Treatment of Hot Metal and Liquid Steel with Waste Materials from the Aluminum Industry

摘要

Traditionally, fluxes containing calcium fluoride and other additives are used for the treatment of hot metal and molten steel. However, the use of calcium fluoride has been restricted due to environmental concerns. For this reason, calcium aluminate fluxes are a possible alternative to replace the slag containing CaF_2. Calcium aluminate fluxes can be produced from three different raw materials: (1) high-quality bauxite, (2) residuals of aluminum dross treatment processes and (3) waste products from alumina production. Due to the limited amount and high cost associated with high-quality bauxite, the latter two sources are preferred based on both economic and environmental considerations. The objective of this paper is to examine the use of waste slags and by-products from the aluminum industry as potential refining fluxes for the steel industry so that waste disposal from the aluminum industry can be reduced with economical and environmental benefits for both industrial sectors.