Bo Björkman

Combustion of plastics contained in electric and electronic scrap

Abstract Plastic materials have been associated with electric and electronic applications since the early days of the electrical industry. Plastics can amount up to 30% of the scrap mass. Generally, they contains flame retardants such as halogenated compounds which can lead to the formation of different toxic products. Recycling, incineration and landfilling are the current methods used to treat these plastics. They also can be used as combustibles in some metallurgical processes. However, during their combustion, halogenated flame retardants can produce dibenzop-dioxins and dibenzo-furans.

A thermodynamic assessment of the iron-antimony system

A critical assessment of the Fe-Sb system was carried out by using a computerized technique. Both the liquid and solid solution phases were described by regular solution models. Nonstoichiometric phase, e-FeSb, was modeled as (Fe)(Fe,Sb), and FeSb2 was treated as a stoichiometric compound. A set of parameters describing the Gibbs energies of the different phases was optimized by using the existing phase diagram information and thermodynamic properties under one atmosphere. Assessed phase diagram and thermodynamic data are presented and compared with experimental data.

Polyvinyl chloride used as a chlorinating and a reducing agent

Abstract Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or vinyl is a recyclable material. It can be used as a chlorinating and a reducing agent. Two tests of chlorination and reduction of two different samples of jarosite and hematite were realized using PVC, results are presented in this paper. The chlorination test shows that the HCl gas produced from PVC and heated at ≈250°C can be used as a chlorine source to recover as chlorinated compounds the valuable metals such as Zn, Pb contained in jarosite. The XRD reveals the presence of lead and zinc chlorides in the condensates obtained. The second test of reduction was conducted using a mixture of PVC and hematite treated in a nitrogen atmosphere between 200 and 1000°C. The results show that at low temperature, PVC produces HCl and with kinetic consideration, no reactions can be observed with hematite. However, at high temperature, the weight of the hematite sample decreases by ≈15%, due to the reduction of hematite to iron metal.

WASTE REDUCTION THROUGH PROCESS OPTIMIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT

In this article, the possibilities of optimizing metallurgical processes based on minimization for waste reduction and application requirements for the reuse of waste products are discussed together with the possibilities of treating existing waste in direct connection with the process involved. Some results from ongoing projects on controlled dust generation and an outline of an ongoing research program are also described.

Interaction between iron oxides and olivine in magnetite based pellets during reduction at temperatures below 1000°C

Abstract In this work, the solid state diffusion of magnesium was studied in magnetite based pellets at temperatures between 500 and 1000°C. The samples were laboratory produced pellets with a largely exaggerated addition of olivine. The results showed that the olivine particles after oxidation had decomposed along the particle boundary and turned into magnesioferrite crystals and pyroxene/vitreous silica. Large patches of magnesioferrite rich in magnesium oxide were spread out among the haematites in the interior of the pellet. In the subsequent reduction, the haematite was converted to magnetite at 500°C. At temperatures of 800°C and above, the magnesium in the magnesioferrite diffused out to the secondarily formed magnetite and wüstite. During reduction at 600–700°C, cracks appeared along this boundary as the haematite transferred into secondary magnetite. Comparison to a commercial olivine pellet showed that the diffusion of magnesium followed the same pattern as in the laboratory pellets.

Recycling of Steel

Abstract Steel is perhaps the most important construction material in the world, providing services for the well-being of mankind. An increased demand for steel services creates demand for steel consumption, and the lifetime of the products in use determines the recycling potential and the need for replacement. At the same time the steel sector contributes 9% to global energy consumption and process-related carbon emissions. This is a figure that is very much dependent on the amount of steel recycled, because production of steel from recycled material can be carried out with much less energy and CO2 emissions. Considering volume, steel is already the most recycled metal, and there is a well-functioning business structure for the recycling of steel. Currently about 40% of the steel produced comes from recycled material. If and when the increase in world consumption of steel decreases, there will be numerous possibilities of producing a large amount of the steel from recycled scrap. Based on the existing process technology for scrap sorting and steel processing and on what is known about scrap quality, possible limitations and possible actions, the chapter discusses possibilities to reach a truly sustainable steel recycling. The greatest challenge for the steel and scrap processing industry to obtain long term sustainable steel recycling is perhaps the question of scrap quality and the need to avoid quality losses when recycling steel. As the share of steel produced from ore has increased in the last decade, accumulation of tramp elements has not been an issue of high importance recently, but it is an issue that has to be tackled in the future.

