Аннотация:The paper is devoted to chemical and metallurgical processes of pelletizing of iron ore raw material. Thermally activated chemical and energotechnological processes of raw material sintering in iron and steel industry are considered, as well as mathematical models for their description, taking into account the following physical and chemical transformations: moisture evaporation, firing of coke fines, dissociation of carbonates, burning of coke fines, melting of charge particles, appearance of sintering cake, condensation of moisture vapours in the lower levels of the agglomerated layer of sinter charge. The features of conducting of these processes in different levels of agglomerated layer are researched. The results of analysis of the effect of fuel firing procedure in the hearth of a sintering machine on sintering process and the results of forming of the burning area and period of stable burning (i.e. finishing time of firing process) are examined. The effect of the following parameters: initial stage of the reaction front dissemination during dissociation of carbonates, burning-out of coke fines, oxygen consumption for the sintering process are investigated. The relationship between firing time of agglomerated layer (from one side) and heat-carrying gas consumption and temperature of burning products (from other side) is presented.