Utilization of aspiration dust and fine waste in foundry production

Аннотация

Foundry production inevitably generates significant volumes of waste, such as aspiration dust, sludge, and shavings. These materials present both environmental risks and economic potential due to their content of valuable metals. This paper examines traditional methods of recycling these wastes, their limitations, and innovative approaches utilizing rotary tilting furnaces (RTFs). The study includes research findings and practical case studies that confirm the effectiveness of RTFs in processing complex wastes and integrating them into production processes. Keywords: Aspiration dust, fine waste, rotary tilting furnaces, recycling, environmental sustainability. smelting. Despite its popularity, this method has Introduction: Foundry production plays a vital role in significant limitations. It requires a considerable the metallurgical industry, providing materials and amount of energy for drying and compressing fine components for machinery, construction, and other waste. The resulting briquettes are fragile and prone to sectors. However, it is inevitably accompanied by the breakage during transportation and storage. Moreover, generation of wastes, such as aspiration dust, sludge, impurities in the briquettes often degrade the quality and shavings. These wastes are produced during of the final product, reducing its commercial value [7]. grinding, drilling, and processing of metals. On one hand, they pose significant environmental risks due to Direct use of fine waste in smelting furnaces, though toxic components. On the other hand, they contain seemingly straightforward, leads to significant metal valuable metals, such as iron, zinc, and lead, making losses due to oxidation. Under these conditions, fine them an important source of secondary raw materials. waste particles quickly turn into slag, reducing overall metal recovery. Additionally, the uneven heating of Modern challenges, including stricter environmental fine materials results in defects in the final products, standards and rising raw material costs, demand the making them less suitable for industrial applications implementation of efficient waste recycling methods. [8]. Traditional approaches, such as briquetting or direct use of fine waste in smelting furnaces, demonstrate These methods, besides being energy-intensive, have a insufficient effectiveness due to high metal losses, low significant environmental impact, making them less energy efficiency, and significant slag generation [1-3]. attractive under modern sustainability requirements. In this context, rotary tilting furnaces (RTFs) offer an Innovative Approaches Using Rotary Tilting Furnaces innovative solution, providing higher energy efficiency, Rotary tilting furnaces (RTFs) represent a modern reduced operational costs, and improved metal technology that overcomes the limitations of recovery rates [4-6]. traditional methods. The main advantage of RTFs lies in MATERIALS AND RESEARCHES the creation of a dynamic layer where particles are Issues with Traditional Recycling Methods evenly heated, ensuring complete melting and minimizing metal losses. Briquetting is a process where fine waste materials are compressed into compact forms for subsequent Another key feature of RTFs is their ability to create a American Journal of Applied Science and Technology 23 https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajast American Journal of Applied Science and Technology (ISSN: 2771-2745) reducing atmosphere within the furnace. This prevents RTFs also effectively handle waste containing oils and further oxidation of metals and enhances the quality of other contaminants. The heat released during the the final product. For example, during the processing of combustion of these substances is utilized to reduce oxidized waste at the Belarusian Metallurgical Plant, energy consumption, making the process more cost- the use of RTFs achieved an iron recovery rate of 90%, effective. which is significantly higher than that of traditional methods [4]. Method Thermal Energy Consumption Metal Losses Fuel Usage Efficiency (%) (kWh/t) (%) (m³/t) Traditional 25 1500 20 20 Furnaces Rotary Tilting 55 800 5 8 Furnaces Table 1. Comparison of Thermal Efficiency Between Rotary and Traditional Furnaces environmental regulations and rising raw material The data presented in the table highlight the significant costs, the adoption of RTFs becomes a critical element advantages of rotary tilting furnaces over traditional of sustainable development in the metallurgical ones. The high thermal efficiency (55% versus 25%) industry. indicates more effective energy utilization in RTFs, attributed to uniform heating of materials and These technologies not only address the challenges of minimized heat loss. This is particularly critical for recycling complex wastes but also contribute to the enterprises aiming to reduce energy costs and their circular economy by ensuring the efficient use of carbon footprint. resources. By integrating RTFs, enterprises