The Direct Recycling of Electric Arc Furnace Stainless Steelmaking Dust

This paper focuses on the pilot-scale investigation of direct recycling of electric arc furnace (EAF) stainless steelmaking dust. The direct recycling of EAF dust is to make pellets with the mixture of the dust and the reducing agent carbon, then introduce the pellets to the EAF. The valuable metals in the dust are reduced and get into the steel as the alloying elements. Experiments simulating direct recycling in an EAF were performed using an induction furnace. But it seems difficult to reduce all metal oxides in the dust so that some metal reducing agents added in the late stage of reduction process. The valuable metals in the dust were reduced partly by carbon and partly by metal reducing agent for the economical concern. The recovery of iron, chromium and nickel from the flue dust and the amount of metal oxides in the slag were measured. The results showed that the direct recycling of EAF stainless steelmaking dust is practicable. It wes also found that direct recycling of flue EAF stainless steelmaking dusts does not affect the chemistry and quality of stainless steel produced in the EAF. It is benefit not only for the environmental protection but also for the recovery of valuable metal resources in this way.