Nucleation and growth control for iron-and phosphorus-rich phases from a modified steelmaking waste slag

Recovering the iron(Fe)and phosphorus(P)contained in steelmaking slags not only reduces the environmental burden caused by the accumulated slag,but also is the way to develop a circular economy and achieve sustainable development in the steel industry.We had pre-viously found the possibility of recovering Fe and P resources,i.e.,magnetite(Fe_(3)O_(4)) and calcium phosphate(Ca_(10)P_(6)O_(25)),contained in steel-making slags by adjusting oxygen partial pressure and adding modifier B_(2)O_(3).As a fundamental study for efficiently recovering Fe and P from steelmaking slag,in this study,the crystallization behavior of the CaO-SiO_(2)-FeO-P_(2)O_(5)-B_(2)O_(3) melt has been observed in situ,using a confocal scanning laser microscope(CLSM).The kinetics of nucleation and growth of Fe-and P-rich phases have been calculated using a classical crys-tallization kinetic theory.During cooling,a Fe_(3)O_(4) phase with faceted morphology was observed as the 1st precipitated phase in the isothermal interval of 1300-1150℃,while Ca_(10)P_(6)O_(25),with rod-shaped morphology,was found to be the 2nd phase to precipitate in the interval of 1150-1000℃.The crystallization abilities of Fe_(3)O_(4) and Ca_(10)P_(6)O_(25) phases in the CaO-SiO_(2)-FeO-P_(2)O_(5)-B_(2)O_(3) melt were quantified with the in-dex of(T_(U)−T_(I))/T_(I)(where T_(I) represents the peak temperature of the nucleation rate and TU stands for that of growth rate),and the crystalliza-tion ability of Fe_(3)O_(4) was found to be larger than that of Ca_(10)P_(6)O_(25) phase.The range of crystallization temperature for Fe_(3)O_(4) and Ca_(10)P_(6)O_(25) phases was optimized subsequently.The Fe_(3)O_(4) and Ca_(10)P_(6)O_(25) phases are the potential sources for ferrous feedstock and phosphate fertilizer,respectively.

Research and development of blasting abrasive made of steelmaking slag

This study focuses on the development of a new type of nonmetallic steelmaking slag abrasive. The performance ,processing, and application of steelmaking slag as a nonmetallic abrasive are introduced. The chemical composition, hardness, crushing value, and particle gradation of steelmaking slag are analyzed. A processing method for steelmaking slag as a blasting abrasive is suggested and evaluated. Compared with conventional abrasives such as copper ore sand and cast iron shot, processed steelmaking slag exhibits similar performance and can satisfy abrasive technical requirements. The derusting effect provided by steelmaking slag for a ship deck can reach the Sa2.0 level, and its recyclability is higher than that of copper ore sand. The derusting performance of steelmaking slag is similar to that of copper ore, and it can thus be used in repairing ship decks.

Dissolution behavior of various elements from steelmaking slag into seawater

The mixture of steelmaking slag,soil or sand is a candidate material for the landfill in sea shore to improve the marine environment,because the ferrous ion contained in the steelmaking slag plays an important role in promoting the growth of various seaweeds.However,the dissolution mechanism of various elements from steelmaking slag into seawater is not clarified.To reveal the dissolution behavior of various elements from steelmaking slag into seawater,the dissolution experiment of slag and seawater mixture was conducted at room temperature with changing the basicity of slag and the mass ratio of slag and seawater.It is shown that Mg ion contained in the seawater plays a buffering action obviously on pH increase which is provided by the dissolution of Ca.The dissolution behavior of Si strongly depends on the basicity of slag,at the same time the mass ratio has a conspicuous influence on it for the lower basicity of slag.The dissolution amount of Fe is little and it is discussed by using the solubility diagram.

Dissolution Kinetics of Magnesitic-Dolomite and Magnesite-Chrome Refractories in Secondary Steelmaking Slags

Dissolution kinetics of magnesitic-dolomite and magnesite-chrome refractories in secondary steelmaking slags was studied by means of the rotating cylinder method under forced convection. Materials investigated include four magnesitic-dolomite samples（MgO content 40% to 93%）and two magnesite-chrome samples （co-clinkered and semi-rebonded）.Synthetic slags simulative of VOD and AOD slags with varying basicity （0.6-2.68） are used.The experiments are carried out in Ar atmosphere at different temperatures （1 600 ℃-1 750 ℃） and revolution speeds （200 r·min^-1 to 500 r·min^-1）.The microstructure of specimens （before and after slag tests） are studied by optical microscopy, SEM and EPMA. Based on our experimental results the mechanism and kinetics of the dissolution process are discussed.

Baosteel's Slag Short Flow process for molten steelmaking slag treatment and its application

Baosteel＇ s Slag Short Flow（BSSF） is an innovative process for steelmaking slag treatment that was developed by Baosteel. The process principles, flow-chart, parameters and component systems of the BSSF for steelmaking slag treatment are presented. Characteristics of the finished BSSF slag are summarized by analyzing the slag＇ s physical and chemical performances. Several Utilization methods for the BSSF slag are given.

