Method and apparatus for recovering metal values from liquid slag and baghouse dust of an electric arc furnace

Abstract

An apparatus and method for processing liquid slag and baghouse dust from a steelmaking furnace such as an EAF to recover valuable metals from the slag and dust includes a treatment vessel having a movable lower shell portion for receiving liquid slag and an upper shell portion that couples with the movable lower shell portion during heat activation of the treatment vessel. The slag is combined with silicon dioxide, a reducing agent, baghouse dust, and an inert gas before being heated to between approximately 1400° C. and 3000° C. The heat treatment results in a molten reduced iron and manganese metallic material, a treated slag layer, and an off-gas containing lead, zinc, and carbon monoxide. The off-gas is combusted, cooled, and solidified, resulting in lead oxide and zinc oxide. The slag layer is tapped, cooled, and solidified. The metallic layer is tapped for recycle in the steel making process.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 183,235 filed on Feb. 17, 2000.[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing the liquid slag and baghouse dust waste byproducts of an electric arc furnace to recover valuable metal components therefrom. The present invention further relates to an apparatus and method for processing the liquid slag and baghouse dust byproducts of an electric arc furnace to reduce the quantity of waste byproducts.[0003] The worldwide steel industry produces over 750 million tons of crude steel each year. The modern production of steel produces a variety of waste products which are potentially harmful to the environment and the disposal of which is costly. The most predominant of the waste products are slag and steel refining dust.[0004] For every tonne (metric ton or 1000 kilograms) of liquid steel produced by an electric arc furnace (EAF), approximately 110 kg (kilograms) of liquid slag ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for processing liquid slag and baghouse dust from an EAF that minimizes pollution of the corresponding steelmaking plant from which the slag and dust are produced.

[0018] A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for processing liquid slag and baghouse dust from an EAF that is energy efficient and provides for safe handling and reduced disposal costs.

[0023] The present invention is a method and apparatus for processing liquid slag and baghouse dust from an electric arc furnace that recovers valuable metals and reduces the levels of hazardous components contained in the slag and dust. The method employs a treatment vessel which receives liquid slag from an EAF and baghouse dust from the steel making process. The treatment vessel heats and treats the slag and dust such that the valuable metallic components are recovered and the unwanted contaminants are treated to facilitate subsequent elimination.

[0029] After collection of the untreated slag 16 into the lower portion 18, a silicon dioxide (sand) compound 26, which is preferably preheated to an approximate temperature of 1200.degree. C., is then added to the liquid slag 16. The silicon dioxide 26 reduces the lime / silica ratio to just above 1. The silicon dioxide is preferably preheated to approximately 1200.degree. C. through use of waste heat given off as a result of combustion in combustion chamber 64, described herein below. The preheated silicon dioxide 26 aids in slowing the temperature drop of the slag 16 when placed into the lower shell portion 18, since the liquid slag is placed within the lower shell portion 18 at approximately 1580.degree. C. and will remain liquid down to approximately 1400.degree. C. or lower. The sand addition brings the V-ratio (or basicity ratio) CaO / SiO.sub.2 to a value that will result in a non-leachable slag when solidified. It can be done without energy consumption since it lowers also the liquidus temperature of the resulting new composition of the slag.

[0037] The invented apparatus and process recover valuable amounts of iron and manganese from the EAF slag and recover valuable amounts and iron, lead, and zinc from the EAF baghouse dust. In addition to the value of the metal components recovered, the treated slag is non-leachable and possesses cementitious properties which are suitable for recycling uses such as additives in cement, concrete and other general construction. Also, the volume of output baghouse dust, which is considered a hazardous waste, is greatly reduced by the removal of zinc, lead, and iron, thus lowering the cost of treatment and disposal.

Problems solved by technology

The modern production of steel produces a variety of waste products which are potentially harmful to the environment and the disposal of which is costly.

During deslagging, residual amounts of valuable metal are inevitably trapped within the liquid slag and subsequently decanted off along with the liquid slag.

Metals may also be accidently precluded in the liquid stage during the tapping operation.

However, slag from an electric arc furnace may not be used in the cement industry because of the less appropriate chemical composition and the increased variability of the EAF slag compared to typical blast furnace slag.

From an environmental standpoint, the handling of slag from an EAF to the slag yard contributes heavily to the pollution of the steelmaking plant and may also be hazardous, depending upon the chemical composition of the slag.

The baghouse dust is considered to be hazardous, due to the potentially hazardous materials it contains, and therefore must always be handled appropriately.

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