COMBINED SMELTING OF MOLTEN SLAGS AND RESIDUALS FROM
STAINLESS STEEL AND FERROCHROMIUM WORKS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for smelting metal- and metal oxide- containing side streams, such as slags and wastes generated at stainless steel and ferrochromium works. The invented processing method is a smelting process for all side streams and residuals from the mentioned fields of industry. The streams are treated mainly in liquid phase for energy saving.
BACKGROUND In the steel industry using electric-arc furnaces, substantial amounts of metal- oxide-containing dust is produced. This dust has generated a disposal problem, since it comprises significant amounts of metals which prevent dumping in landfills. In addition, the wasted metals represent an economical loss. In addition to the dust, several waste streams containing metals occur in the industry, which streams present opportunities for metal recovery and reduction of environmental impact. Beginning in the 1970s, the Enviroplas process was developed in South Africa O for processing of slags and dust from the metallurgical industry. A typical process N involves a DC arc furnace which is fed with stainless steel plant dust, antracite, 3 25 flux and a basic agent. The products are an alloy containing e.g. over 90% of the O input Cr and Ni, and a disposable slag. j 2 In European patent 1 641 946 B is disclosed a method for producing a metal alloy io melt in a number of subsequent steps, whereby dust and slags are recycled into S 30 the process in order to recover Cr and Ni.
Currently, side streams from stainless steel production and ferrochromium production are treated separately in various designated processes. Slags are treated in cooled-down form in metal recovery plants, and metal oxide wastes, eg. bag filter dusts, mill scales and sludges are commonly treated in separate waste smelting plants or landfilled. Some amounts of metal oxides are always present in side stream outputs, but it is generally not profitable to melt these streams again to improve the reduction result. Residual metals from the slag streams are traditionally recovered by means of mechanical metal recovery equipment, and some metals remain in slags after treatment.
There are no state-of-the-art methods for treating liquid slags from stainless steel production and ferrochromium production in the same processing unit. Cr203|Fe203 AI203 | MnO | MgO | NiO | [| % | % | % | % | % | % | % [ | EAF- 30- SLAG 60 |20-30| 1-15 | 0.5-5 | 0.5-2 | 1-10 | 1-5 | 5-15 |0-1 AOD- 45- SLAG 60 |20-30| 0-5 0-4 | 0.1-1| 0-4 0-2 | 5-15 [0-1 LF- 45- SLAG 60 |20-30| 0-5 0-4 | 0.1-1| 0-4 0-2 | 5-15 [0-1 FECR- SLAG 0-4 | 20-30 | 4-20 2-7 0-2 |20-30| 0-2 [15-3001 SMS- DUST 1-25 | 2-12 | 5-25 | 15-75 | 0-1 0-1 DUST | 02 | 040 | 570 | 130 | 02 | 820 | 02 | 6415 02 o DUST 0-2 | 0-40 | 5-70 | 1-30 | 0-2 | 5-20 | 0-2 | 5-15 |0-2 O SMS- N SCALE 0-3 | 2-5 [1018] 50-75 | 0-2 0-1 0-2 0-1 & O 15 TABLE1. Average chemical analysis of stainless steel and ferrochromium plants’ E dusts, slags and scales (all in mass %)
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DEFINITIONS In the context of the present invention, stainless steel slag is a slag generated in stainless steel production in scrap melting, AOD/NVOD-converting and ladle treatment processes. Cr203 | Fe203 | AI203 | MgO | CaO | SiO2 | MnO | TiO2 |
1.10% [057 2.10% | sas | 65% | so [012 orn 1-10% | 0.5-7% | 2-10% | 5-15% | 65% 35% 10.1-2% | 0.1-2% TABLEZ2. Typical stainless steel slag composition range In the context of the present invention, ferrochromium slag is a slag generated in ferrochrome smelting operations from chromite ore. Typical composition range of ferrochrome slag is presented in table 2.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is defined by what is disclosed in the independent claim. Preferable embodiments are set out in the dependent claims. According to the invention, metal oxide wastes such as filter dusts, mill scales o 20 and sludges are melted together with liguid slags from stainless steel and > ferrochromium production in an electric arc furnace or a converter. A significant g feature is to supply slag feeds in liguid phase, thus significantly decreasing the 5 energy reguirement for melting and reduction.
