CVIC‘s Iron Ore Pelletizing Disc/Disc Pelletizer Solutions

​

Introduction

 

Iron ore pelletizing discs (also known as balling discs or pan pelletizers) are critical in transforming fine iron ore powder into uniformly sized iron ore pellets for use in steelmaking. CVIC – a leading global supplier of iron ore pelletizing equipment with over 40 years of expertise – offers comprehensive pelletizing disc solutions tailored to the needs of iron ore pellet producers and engineering contractors worldwide. Our solutions combine custom-engineered equipment with full lifecycle support, ensuring efficient pellet production and reliable operation. In fact, CVIC is trusted by many of the world’s top EPC contractors, steel producers, and pellet producers for its quality and service. Below, we provide an overview of how pelletizing discs work and why CVIC’s pelletizing disc solutions stand out in the industry.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

How Pelletizing Discs Work

 

Pelletizing discs are used in the balling stage of the pelletization process to agglomerate iron ore fines (along with binders and moisture) into “green” pellets of a target size (typically less than 25 mm diameter). The basic operation involves a rotating, tilted pan that tumbles the raw materials, gradually forming them into spherical pellets. The key steps in the operation are as follows:

​

• Feeding & Mixing: Finely ground iron ore concentrate is fed onto the rotating disc, along with additives (like fluxes) and a binder (such as bentonite or organic binders). Water is added as needed to achieve the proper moisture content. These ingredients begin to mix and coat the fines, forming a malleable feed for agglomeration.​

​​

• Seed Formation (Nucleation): As the disc rotates, the material tumbles and particles start to stick together. Small seed pellets form as initial agglomerates under the rolling and sliding action within the pan. Proper disc speed and angle are crucial at this stage to promote uniform seed formation.

​​

• Pellet Growth: The seed pellets grow in size by picking up additional iron ore fines and binder while rolling in the disc. Adjustable spray systems add water or binder as needed to ensure that particles adhere. The combination of continuous rotation and controlled moisture causes the seeds to coalesce into larger, well-rounded green pellets. During this growth phase, the disc’s inclination and rotation speed can be fine-tuned to regulate pellet size.

​​

• Discharge & Screening: Once pellets reach the desired size, they migrate to the edge of the inclined disc and overflow for collection. A discharge chute guides the pellets onto a transfer point – typically feeding a roller screening machine. The roller screen separates out undersized or oversized pellets for recycling, while the correctly sized “on-size” pellets continue to the indurating furnace for hardening. This closed-loop ensures that only pellets of the right size and strength move forward in the process.

 

The pelletizing disc effectively acts as both an agglomerator and a classifier of pellet size. Unlike pelletizing drums, which produce a broader mix of pellet sizes requiring more downstream recycling, a disc pelletizer inherently promotes discharge of uniformly sized pellets, reducing the load on the screening stage. Its inclined, rotating pan design naturally retains smaller pellets longer (until they grow) and allows only sufficiently sized pellets to spill off, resulting in a narrower size distribution. Moreover, the operating parameters of a disc – such as tilt angle, rotation speed, feed rate, and disc depth – are highly adjustable, giving operators fine control to compensate for raw material fluctuations and maintain consistent pellet quality. (In fact, the disc pelletizer’s ability to average out feed variations is a noted advantage over traditional balling drums.) The outcome is a stream of green pellets with the required physical strength and size uniformity to withstand handling and thermal processing without breaking.

​

Features and Benefits of CVIC’s Pelletizing Disc Solutions

 

CVIC designs and manufactures pelletizing discs with optimized engineering to ensure efficient pellet formation, durability, and ease of operation. Our pelletizer equipment incorporates numerous features that translate into tangible benefits for pellet plant operations:

​

• Consistent Pellet Quality: Each CVIC disc pelletizer is designed for consistent green pellet formation, yielding a stable pellet size distribution even under demanding process conditions. The inherent classifying action of the disc produces more uniformly sized pellets, which is crucial for downstream efficiency – a uniform pellet bed in the furnace allows better airflow, reducing fuel consumption and improving the quality of fired pellets. By delivering tightly controlled pellet sizes, CVIC discs help maximize induration furnace performance and final pellet quality.

​​

• Robust, Durable Construction: Our pelletizing discs are built with heavy-duty, abrasion-resistant materials for the rotating pan and structural components. This ensures a long service life despite continuous operation with abrasive iron ore fines. The mechanical design is robust, capable of around-the-clock operation while minimizing vibration and wear. Each disc is equipped with an individual lubrication system for critical bearings and drives, ensuring smooth operation and reducing maintenance needs. Fewer wear parts (primarily scrapers and spray nozzles) mean lower maintenance effort compared to alternative agglomeration equipment like rotary drums.

​​

• Advanced Control & Adjustability: CVIC pelletizing discs offer a high degree of operational flexibility. The disc tilt angle and rotational speed are fully adjustable via the drive system, allowing operators to fine-tune the pellet growth process in real time. This adjustability means the disc can be optimized for different ore types, moisture levels, or throughput requirements on the fly. By changing the disc inclination or speed, plant operators can maintain optimal pellet size and mitigate the impact of any feed variability. In practice, this leads to more stable operation with fewer rejects – the disc can automatically handle short-term surges or dips in feed without compromising pellet quality.

