What type of crusher is required for processing electric furnace slag

Electric furnace slag constitutes the solid waste discharged during the smelting of metals in electric furnaces, primarily composed of oxides such as calcium, iron, copper, silicon, magnesium, aluminium, manganese, and phosphorus. Common varieties include steelmaking electric furnace slag and copper smelting electric furnace slag. With heightened environmental regulations, electric furnace slag materials can now be recycled following appropriate processing. What does this recycling process entail? Below we outline the processing flow for electric furnace slag.

A. The Recyclable Value of Electric Furnace Slag

Slag production is substantial in smelting operations: smelting one tonne of pig iron yields 0.3-1 tonne of slag, while smelting one tonne of anode copper produces 5-6 tonnes. Without treatment, this slag poses significant environmental pollution risks.

The slag can be utilised for cement production, manufacturing insulation and thermal insulation materials for construction, serving as a flux in smelting processes, or forming protective slag for ingot casting. Water-quenched slag from copper smelting can also be employed as blasting material. However, all these applications require the electric furnace slag to have undergone crushing and processing beforehand.

B. Electric Furnace Slag Crushing Process Flow

The processing production line for electric furnace slag can be broadly divided into five stages: feeding, crushing, separation, grinding, and finished product.

1. Feeding

Electric furnace slag is transported by ladle carriers to the slag yard, cooled with cold water, then stockpiled. A vibrating feeder conveys it to the crushing equipment.

2. Crushing

Crushing involves coarse and medium crushing stages. Due to the slag's considerable hardness, jaw crushers are typically employed.

3. Grinding

The particle size of crushed slag still falls short of separation requirements, necessitating further grinding in ball mills for finer fragmentation.

4. Separation

Magnetic materials remain within the slag. Magnetic separators extract iron concentrate from the slag.

5. Finished Product

The separated slag powder is collected via a classifier and conveyed by an elevator into a finished product silo for subsequent applications.

C. Electric Furnace Slag Crusher

For crushing electric furnace slag, a combination of primary jaw crushers and secondary jaw crushers is typically employed.

Jaw crushers are extensively employed crushing equipment, characterised by their compact and straightforward design. The moving jaw, jaw plates, and heavy-duty eccentric shaft, all fabricated from high-manganese steel, ensure exceptional durability and reliability. This not only enhances operational efficiency but also guarantees long-term stable performance.

The crushing process for electric furnace slag is not particularly demanding, primarily requiring reduction to particles under 20mm to meet the feed specifications of grinding mills. Both primary and secondary jaw crushers offer a high reduction ratio, large feed openings, and a wide range of discharge adjustment, fully capable of satisfying these feed requirements.

The cost of an electric furnace slag processing line is difficult to determine precisely, as production volumes vary significantly. Consequently, the specific machine configurations required are uncertain. We can only provide a general price range. For a detailed quotation, please contact our website customer service team, available 24 hours a day to assist you.