I & O 25 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
LO 3 Oo Metal oxides from slag streams and metal oxide waste streams are reduced into
N metal by means of pyrometallurgy already in molten phase for energy saving, which improves the profitabality of smelting.
Slag streams relevant for this invention are all slags from stainless steel and ferrochromium production vessels (electric arc furnaces, converters, ladle treatments) and also other metal- or metal oxide-containing side streams from the mentioned metal production facilities — eg. used refractories. The metal oxide- containing side streams relevant for this innovation are metal oxide-, sulphate- or hydroxide-containing gas cleaning dusts, scales and sludges from stainless steel and ferrochromium production (e.g. from smelting, melting, grinding, hot and cold rolling and acid regeneration facilities).
The invented processing method combines the smelting of metal oxide wastes with molten slag feed. Hence, a separate processing unit is not needed for metal oxide waste streams. This combined process also makes traditional mechanical separation for metal remains in slag unnecessary. The current processing method produces pure metal alloy and metal-free slag as output.
Smelting (energy input for melting streams and reduction of metal oxides) can be carried out in AC or DC electric arc furnaces. Also chemical energy can be used if a converter vessel is preferred.
The reduction of metal oxides is done with a reductant. Examples of useful reductants are coke, anthracite, graphite, methane, plastic and rubber. Also other carbon sources may be employed. Further, silicon and aluminium based O reductants can be used. & g 25 Dusts in this context may also include ZnO. A stream for use in the method O according to the invention may involve waste steel plant dust and particulate E matter of a dimension up to 100 mm. 2 When a method according to the invention is utilized, recovery of chromium, iron io and nickel as metal is typically over 90%.
According to the invention, the optimum slag basicity for Cr203 reduction is achieved by mixing molten stainless steel slags (acting as a lime source) and ferrochromium slags. Hence, additional lime feeding and melting is not needed, which saves natural resources as well as energy.
According to the invention, a method is provided for producing a ferrochromium 5 alloy, which preferably contains Cr, Ni and Mo, in a number of successive and synchronized method steps: e in afirst method step, molten stainless steel slag and molten ferrochromium slag are transported from stainless steel and ferrochromium production facilities to a treatment plant for molten slags. Molten slags are fed into an electric arc furnace or a converter, followed by natural mixing of liquid stainless steel slag and ferrochromium slag.
e in a second method step, reduction energy is supplied to the melt in the form of electricity, or chemical energy in embodiments utilizing a converter. Additional energy is needed also for reaching the desired melt temperature, as slag cools down slightly during transportation.
e in a third method step, metal oxide waste streams and reductants — preferably anthracite — are introduced to the melt, and reduction of metal oxides in the slag takes place at the optimum temperature. oO 2 e in a fourth method step, reduced metal droplets in the slag are g allowed to settle into the metal heel. After metal reduction and O settling, the slag and the metal are tapped out from the reduction E 25 furnace or vessel. 0 e in a fifth method step, tapped metal and slag are either cooled into 3 aggregate form or granulated to droplet-like particles. Metal alloy N can also be immediately used as liquid in a stainless steel production facility for energy saving. The produced metal alloy may be used further in the metal industry and produced slag may be used further in various slag product applications, mainly in earthworks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention is illustrated in more detail referring to the attached drawing where Fig. 1 shows the principle for the combined treatment of metal- and metal oxide- containing residuals from stainless steel and ferrochromium facilities.
EMBODIMENTS ILLUSTRATING THE INVENTION Fig. 1 illustrates how molten slags are transported from metal production facilities to a smelting facility using vessels. Liquid slags are fed into a smelting furnace in a phase, which equals to slag production volume. In addition, solid slags and solid metal oxide waste streams are fed into the furnace from silos via feeding chutes. Extra energy is provided by electrodes to achieve the desired reduction temperature (1500 °C — 1600 °C for metal and 1600 °C — 1700 °C for slag). Carbon-based reductant is added to reduce metal oxides from the slag layer into the metal heel. The settlement speed of reduced metal droplets or other = metallurgical parameters can be modified by slag additives — e.g. guartz and lime. N After reduction and settlement of the produced metal alloy, the furnace is tapped. ? 25 The metal alloy is either used as liquid in stainless steel production or granulated 9 into metal granules for usage in metal industries. Produced slag from the smelting
I i furnace is granulated by air, water or gas into slag products for different O applications. Also air cooling may be used to produce slag aggregates. The 3 produced slag is metal free and further metal separation is not needed.
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