Enhancement of Electric Arc Furnace Dust by Recycling to Electric Arc Furnace
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 128, Issue 12
Abstract
Electric arc furnace (EAF) dust is a hazardous waste product of the steelmaking industry with a high concentration of heavy metals, especially Zn and Pb. Existing treatment processes are industrially viable only when the zinc content is sufficiently high. In this research we present an industrial-scale process to enhance EAF dust by recycling it to the same furnace in which it was generated. This process, called RECUMET®, involves two parts: (1) the manufacturing of self-reducing briquettes composed of dust from the steelmaking process, reducing agents and agglutinant agents; and (2) the loading of the briquettes into the EAF. Several tests have been performed to improve the chemical, mechanical and thermal properties of the briquettes. These include determinations of compressive, breaking and abrasion strength, softening and melting points, and thermal behavior. The theoretical energy balance calculated from the process of loading briquettes into the EAF has yielded a positive value of of briquettes, showing that extra energy is clearly supplied to the furnace. Results corresponding to trials in the EAF are also shown. These include data on taps, slags, energy consumption and the quality of new dust.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 128 • Issue 12 • December 2002
Pages: 1169 - 1174
Copyright
Copyright © 2002 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 26, 2001
Accepted: Mar 27, 2002
Published online: Nov 15, 2002
Published in print: Dec 2002
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