​​

• Integrated Binder & Moisture Addition: Each disc is outfitted with water and binder spraying systems that distribute moisture and binding agents evenly onto the tumbling material. This ensures proper balling by promoting adhesion at the right stages of growth. The spray rate can be controlled to prevent overly wet or dry conditions, thus improving the consistency and strength of green pellets. Coupled with the disc’s controlled motion, this results in pellets that have the necessary green strength to survive transfer to the furnace without cracking.

​​

• Range of Sizes & Capacities: CVIC supplies pelletizing discs in multiple diameters to match various plant capacities and layouts. Popular sizes include 6 m, 6.5 m, 7 m, up to 7.5 m in diameter. Larger disc diameters generally allow higher throughput per unit (by holding a greater volume of material), while smaller discs can be used in parallel for modular or incremental capacity. Our engineering team will recommend the appropriate disc size and number of discs based on your production target – multiple discs can be arranged in parallel to achieve very high overall throughput if needed. This scalability means CVIC’s disc solutions can support small pelletizing operations as well as the largest plants in the world.

​​

• Seamless Integration: CVIC’s pelletizing disc solution is not just a standalone disc – it’s a complete balling circuit solution. We provide all the necessary auxiliary equipment to integrate the disc into your process flow. This includes feed systems like disc feeders (to consistently feed ore fines onto the disc), discharge chutes, and downstream roller screens to segregate pellets by size. Our pelletizing discs are designed to work in tandem with CVIC roller screens and conveyors for smooth transfer of green pellets with minimal spillage or degradation. For example, green pellets exiting the disc are fed directly to a single-deck roller screen for sizing, and oversized/undersized pieces can be routed back as recycle. By sourcing the entire balling line from CVIC, you ensure that all components are compatible and optimized as a system, which simplifies installation and commissioning and maximizes the overall efficiency of the pelletizing line.

​​

Tailored Solutions for New Projects and Upgrades

 

One of CVIC’s core strengths is our ability to customize pelletizing disc solutions to meet specific project requirements. Whether you are planning a new iron ore pellet plant or seeking to boost the productivity of an existing facility, our team is equipped to deliver the right solution. We work closely with iron and steel producers as well as EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) contractors to supply equipment packages that fit seamlessly into any pelletizing process layout.

​

For greenfield projects, CVIC offers complete sets of pelletizing discs (and related balling equipment) engineered to your capacity and process specifications. This includes designing the disc size, quantity, and arrangement that will achieve the desired throughput and pellet quality from day one. We consider factors such as the type of pelletizing process (whether shaft furnace, grate-kiln, or straight grate induration) and the characteristics of your iron ore concentrate when tailoring the disc design. Thanks to decades of experience supporting all major pelletizing process technologies, CVIC can ensure our disc solutions integrate with the upstream and downstream units of your chosen flowsheet. The result is a smooth startup and reliable ramp-up to full production.

​

For existing pelletizing plants, CVIC provides expert support in upgrading or expanding balling circuits. Replacing old or underperforming balling drums/discs with CVIC’s modern pelletizing discs can significantly improve pellet output and consistency. Our engineers can assess your current equipment and recommend retrofit solutions – for example, installing higher-capacity discs or additional units to eliminate a production bottleneck. Many clients have improved their plant performance by switching to CVIC discs with optimized geometry and control. Even if space or interface constraints exist, we customize the disc platform and feeding/discharge arrangement to fit the existing infrastructure. This minimizes modifications and downtime during the upgrade. Whether you need one new pelletizer or a full balling line revamp, CVIC has the products and resources to make your project a success.

​

Importantly, CVIC’s scope of supply goes beyond just delivering the equipment. We support clients through the installation and commissioning phases to ensure the new or upgraded system is integrated without issues. Our engineering team can be on-site to supervise installation, align and test the discs, and fine-tune operating parameters during commissioning. We also provide training to your operators and maintenance staff on the new equipment, so they can confidently run the disc pelletizers at optimal settings from the start. This end-to-end approach means that whether you are building a pellet plant from scratch or modernizing an existing line, CVIC’s tailored solutions will reduce your project risk and lead time.

​

Comprehensive After-Sales Support and Service

 

Investing in CVIC’s pelletizing disc solutions comes with the assurance of industry-leading after-sales support. We stand behind our products and strive to be a long-term partner in your operational success. Not only do we warranty every piece of equipment we supply, but we also back it up with responsive service to keep your pelletizing line running smoothly. Our after-sales program has been rated highly by customers for its dependability and prompt support – CVIC maintains over 3,000 unique spare parts in stock and offers some of the most extensive warranties in the sector.