Ladle Slag of Electric Steelmaking as Alkaline Agent on Controlling of Acid Mine Drainage Generation

Commercial coal production in the southern region of Brazil (comprising the Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul states) has been occurring since the beginning of the twentieth century. Regarding the Santa Catarina coalfields, about 60% - 65% of the ROM coal is discharged at dump deposits as waste. These wastes can lead to the formation of acid mine drainage (AMD), a source of ground and surface water pollution. One of the technologies used for preventing AMD consists of the alkaline additive method. Thus, the aim of this work was to study, at laboratory scale, the DAM control by blending coal waste with a metallurgical slag. A coal-tailing sample was collected from a coal mine, and the slag was obtained from a semi-integrated steel plant. Static tests were carried out by the acid-base account method to determine the balance between the acid-producing and acid-consuming (neutralizing) mineral components of the samples. Kinetic tests were conducted in humidity cells, following the ASTM D 5744-96 method, for a period of 80 weeks. The results showed that the coal tailing generates AMD. However, environmental problems can be minimized by mixing the coal waste with the metallurgical slag in 1:1 or 1:1.5 proportions. The kinetic experiments proved that, in this condition, the lixiviation presents a higher pH and a lower concentration of acidity, metals, and sulfate. Finally, it is possible to conclude that the blending slag in coal tailing deposits can be a viable alternative for DAM control in coal mining.

Dissolution of Al_2TiO_5 inclusions in CaO-SiO_2-Al_2O_3 slags at 1823 K

Al-Ti-O inclusions always clog submerged nozzles in Ti-bearing Al-killed steel.A typical synthesized Al2TiO5 inclusion was immersed in a CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 molten slag for different durations at 1823 K.The Al2TiO5 dissolution paths and mechanism were revealed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and energy dispersive spectroscopy （EDS）.Decreased amounts of Ti and Al and increased amounts of Si and Ca at the dissolution boundary prove that inclusion dissolution and slag penetration simultaneously occur.SiO2 diffuses or penetrates the inclusion more quickly than CaO,as indicated by the w（CaO）/w（SiO2） value in the reaction region.A liquid product （containing 0.7-1.2 w（CaO）/w（SiO2）,15wt%-20wt% Al2O3,and 5wt%-15wt% TiO2） forms on the inclusion surface when Al2TiO5 is dissolved in the slag.Al2TiO5 initially dissolves faster than the diffusion rate of the liquid product toward the bulk slag.With increasing reaction time,the boundary reaches its largest distance,the Al2TiO5 dissolution rate equals the liquid product diffusion rate,and the dissolution process remains stable until the inclusion is completely dissolved.

Phosphorus partitioning and recovery of low-phosphorus iron-rich compounds through physical separation of Linz-Donawitz slag

The Linz-Donawitz（LD） steelmaking process produces LD slag at a rate of about 125 kg/t. After metallic scrap recovery, the non-metallic LD slag is rejected because its physical/chemical properties are unsuitable for recycling. X-ray diffraction（XRD） studies have indicated that non-metallic LD slag contains a substantial quantity of mineral phases such as di- and tricalcium silicates. The availability of these mineral phases indicates that LD slag can be recycled by iron（Fe）-ore sintering. However, the presence of 1.2wt% phosphorus（P） in the slag renders the material unsuitable for sintering operations. Electron probe microscopic analysis（EPMA） studies indicated concentration of phosphorus in dicalcium silicate phase as calcium phosphate. The Fe-bearing phases（i.e., wustite and dicalcium ferrite） showed comparatively lower concentrations of P compared with other phases in the slag. Attempts were made to lower the P content of LD slag by adopting various beneficiation techniques. Dry high-intensity magnetic separation and jigging were performed on as-received samples with particle sizes of 6 and 3 mm. Spiral separation was conducted using samples ground to sizes of less than 1 and 0.5 mm. Among these studies, grinding to 0.5 mm followed by spiral concentration demonstrated the best results, yielding a concentrate with about 0.75wt% P and 45wt% Fe.

Carbon Dioxide Sequestration via Steelmaking Slag Carbonation in Alkali Solutions: Experimental Investigation and Process Evaluation

Carbon dioxide mineral sequestration with steelmaking slag is a promising method for reducing carbon dioxide in a large- scale setting. Existing calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide in steelmaking slag can be easily leached by water, and the formed calcium carbonate can be easily wrapped on the surface of unreacted steelmaking slag particles. Thus, further increase in the carbonation reaction rate can be prevented. Enhanced carbon dioxide mineral sequestration with steel- making slag in dilute alkali solution was analysed in this study through experiments and process evaluation. Operating conditions, namely alkali concentration, reaction temperature and time, and liquid-to-solid ratio, were initially investigated. Then, the material and energy balance of the entire process was calculated, and the net carbon dioxide sequestration efficiency at different reaction times was evaluated. Results showed that dilute alkali solution participated in slowing down the leaching of active calcium in the steelmaking slag and in significantly improving carbonation conversion rate. The highest carbonation conversion rate of approximately 50% can be obtained at the optimal conditions of 20 g/L alkali concentration, 2 mL/L liquid-to-solid ratio, and 70 ℃ reaction temperature. Carbonation reaction time significantly influences the net carbon dioxide sequestration efficiency. According to calculation, carbon dioxide emission of 52.6 kg/t- slag was avoided at a relatively long time of 120 min.