Influence of alumina on physical properties of an industrial zinc-copper smelting slag Part 3 - melting behaviour

Abstract A combination of different experimental techniques and thermodynamic calculations has been used to investigate the melting behaviour of an industrial iron silicate slag and mixtures of this slag with 5, 10 and 15 wt-% alumina addition. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermo-optical observation were applied to monitor the solidus temperature and softening behaviour of the samples respectively. Estimation of the liquidus temperature was made using the second derivative of activation energies for viscous flow, with respect to temperature. All experimentally detected values were compared to predictions made using the FactSageTM6·2 thermodynamic package. Results show that as the slag lies in the fayalite primary phase field, the liquidus temperature decreases due to the increased alumina concentration. In the hercynite primary crystallisation phase field, however, alumina addition to the system increases the liquidus temperature. The solidus temperature does not vary significantly due to the current changes in the total alumina content of the slag.

Influence of alumina on physical properties of an industrial zinc-copper smelting slagPart 1 – viscosity

Abstract The rotating cylinder method was applied to measure the viscosities of an industrial iron silicate slag and mixtures of this slag with 5, 10 and 15 wt-% alumina addition, in temperature range 1100–1300°C. The measured viscosities were compared with the predicted values using two of the commercially available software products for viscosity calculations, namely Thermoslag®1·5 and FactSageTM6·2. As the models can only predict viscosities for a solid free melt, obtained values by FactSageTM6·2 were modified using the Einstein–Roscoe equation. Results show that aluminium behaves as a network former cation in this type of slag, and by increasing the alumina concentration, the melt becomes progressively polymerised. Consequently, the viscosity of the slag increases at a given temperature, which is supported by thermodynamic predictions. According to the modified FactSageTM6·2 calculations, the viscosity of the solid containing slag increases from 2·1 to 5·5 poise at the industrial operating temperature (∼1250°C).

EAF Smelting Trials of Waste-Carbon Briquettes at Avesta Works of Outokumpu Stainless AB for Recycling Oily Mill Scale Sludge from Stainless Steel Production

The EAF steel plant of Avesta Works, Outokumpu Stainless AB, has been used to perform smelting reduction trials of briquettes consisting of oily mill scale sludge, carbon and other wastes. A total of 7 briquette smelting trials were performed. The heats were processed smoothly smelting 3 t of briquettes or 3.4 mass-% of metal charges. The quantities of FeSi powder and O2 gas injected and electric energy supplied were increased to smelt briquettes of 6 t. No impacts were found on the analyses of the crude stainless steel tapped from the EAF during the trials. The results of the briquette smelting have been evaluated by referring to the data from the reference heats and results from earlier laboratory tests. The recovery of Cr, Ni and Fe elements from the briquettes was nearly complete and was found to occur mainly through carbon reduction. The slag masses were not increased in three trials as compared with the reference heats. There were moderate increases in the slag masses in four trial heats. The increases were, nevertheless, lower by 52-69% than the slag masses generated by Sireduction of the briquette oxides. Afterwards, by referring results from the present trials, waste-carbon briquettes amounting to 1-3 t were smelted very smoothly in many of the EAF heats at Avesta Works to recycle the oily mill scale sludge and other wastes from stainless steel production.

Chapter 7 – Copper Recycling

This chapter gives a brief overview of copper recycling from a metallurgists view. As it is deemed impossible to give an in-depth presentation of such a broad and complex subject, a selection of references is given for further reading. Secondary sources of copper include a large variety of raw materials, ranging from slags, sludge and low-grade copper scrap, containing only a few percent Cu up to very high-grade copper as well as pure copper close to 100% Cu. Thus there are several options for recycling processes, within both primary and secondary plants. Although there are good recycling rates for copper, some challenges can be foreseen such as a scarcity of pure and high-grade scrap and an increased amount of products containing a mixture of materials and with low copper concentrations.