards.
Liner Life of 12–24 Months Under Continuous Operation: High-manganese steel liners processing abrasive hematite concentrate routinely achieve 12–18 months before replacement; polyurethane liners in less abrasive applications exceed 24 months, reducing maintenance downtime to a single planned outage per year.
20–40% Reduction in Binder Consumption: Optimized spray distribution and controlled rolling action reduce bentonite or organic binder usage by 20–40% compared to poorly designed discs, lowering operating costs while maintaining pellet strength.
Scale-Up from Lab to Production Verified: Several clients who tested on our PQ-1000 laboratory pelletizer replicated pellet quality metrics at full production scale (PQ-4500/6000) with direct correlation, de-risking plant investment decisions.

Applicable

Applications: Which Ores Can You Pelletize?
Our Ore Pelletizer is the primary agglomeration equipment for:

Iron Ore Concentrates: Magnetite, hematite, limonite, and specularite for blast furnace pellets and DRI-grade pellets.
Manganese & Chromite Ore: Manganese ore fines, chromite concentrate for ferroalloy smelting in submerged arc furnaces.
Ferroalloy & Other Metal Powders: Nickel laterite, ilmenite, zinc-lead smelter dust, and steel mill by-products (BF dust, BOF sludge, mill scale).
Non-Ferrous & Industrial Minerals: Phosphate rock, bauxite, fluorspar, and other mineral concentrates requiring agglomeration.
Pilot & Laboratory Testing: Small-scale disc pelletizers for process development, binder evaluation, and feasibility studies.

FAQ

Is a disc pelletizer better than a drum pelletizer for iron ore? Disc pelletizers offer better size classification naturally — the rolling action automatically discharges correctly sized pellets while retaining undersize material for further growth. This produces a narrower size distribution without external screens. Drum pelletizers are preferred for very high-capacity single lines (>30 t/h) and typically require a trommel screen for size control. We supply both and advise based on your required output.

How do you prevent the disc from sticking and building up with wet ore? Our scrapers are positioned at precise angles to maintain a consistent protective material layer on the disc bottom and side walls. The material rolls on itself, not on bare metal, preventing direct contact and sticking. For sticky ores, we offer polyurethane or non-stick coated liners.

What determines the pellet size from the disc? Pellet size is controlled by three main factors: disc inclination (steeper angle = smaller pellets), rotation speed (higher speed = smaller pellets), and the location of the water spray (closer to the feed zone promotes nucleation). Our VFD drive and adjustable inclination let you fine-tune the size during operation.

What binders do you recommend for iron ore pelletizing? Bentonite clay is the most common binder (0.5–1.0% by weight). Organic binders (modified starch, carboxymethyl cellulose) can replace bentonite to reduce silica contamination in the final pellet for DRI applications. Our spray system handles both bentonite slurry and liquid organic binders.

Can the machine handle ores with varying moisture content? The disc is relatively forgiving of moisture variation, but consistent feed moisture is critical for stable operation. We typically recommend a filter press or rotary dryer upstream to maintain feed moisture within 7–10%. The disc spray system then adds the final 1–2% for pellet growth.

How long does installation and commissioning take? A single disc pelletizer can be installed on a prepared foundation in 3–5 days, with commissioning and operator training completed within 7–10 days. Larger multi-disc plants naturally require longer. We provide full installation drawings, a supervisor, and remote video support.

Customize

Customize Your Ore Pelletizer Solution
Tell us your ore type, daily production target, and plant layout. We will engineer the optimal disc or drum pelletizer configuration:

Disc Diameter: From laboratory-scale (Ø500mm) to full production (Ø7500mm), tailored to your required throughput
Liner Material: Mn13 high-manganese steel (standard), high-Cr cast iron, polyurethane, or ceramic for extreme wear
Scraper Type: Hardfaced steel, tungsten carbide tipped, or ceramic-tipped for long service life
Spray System: Manual or automatic flow-controlled water/binder dosing
Drive & Control: VFD with local control panel or full integration into plant DCS
Optional Equipment: Rotary dryer, mixer, roller screen, conveyor systems — we supply the complete pelletizing plant
Standard ore pelletizers ship in 20–35 working days. Complete integrated plants in 60–90 working days.

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