Metso has positioned its Grate Kiln pelletising system as a key enabler of higher-quality iron ore pellets for direct reduction (DRI) and low-carbon steelmaking pathways.
The company said the system is engineered to deliver consistent pellet quality suited to the increasingly stringent requirements of modern iron and steel production, particularly as producers shift toward lower-emissions processes.
At the core of the system is Metso’s rotary kiln technology, which is designed to ensure uniform mixing and heating during pellet induration. This results in pellets with strong physical and metallurgical properties, including high cold crush strength, optimal porosity, low-temperature breakdown and strong reducibility.
Metso product manager for pelletising and green steel Toby McCabe said the system also offers flexibility across a range of operating conditions and feedstocks.
“The Metso Grate Kiln system delivers exceptional plant flexibility with independent control of the grate, kiln and cooler, allowing the processing of various ores and the use of solid and alternative fuels – including biomass and hydrogen,” McCabe said.
“The design ensures consistent, high pellet quality with superior physical and metallurgical properties suitable for both direct reduction applications and traditional blast furnace routes.”
Metso said the system has been designed to optimise performance while lowering total cost of ownership, combining advanced combustion technologies, efficient process controls and improved heat recovery.
The company has also integrated digital solutions aimed at improving process stability, product quality and operational safety, while reducing energy consumption. According to Metso, these enhancements can deliver energy savings of several per cent and lift pellet quality by more than 10 per cent.
The Grate Kiln system builds on Metso’s long-standing expertise in pelletising, with the company having originally developed the induration process more than 65 years ago.
Metso has installed more than 55 Grate Kiln systems globally, with a combined annual capacity exceeding 150 million tonnes, underscoring its position in supplying technology for both direct reduction and conventional ironmaking routes.
As demand for green steel pathways grows, pellet quality and process efficiency are expected to play an increasingly important role in enabling producers to meet both performance and emissions targets.