​

Key features of CVIC’s service and support include:

​

• On-Site Installation & Training: Our experienced field engineers assist with on-site installation of pelletizing discs and related equipment, leveraging knowledge gained from numerous international projects. We ensure proper assembly, alignment, and startup of the disc, and then provide hands-on training to your team in operation and maintenance best practices. This helps your staff gain both the theoretical understanding and practical skills to operate the pelletizing disc efficiently and safely from day one.

​​

• Spare Parts Availability (10-Year Guarantee): When you choose CVIC, you gain long-term security in spare parts supply. We guarantee that replacement parts for our pelletizing discs (and other equipment) will remain available for at least 10 years after purchase. Even many years down the line, you can source OEM-quality spare parts to maintain your equipment. This is possible because CVIC has a track record spanning decades – we are still supporting pelletizing lines that were installed over a decade ago. Our large inventory and dedicated supply chain mean minimal downtime waiting for critical parts.

​​

• Product Warranty: CVIC provides a robust warranty on our equipment, typically a minimum of 1 year coverage for pelletizing discs (with exact terms determined case by case). This warranty underscores our confidence in the quality and durability of our manufacturing. In the rare event of any defects or issues, we address them promptly under warranty, ensuring you get the performance and value promised. Extended warranty options may also be available for additional peace of mind.

​​

• Ongoing Technical Support: Our relationship with clients does not end at commissioning. CVIC offers ongoing technical support and emergency assistance throughout the operating life of the pelletizing disc. Whether you have a process question, need troubleshooting help, or require field service for inspections and repairs, our support team is just a call or email away. We can dispatch service engineers to site if needed, and we provide routine maintenance guidance to help you prevent issues. With service centers in both China and an international office in Canada, we cover multiple time zones and can respond quickly to keep your operation on track.

 

This comprehensive after-sales program – from installation and training to long-term parts and technical assistance – ensures that your CVIC pelletizing discs operate at peak performance with minimal disruption. Our goal is to maximize your uptime and protect your investment for the long haul. It’s one of the reasons CVIC has earned a reputation for top-tier customer support in the pelletizing industry.
 

Why Choose CVIC?

 

When it comes to iron ore pelletizing disc solutions, CVIC offers a combination of experience, quality, and value that is hard to match. Here are some of the key advantages of partnering with CVIC:

​

• Proven Industry Expertise: Established in 1982, CVIC has been at the forefront of the iron ore pelletizing industry for decades. We have completed hundreds of projects and delivered thousands of pieces of equipment, gaining unparalleled know-how in pelletizing technology. Our equipment is now operating in over 20 countries worldwide, supporting the growth of iron and steel producers globally. This track record means you can trust our solutions to be thoroughly vetted and refined through real-world application. We understand the challenges of pellet production and how to overcome them.

​​

• Customized and Cost-Effective Solutions: Every project has unique requirements, and CVIC excels at providing custom-tailored equipment that meets those needs without excessive cost. Our international engineering team works closely with clients to design pelletizing discs and auxiliary systems that fit their capacity, material characteristics, and budget. By optimizing the design and manufacturing process, we deliver cost-effective solutions that often give customers a lower total cost of ownership (through energy-efficient operation, high reliability, and reduced maintenance costs). We aim to deliver the best value – high performance at a reasonable investment.

​​

• Quality and Innovation: CVIC is committed to the highest quality standards in design and fabrication. We use advanced engineering techniques and continuously invest in R&D to improve our equipment (holding multiple patented technologies in pelletizing). The result is high-performance and reliable pelletizing discs that meet the rigorous demands of pellet plants. From precise machining of components to robust quality control, we ensure each disc will perform as expected. Our focus on innovation means we incorporate the latest improvements in wear materials, automation, and process control into our designs, giving our customers a technological edge.

​​

• Fast Delivery and Project Support: Unlike some suppliers with long lead times, CVIC can deliver equipment on a short timeline to meet your project schedule. Our manufacturing capacity and efficient project management enable us to fabricate and ship pelletizing discs in timeframes that align with tight construction or outage windows. Furthermore, we support you through every phase – from initial consultation and layout planning to installation supervision and startup. This end-to-end project support minimizes delays and ensures a smooth implementation.

​​

• Superior After-Sales Service: As highlighted above, CVIC’s after-sales support is a major differentiator. We provide an extended product warranty and comprehensive service program to keep your operation running reliably. Our responsiveness and commitment to customer success have made us a trusted long-term partner for many pellet producers. When you choose CVIC, you’re not just buying equipment – you’re gaining a dedicated team that will stand by you throughout the life of the equipment.

 

In summary, CVIC’s iron ore pelletizing disc solutions combine world-class engineering, tailored design, and robust support to help pellet producers achieve efficient and profitable operations. Our company’s mission is rooted in quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction – values that drive us to deliver the best for our clients. Whether you are an iron & steel producer looking to improve your pellet quality or an EPC contractor seeking a reliable supplier for a new project, CVIC has the capability and experience to meet your needs.

Experience the CVIC difference – a complete pelletizing disc solution that is engineered for performance, customized for your plant, and supported by a team that is #1 in customer service. With CVIC as your partner, you can be confident in the long-term success of your iron ore pelletizing operations.