Optimization Study of Calcium Leaching From Steelmaking Slag

In order to study calcium leaching behavior for the steelmaking slag,factors that influence the leaching yield have been optimized.The results show that granularity of the slag,liquid to solid ratio（in short for L/S）,temperature and reaction time have a significant effect on the leaching yield.The optimal conditions for leaching are determined as follows：1） the granularity at 75 μm,L/S at 100,temperature at 60 ℃;2） the granularity at 75 μm,L/S at 50,temperature at 40 ℃.Finally,the optimal leaching yield under these conditions is about 15%

Formation mechanism and control of MgO·Al_2O_3 inclusions in non-oriented silicon steel

On the basis of the practical production of non-oriented silicon steel, the formation of Mg O·Al2O3 inclusions was analyzed in the process of ＂basic oxygen furnace（BOF） → RH → compact strip production（CSP）＂. The thermodynamic and kinetic conditions of the formation of Mg O·Al2O3 inclusions were discussed, and the behavior of slag entrapment in molten steel during RH refining was simulated by computational fluid dynamics（CFD） software. The results showed that the Mg O/Al2O3 mass ratio was in the range from 0.005 to 0.017 and that Mg O·Al2O3 inclusions were not observed before the RH refining process. In contrast, the Mg O/Al2O3 mass ratio was in the range from 0.30 to 0.50, and the percentage of Mg O·Al2O3 spinel inclusions reached 58.4% of the total inclusions after the RH refining process. The compositions of the slag were similar to those of the inclusions; furthermore, the critical velocity of slag entrapment was calculated to be 0.45 m·s^-1 at an argon flow rate of 698 L·min^-1, as simulated using CFD software. When the test steel was in equilibrium with the slag, [Mg] was 0.00024wt%–0.00028wt% and [Al]s was 0.31wt%–0.37wt%; these concentrations were theoretically calculated to fall within the Mg O·Al2O3formation zone, thereby leading to the formation of Mg O·Al2O3 inclusions in the steel. Thus, the formation of Mg O·Al2O3 inclusions would be inhibited by reducing the quantity of slag entrapment, controlling the roughing slag during casting, and controlling the composition of the slag and the Mg O content in the ladle refractory.

Distribution of P2O5 between solid solution and liquid phase in dephosphorization slag of CaO-SiO2-FeO-P2O5-Na2O system

A multi-phase slag containing Na2O is potential to efficiently dephosphorize high-P hot metal.After dephosphorization,the generated slag with high P2O5 content is regarded as a P resource.Because P2O5 was mainly concentrated in the 2CaO SiO2-3CaO P2O5 solid solution,the recovery of P from dephosphorization slag primarily depends on the separation of the solid solution from other phases.The distribution ratios of P2O5 between solid solution and liquid phase in the CaOSiO2-FeO-P2O5-Nslag system were investigated.The results indicated that the addition of Na2O facilitated the enrichment of P2O5 in the solid solution because it increased not only the distribution ratio of P2O5 but also the mass fraction of the solid solution.The distribution ratio of P2O5 was independent of the P2O5 content in slag.A higher P2O5 content in slag resulted in higher P2O5 and Na2O contents in the solid solution.The distribution ratio of P2O5 increased with the total Fe content in the liquid phase,regardless of the valence of Fe.An increase in the FeO content in slag brought a higher P2O5 content in the solid solution.As slag basicity increased,the distribution ratio of P2O5 increased,but the P2O5 content in the solid solution decreased.

Multiphase modeling of fluid dynamic in ladle steel operations under non-isothermal conditions

A numerical simulation was performed to study the flow pattern,mixing time and open-eye slag produced by argon gas injection in an industrial scale steel ladle under non-isothermal conditions.The liquid steel remains 5min before the injection,and thermal stratification and convective flows were analyzed.Three different sequences in stages employing various argon-gas flow rates were simulated.In the first case,a sequence with the highest flow rates of argon was applied,while in the second and the third sequences,the intermediate and the lowest flow rates of argon gas were used,respectively.For determining the chemistry homogenization,the mixing time was computed and analyzed in all three cases.It was found that the cold steel is located near the walls while the steel with a high temperature is accumulated in the center of the ladle above the argon-gas tuyere.The higher and lower flows promote a faster chemistry homogenization owing to the secondary recirculations that are developed closer to the walls.The results from steel temperature drop show a good concordance with plant trial measurements.