A pilot installation of a metallurgical furnace capable of processing iron containing industrial waste and solid waste has been fired up at Mtsensk, Russia. The reactor can produce iron and non-ferrous metals, process industrial waste, slags and sludge, municipal solid waste. The technology involves bubbling a chemically inert gas, such as nitrogen, argon or helium through a liquid to separate dissolved gases like oxygen from the liquid.
The energy costs with this technology are 20% to 30% lower than other processing systems. The developers claim that energy costs can be limited to 500 kg of coal and 500 nm3 of oxygen per ton of cast iron. Different slag chemistries can be accommodated in the processing scheme to manufacture slag stone or cement clinker.
